HomeopathyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-08-06DOI: 10.1055/a-2591-4676
Rainer Schäferkordt
{"title":"Data Mining in Homeopathic Materia Medica.","authors":"Rainer Schäferkordt","doi":"10.1055/a-2591-4676","DOIUrl":"10.1055/a-2591-4676","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Data-driven research stems from the original idea of homeopathy, which can be transferred to the 21st century with modern statistical concepts, especially techniques of data mining.</p><p><strong>Groundwork: </strong>In preparing a statistical approach to Materia Medica, abstraction of symptoms is pivotal. The main works of Materia Medica were indexed, creating the requirements for analyzing existing data.</p><p><strong>Goals: </strong>A manifold range of objectives are conceivable for analysis of Materia Medica: e.g., checking the quality of the existing data; assessing the prevalence of symptoms; calculating correlations between symptoms; assessing the discriminating power of symptoms; handling of polar symptoms; analyzing cross-references between medicines; calculating domains for each medicine, such as spheres of action, organs and side localization; building a new repertory from scratch.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>As a first step, a comparison between data of Materia Medica, prognostic factor research (PFR) and repertories for six selected repertory rubrics was performed, showing moderately high correlations between Materia Medica and PFR.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Methods of data mining applied to Materia Medica can help to analyze existing data to a maximum extent and contribute to the further development of the homeopathic method, both scientifically and practically.</p>","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":"111-118"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144794318","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
HomeopathyPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2025-09-02DOI: 10.1055/a-2594-1313
Jean-Lionel Bagot, Mariya Lilova
{"title":"Patients' Perceptions of Homeopathic Consultations in an Integrative Care Day Hospital for Oncology Outpatients in Strasbourg, France: A Qualitative Study.","authors":"Jean-Lionel Bagot, Mariya Lilova","doi":"10.1055/a-2594-1313","DOIUrl":"10.1055/a-2594-1313","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Homeopathic consultations complement conventional medicine by emphasizing individualized and specific patient symptoms. While numerous studies have examined the efficacy of homeopathic treatments, very few have explored patients' experiences during these consultations.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To analyze and understand how patients perceive this period of care, through a qualitative study conducted at the Integrative Care Day Hospital for oncology outpatients at Toussaint Hospital in Strasbourg, France.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, we conducted semi-structured interviews between February and April 2022 with patients living with advanced cancer. Participants were referred by oncologists or supportive care providers to the hospital, where they received various integrative therapies, including homeopathy, acupuncture, aromatherapy, dietetics, osteopathy, mindfulness, art therapy, socio-aesthetic care, and psychological support. Interviews focused on patients' lived experiences. Data collection continued until thematic saturation was reached, which occurred after 20 anonymized interviews.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seventeen of the 20 patients spontaneously commented on the homeopathic consultations, revealing seven key themes: attentive listening; sufficient time; trust and understanding; a holistic and person-centered approach; clear and detailed explanations; open-minded dialogue; comprehensive clinical and paraclinical assessment. Consultations were perceived as moments of calm, openness and humanity. The care was described as non-intrusive, providing clarity and meaningful explanations.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings align with prior qualitative research: homeopathic consultations in integrative oncology were positively received, appreciated for their holistic and empathetic nature. These results highlight the meaningful contribution of homeopathy in integrative oncology.</p>","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":"95-100"},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144952200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Is Susceptibility to Homeopathic Potency a Measurable Construct? Development of an Assessment Tool by Mixed-Methods Research.","authors":"Anil Kumar Mandi, Satyajit Naskar, Subhasish Ganguly, Sangita Saha, Pulakendu Bhattacharya, Taniya Islam, Joynab Khatun, Pritom Patra, Munmun Koley, Subhranil Saha","doi":"10.1055/a-2780-4963","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2780-4963","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Susceptibility, a foundational concept in homeopathy, denotes an individual's reactive capacity that governs disease manifestation, remedy response and potency selection. Despite its central role, susceptibility has remained a qualitative construct without standardized measurement. This study aimed to conceptualize and develop a content-validated instrument to measure susceptibility to different potencies of homeopathic medicines.