Homoeopathy is not an effective treatment for asthma

Homoeopathic remedies are no better than placebo for the treatment of asthmatic patients who are allergic to house dust mite, but there is a difference in response between homoeopathy and placebo, concludes a study in this week’s BMJ.

The research team identified 242 asthmatic people allergic to house dust mite. Participants received either homoeopathic therapy or placebo and were assessed over 16 weeks.

They found no improvement in lung function or quality of life between those treated with placebo and those who received homoeopathic therapy. They conclude that a homoeopathic dose of house dust mite therapy is no better than placebo for the treatment of people with asthma who are house dust mite allergic.

Previous studies have suggested that this type of homoeopathy is effective in the treatment of hay fever and possibly asthma. However, this study was substantially larger than any of the earlier studies and included a wider range of outcome measures, say the authors.