... and other stories.
Papers, listed by lead author: G-H
G
Gacsi, M., Gyori, B., Miklosi, A., Viranyi, Z., Kubinyi, E., (2005) Specific differences and similarities in the behavior of hand-raised dog and wolf pups in social situations with humans Developmental Psychobiology Vol. 47 no. 2 pp. 111-22
The upshot of this study is that wolves are different from dogs. This probably isn’t too startling to the average sensible reader but proponents of raw diets like to pretend that dogs are just ‘wolves lite’ and should be treated as such -
Gibson, R.G., Gibson, S.L.M., MacNeill, A.D., Buchanan, W.W., (1980) Homeopathic therapy in rheumatoid arthritis: evaluation by double-blind clinical therapeutic trial British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Vol. 9 no. 5 pp. 453-459
Goodyear, K., Lewith, G., and Low, J.L., (1998) Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of homoeopathic 'proving' for Belladonna C30. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine Vol. 91 no. 11 pp. 579–582
Despite trying to torture the statistics into submission in the results section the authors are forced to concede, “We were unable to distinguish between Belladonna C30 and placebo using our primary outcome measure... This pilot study does not demonstrate a clear proving reaction for Belladonna C30 versus placebo...". Yet another RDBPCT of the type homeopaths cry out for giving more evidence (if such were needed) that it is impossible to tell the difference between a homeopathic remedy and sugar tablets.
Greenhalgh, T., (2010) How to read a paper, the basics of evidence based medicine 4th edition Wiley-Blackwell ISBN-10: 1444334360
This book has to be compulsory reading for anyone interested in the interpretation of clinical papers. It is accessible, easy to understand and a joy to read. It is based on a marathon series of 10 papers by Greenhalgh published in the BMJ in 1997 covering everything from how to use the medline database to statistics to metanalyses -
Links are given below to the book itself, available from Amazon (and elsewhere presumably) and to two sites which provide multiple links to all the original articles. The New Jersey links are to the complete journals (so other articles are available too), the HEAL site has re-formatted the articles as single pieces.
Links: [purchase from Amazon]:[original papers, multiple links, HEAL Toronto]:[original papers, multiple links, College of New Jersey]
Guggisberg, A.G., Baumgartner, S.M., Tschopp, C.M., Heusser, P., (2005) Replication study concerning the effects of homeopathic dilutions of histamine on human basophil degranulation in vitro Complementary Therapies in Medicine Vol. 13 no. 2 pp. 91-100
"We were not able to confirm the previously reported large effects of homeopathic histamine dilutions on basophil function of the examined donor. Seemingly, minor variables of the experimental set up can lead to significant differences of the results if not properly controlled"
This is an attempted replication of a number of studies looking at the effect of homeopathy on basophil activation including Belon 2004. In a similar vein Madeleine Ennis (2010) also expresses scepticism about this type of study, the taste for which was first established by the Benveniste team in 1988. I'm sure it's just coincidence but, according to his obituary in the Guardian newspaper Jaques Benveniste invented and held the patent for this particular assay. Interestingly this negative study is published in a pro-CAM journal; now that makes a refreshing change.
This is an attempted replication of a number of studies looking at the effect of homeopathy on basophil activation including Belon 2004. In a similar vein Madeleine Ennis (2010) also expresses scepticism about this type of study, the taste for which was first established by the Benveniste team in 1988. I'm sure it's just coincidence but, according to his obituary in the Guardian newspaper Jaques Benveniste invented and held the patent for this particular assay. Interestingly this negative study is published in a pro-
H
Hammarberg, K.E., (2002) Animal Welfare in Relation to Standards in Organic Farming (Proceedings of the 14th Internordic Symposium of the Nordic Committee for Veterinary Scientific Cooperation) Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica , Vol. 43(Suppl 1) S17-S25
A veterinary surgeon and supporter of organic farming expresses concerns that the movement, particularly with its insistence on the use of homeopathy in favour of real and effective medicines, has gone too far and is causing serious animal welfare problems.
“In the North of Sweden attacks from gnats and mosquitoes can be deadly to animals. When these insects flutter about, humans, even the organic farmer protects himself with chemical repellents, or tight fitting clothes. Animals on conventional farms are protected with chemicals..., but animals on organic farms are denied this protection, they are unable to run away from their paddock or "cover themselves with clothes". When you see animals attacked by gnats and mosquitoes, you realise they do suffer badly. I have on many occasions seen animals killed in this way.”...