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design (qual → QUAN) was employed. Conceptual domains were identified through classical literature review and expert free-listing, with item salience estimated using Smith's salience index. Face validity was assessed by four independent raters, followed by Delphi-based content validation with another five-member expert panel using average congruency percentage (ACP), content validity ratio (CVR), content validity index (CVI), including I-CVI (content validity index: item-specific) and S-CVI (content validity index: scale-specific), and kappa statistics. A pilot test by 15 postgraduate trainees (end-users) evaluated clarity and feasibility. An exploratory receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to preliminarily calibrate score thresholds against expert-rated susceptibility levels (low, medium, high).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From an initial pool of 37 items, 28 were retained after salience analysis and 20 after Delphi validation. Content validity indices met acceptable standards (ACP ≥ 80%; CVR ≥ 0.99; I-CVI Avg. 0.793; S-CVI Avg. 0.786; Fleiss kappa -0.037, 95% confidence interval -0.120 to 0.045). The final 19-item tool spans intellectual, emotional, pathological, environmental and behavioral domains. ROC analysis demonstrated excellent discriminative performance across all pairwise comparisons (asymptotic <i>p</i> < 0.001), with curves closely approximating the upper-left boundary, indicating high sensitivity and specificity. Optimal cut-off points were identified, enabling empirical classification of susceptibility as low (<60.7), moderate (60.7-66.9) or high (>66.9).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study presents the first standardized, content-validated and pilot-tested instrument to quantify susceptibility in homeopathy. The exploratory ROC findings provide preliminary empirical thresholds for classifying susceptibility levels, supporting more consistent and objective potency selection. Further psychometric testing, including reliability and construct validity, will be reported elsewhere.</p>","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147814444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Individualized Homeopathic Management of Chronic Atopic Dermatitis Complicated by Secondary Infection: An Evidence-Based Case Report.","authors":"Shweta Singh Kureel, Gurpreet Singh, Bharti Wadhwa","doi":"10.1055/a-2772-3857","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2772-3857","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Atopic dermatitis (AD), complicated by secondary infection, a complex and heterogeneous clinical condition, is characterized by cutaneous manifestations, phenotypic variability and a distinct underlying epidermal pathophysiological mechanism. Whilst conventional treatments merely alleviate symptoms and lead to recurrence, homeopathy addresses the internal cause, advancing a more effective outcome in managing complex dermatological conditions.A 17-year-old boy presented with chronic AD characterized by dry, indurated, thickened, hyper-pigmented, crusted lesions with pustules and vesicles on the feet, more prominently on the left foot. The homeopathic medicine <i>Graphites</i> was prescribed on an individualized basis following a detailed miasmatic evaluation and repertorial analysis. Treatment response was assessed by the Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) scale and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), as well as recorded photographically. Casual attribution of clinical outcomes was evaluated using the MONARCH inventory.Remarkable clinical improvement was observed, with complete resolution of symptoms within 13 months. IGA and DLQI showed progressive improvement over the course of treatment, with scores reducing from IGA = 4 / DLQI = 18 to IGA = 0 / DLQI = 1. The MONARCH score was +9/13.This case highlights the potential role of individualized homeopathy in managing chronic AD complicated by secondary infection and points to the need for pragmatic randomized controlled trials in this area of investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147689997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Predicting Homeopathic Treatment Outcomes Systematically in Chronic Diseases: Development of Version 2 of the Patient Response Assessment Tool after Homeopathic Treatment (PRATHoT) by Mixed-Methods Research.","authors":"Taniya Islam, Sangita Saha, Subhasish Ganguly, Pulakendu Bhattacharya, Satyajit Naskar, Joynab Khatun, Anil Kumar Mandi, Preeti Bhandari, Sutapa Dutta, Munmun Koley, Subhranil Saha","doi":"10.1055/a-2765-3402","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2765-3402","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Patient Response Assessment Tool after Homeopathic Treatment (PRATHoT) was a preliminary attempt to categorize the treatment outcomes after an individualized homeopathic prescription in chronic diseases using centesimal potencies. Our project was aimed at improving it further, and this paper reports the development of version 2.0 of the tool by a staged process of item development and tool construction.An exploratory, sequential, qual → QUAN mixed-methods study design was adopted. The study was divided into three phases: Phase I: Item development (qualitative); Phase II: Tool construction (both qualitative and quantitative); Phase III: Tool validation (quantitative). Items were generated deductively using literature review and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with five experts. Items were finalized after thematic analysis. The tool components were checked for face validity, converted into a questionnaire to seek consensus using a 4-point Likert scale (1: not relevant at all; 4: highly relevant) through iterative Delphi rounds from another panel of five experts, selected by non-probabilistic purposive sampling. Content validity was examined; a cut-off was set at a content validity ratio (CVR) of 1.0. The tool was configured and pilot tested by 15 end-users. Tool validation (Quan) will be reported separately.Initially, 57 items were generated after a literature review, further extended to 75 items after completing the IDIs and thematic analysis. Content validity from Delphi round responses identified only 23 items having CVR = 1; however, a panel meeting recommended retention of all 75 items for their conceptual importance. The items were mapped into interpretative categories, resulting in PRATHoT v2.0. Five main themes were identified, each containing several related sub-themes that covered various factors such as aggravations and healing effects.A consensus-derived tool was developed for systematic categorization of the probable outcomes. The tool is ready for field testing and formal validation in diverse clinical conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147689935","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
