In 2006 a prospective, multi-centre cohort study was conducted by a research team
at Berlin’s Charité University (Germany), including 103 primary care practices with
additional specialization in homeopathy in Germany and Switzerland. In this study
the use and effects of homeopathy under conditions of usual care were
investigated.
The study involved 3981 patients who consulted a physician for
classical homeopathic therapy in 103 primary care practices in Germany and
Switzerland. Disease severity and quality of life demonstrated marked and
sustained improvements following homeopathic treatment period. The study
indicates that homeopathic medical therapy may play a beneficial role in the long-
term care of patients with chronic diseases.
In recent publications the results of homeopathic treatment in two subgroups of the
above-mentioned study were described, one subgroup of children with atopic
eczema and another subgroup of 82 adults with psoriasis.

The study on atopic eczema included 225 children with a disease duration of 3.6 ±
3.8 years who were followed up for 24 months. Over the course of the study
patients received 7.3 ± 6.4 homeopathic prescriptions, most frequently Calcium
carbonicum (8.2%), Tuberculinum (7.2%), and Medorrhinum (6.8%). In total, 137
different homeopathic remedies were used. The strongest improvement in
diagnoses and medical complaints was seen in the first 3 months, and it continued
during the full observation period. After 24 months, the atopic eczema as well as the
other baseline diagnoses were considerably relieved, while reductions in use of
conventional medicines were observed.
The other study was aimed at evaluating details and effects of homeopathic
treatment in patients with psoriasis. Forty-five physicians treated 82 adults, who had
had psoriasis for an average of 14.7 years and of whom 96.3% had been treated
before. Patients received 6.0 ± 4.9 homeopathic prescriptions. Diagnoses and
complaints severity improved markedly with large effect sizes. In addition, the quality
of life improved, while conventional treatment and health service use were
considerably reduced.
It has to be kept in mind that these are not experimental studies (with control group,
randomization, and blinding, but observational studies which are, by their character,
less rigorous than experimental studies. The aim of these studies was to provide
systematic and detailed information about status and effects of homeopathic
medical care in usual care. And the results clearly demonstrate that under
individualized (‘classical’) homeopathic treatment, patients with atopic eczema and
psoriasis improved in symptoms and quality of life.
Please see www.homeopathyeurope.org/news-and-press for additional interesting
studies and the latest news on homeopathy in Europe.

References:

Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Baur R, Willich SN. (2005) Homeopathic Medical Practice: Long-
term results of a Cohort Study with 3,981 Patients. BMC Public Health, 5:115.

Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Willich SN (2009). Homeopathic treatment of children with atopic
eczema: a prospective observational study with two years follow-up. Acta Dermato-
venereologica, 89:182-183.

Witt CM, Lüdtke R, Willich SN (2009) Homeopathic treatment of patients with
psoriasis--a prospective observational study with 2 years follow-up. Journal of the
European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 23:538-543.