HomeopathyPub Date : 2026-04-10DOI: 10.1055/a-2784-6444
Quamar Sultana, Rajat Kumar Pal, Subhranil Saha, Sk Monsur Alam, Munmun Koley, Molla Mohamed Nazrul Hassan, Sumana Sengupta, Urmi Roy, Shifa Hashmi, Deepanwita Bhattacharyya, Doly Chakraborty, Swarup Biswas, Tuhina Parveen, Anandita Ray, Lex Rutten
{"title":"Statistical Appraisal of the Medicines under the Rubric \"Sympathetic\" in Homeopathic Repertories using Likelihood Ratio.","authors":"Quamar Sultana, Rajat Kumar Pal, Subhranil Saha, Sk Monsur Alam, Munmun Koley, Molla Mohamed Nazrul Hassan, Sumana Sengupta, Urmi Roy, Shifa Hashmi, Deepanwita Bhattacharyya, Doly Chakraborty, Swarup Biswas, Tuhina Parveen, Anandita Ray, Lex Rutten","doi":"10.1055/a-2784-6444","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2784-6444","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In homeopathic prescribing, emotional and mental traits play a key role in remedy selection. The rubric \"sympathetic\", commonly found in homeopathic repertories, represents traits such as empathy, sensitivity and compassion. However, its inclusion of particular medicines raises concerns regarding discriminative validity. This study applied a likelihood ratio (LR)-based statistical method to evaluate the strength of association between medicines and the rubric \"sympathetic\", aiming to enhance scientific reliability and evidence-informed prescribing.An 18-month analytical, longitudinal, epidemiological study was conducted at the outpatient departments of a homeopathic hospital in India. Participants aged ≥12 years with chronic illnesses were included, classified as \"sympathetic\" based on the validated Modified Trait Sympathy Scale - Homeopathic Perspective (mTSS-HP). Individualized homeopathic treatment was provided in centesimal or LM potencies. Treatment outcome was assessed using the Outcome Related to Impact on Daily Living (ORIDL) scale over a 3-month follow-up. Likelihood ratios (LR(+) and LR(-)) were computed from 2 × 2 contingency tables to quantify associations between medicines and the rubric \"sympathetic\".A total of 1,372 participants were enrolled; 1,327 (96.7%) completed the study. The cohort was predominantly female (74.2%) and had a mean age of 38.9 ± 13.7 years. Among 78 prescribed medicines, <i>Ignatia amara</i> (LR(+) = 2.0), <i>Carcinosinum</i> (LR(+) = 2.2), <i>Staphysagria macrosperma</i> (LR(+) = 1.9), and <i>Nitricum acidum</i> (LR(+) = 2.6) showed strong positive LRs, suggesting a significant association with the \"sympathetic\" rubric. Remedies such as <i>Bryonia alba</i>, <i>Nux vomica</i>, <i>Natrum sulphuricum</i>, and <i>Sulphur</i> demonstrated LR(+) <1, indicating weaker associations.LR-based analysis identified a restricted set of medicines with robust statistical association with the rubric \"sympathetic\", supporting the need for selective refinement of repertorial listings. This approach strengthens the empirical foundation of mental-emotional rubrics and offers a reproducible framework for evidence-informed, individualized homeopathic prescribing.</p>","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147654025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
HomeopathyPub Date : 2026-03-19DOI: 10.1055/a-2724-4619
Arun Krishnan P, Baiju G Nair
{"title":"Homeopathic Medicines and Nanoparticles: A Critical Narrative Review.","authors":"Arun Krishnan P, Baiju G Nair","doi":"10.1055/a-2724-4619","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2724-4619","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The biological mechanism behind the action of homeopathic medicines (HMs) is a matter of debate, despite the fact that many studies have been put forth to demonstrate its efficacy. The occurrence of nanoparticles (NPs) in homeopathic remedies has been the subject of recent studies. NPs in homeopathic triturations and dilutions have been characterized using various analytical methods, including spectroscopic and microscopic techniques.We made a comprehensive literature search of articles in which HMs were characterized using any of the relevant characterization techniques. A narrative review of the strengths and limitations of the studies retrieved was made.A total of 33 articles were retrieved and thoroughly reviewed, including aspects of study design and methods. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, nanoparticle tracking analysis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are techniques that have been employed to date to explore HMs for NPs. Though a few studies were of good methodological quality, many presented poor design in the form of lack of control groups, deployment of a single microscopic technique alone for characterization, and sometimes insufficient limit of detection of the instruments involved. Additional characterization of HMs may be approached using methods such as wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and neutron scattering.With more robust protocols and suitable combinations of existing characterization techniques, the precise characteristics of NPs in HMs and their role in the pharmacology of homeopathy can be more clearly understood.</p>","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147485655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
HomeopathyPub Date : 2026-03-18DOI: 10.1055/a-2773-0906
Lex Rutten, José E Eizayaga
{"title":"Attitudes Towards Research among Homeopathy Interns in India: What Research are We Talking About?","authors":"Lex Rutten, José E Eizayaga","doi":"10.1055/a-2773-0906","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2773-0906","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147480671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
HomeopathyPub Date : 2026-03-14DOI: 10.1055/a-2750-4888
Renata Lemonica, Fernanda Maria Simões da Costa Fujino, Andrea Lucia Bastos Carneiro, Ana Amélia Campos Claro Olandim
{"title":"Clinical Research Models in Homeopathy: Theoretical and Epidemiological Reflections.","authors":"Renata Lemonica, Fernanda Maria Simões da Costa Fujino, Andrea Lucia Bastos Carneiro, Ana Amélia Campos Claro Olandim","doi":"10.1055/a-2750-4888","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2750-4888","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Homeopathic practice is founded on individualisation and the totality of symptoms, seeking correspondence between a patient's clinical manifestations and the effects observed in drug provings. This conceptual basis demands research strategies that uphold contemporary standards of clinical science while ensuring model validity, faithfully representing the therapeutic rationale of homeopathy. The choice of an appropriate methodological design is essential to ensure both reliability and consistency with homeopathic principles. Conventional frameworks such as randomised controlled trials must be adapted to preserve model validity, particularly through the use of individualised prescriptions. In other contexts, research may employ standardised remedies (including the <i>genus epidemicus</i>), N-of-1 trials, non-randomised interventional studies or observational designs. The suitability of each model depends on clinical characteristics (chronic, acute or epidemic conditions), the purpose of the study (exploratory or confirmatory), epidemiological factors such as symptom homogeneity, morbidity and mortality, as well as statistical considerations. This article thus examines the theoretical, clinical, and epidemiological criteria guiding the selection of research designs in homeopathy. By emphasising model validity as a central criterion, and by analysing the conceptual foundations, practical challenges and limitations of each approach, it aims to promote the methodological and clinical relevance of homeopathy research.</p>","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147456853","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Homeopathic Medicines for the Treatment of Acute Otitis Media: a Real-World Cohort Study on Recurrences and Antibiotic Prescriptions Compared to those with Conventional Treatments.","authors":"Norbert Banik, Kristina Hammerstiel, Sabine Niederle, Thorsten Reineke","doi":"10.1055/a-2727-3418","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2727-3418","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The study investigated the role of homeopathic medicines in daily treatment of uncomplicated (i.e., without need for an initial antibiotic prescription) acute otitis media (AOM). Recurrence rates and antibiotic prescriptions over 12 months were compared in patients initially prescribed either homeopathic medicines or medicines from one of three conventional therapeutic classes.This exploratory cohort study used real-world electronic health care data from the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA). German patients of all ages diagnosed with AOM between 2010 and 2018 who were prescribed either homeopathic, nasal, otological medicines or non-opioid analgesics on the day of diagnosis or within 6 days thereafter were included. AOM recurrence was assessed using multivariable logistic regression; the number of antibiotic prescriptions was assessed using multivariable negative binomial regression.A total of 113,983 of 745,372 patients diagnosed with AOM were eligible for analysis. Of these, 9.9% of patients initially received prescriptions for homeopathic medicines. In the total patient group, these prescriptions were associated with a slightly reduced risk of AOM recurrence compared with otological medicines (odds ratio, 1.17; statistically significant, <i>p</i> = 0.011). All results of the negative binomial regression analysis of antibiotic prescriptions were in favor of homeopathic medicines. Those were statistically significant in the comparison versus otological medicines in all patients and in the adult sub-group. Time-to-event analysis for first antibiotic prescriptions showed statistically significantly reduced time-related risks in the homeopathy group compared with all groups of conventional medicines included (in all patients and in two pre-defined age-dependent sub-groups).The real-world data analyzed in this study reveal that homeopathic medicines play a relevant role in daily AOM treatment as a stand-alone therapy class. Additionally, the study yielded important methodological findings on prescription patterns in routine AOM care in Germany, with specific focus on the role of homeopathic medicines.</p>","PeriodicalId":13227,"journal":{"name":"Homeopathy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.3,"publicationDate":"2026-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147443743","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}