“we have seen the spreading of a contagious disease, BVD, through an [sic] homeopath. I believe that sooner or later, once reported to the police, this matter will end up as a court case where the charge will be that homeopathic treatment leads to undue suffering of animals.”
Links: [full text AVS]
Han, E., Johnson, N., DelaMelena, T., Glissmeyer, M., Steinbock, K., (2011) Alternative therapy used as primary treatment for breast cancer negatively impacts outcomes Annals of Surgical Oncology Vol. 18 no. 4 pp. 912-916
”Alternative therapies used as primary treatment for breast cancer are associated with disease progression and increased risk of recurrence and death. Diminished outcomes are more profound in those delaying/omitting surgery”
So, if you use alternative therapies insted of real medicine to treat breast cancer you stand more chance of dying -
Harris, W.S., Gowda, M., Kolb, J.W., et al. (1999) A randomized, controlled trial of the effects of remote, intercessory prayer on outcomes in patients admitted to the coronary care unit Arch Intern Med Vol. 159 pp. 2273-2278
This ridiculous study has been criticised in the journal of its publication (link below) on all sorts of levels:
Philosophical:
“The study by Harris et al is a wonderful example of a P value out of context and out of control. It is out of context because of the failure to properly adjust for mechanistic improbabilities. It is out of control because of its propensity to encourage much pseudoscientific mischief...”
Methodological:
“Harris et al did not evaluate or comment on what appears to be the strongest statistical association in their study: 3.7% (18/484) of those in the prayer group were discharged within 24 hours compared with only 0.9% (5/529) of those in the usual care group (P<.005 by [chi]2 test if observations are independent). Since these discharges occurred before the intervention began (mean±SE,1.6 ± 0.16 days after admission), we are concerned that the statistical methods used by Harris et al, which assume independence of the observations, may not be appropriate for their data. While their article states that "new patients were randomly assigned," it is not clear whether the same person who was readmitted for a new episode would have constituted a new patient...”
... and Theological:
“Why should God allow the patients who received the remote, intercessory prayer to do better than the control group? Does God love those for whom strangers pray more than those who were randomly assigned not to receive their prayers..?”
One commentator with a sense of humour even claimed that it was he who had caused the trial to turn out the way it did by means of his clairvoyant and telepathic powers - let’s face it, it’s just as likely as divine intervention.
Links: [abstract+letters - Arch Intern Med ]:[full text - Arch Intern Med, html ]:[full text - pdf ]
Responses: [Arch Intern Med, pdf, on vanderbilt.edu]
Responses: [Arch Intern Med, pdf, on vanderbilt.edu]
Hektoen, L., (2005) Review of the current involvement of homeopathy in veterinary practice and research. Veterinary Record Vol. 157 pp. 224 -229
Links: [abstract - vet rec ]:[full text - vet rec, pdf ]
Resonses: [Baker et al, 2005]:[Ramey et al + Hektoen (author’s response), 2005]
Resonses: [Baker et al, 2005]:[Ramey et al + Hektoen (author’s response), 2005]
Hektoen, L., Larsen, S., Odegaard, S.A., et al., (2004) Comparison of homeopathy, placebo and antibiotic treatment of clinical mastitis in dairy cows - methodological issues and results from a randomized-clinical trial Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A Vol. 51 pp. 439-446
"... Evidence of efficacy of homeopathic treatment beyond placebo was not found in this study..."
Hill, P.B., Hoare, J., Lau-Gillard, P., Rybnicek, J., and Mathie, R.T., (2009) Pilot study of the effect of individualised homeopathy on the pruritis associated with atopic dermatitis in dogs, Veterinary Record Vol. 164 pp. 364-370
The bulk of the paper is taken up with an open label phase where owners and clinicians were fully aware that the dogs were receiving homeopathy in a population favourably disposed towards homeopathy as participation was voluntary. The final, blinded section had a total of 3 participants, a number so low as to be useless. This trial proves nothing about the effectiveness of homeopathy although that doesn't stop the homepaths touting it as firm evidence as usual.
Links: [abstract - Veterinary Record ]:[Full text - Veterinary Record ]
Responses: [Vet CAM Commonsense]
Responses: [Vet CAM Commonsense]
Hill, C., and Doyon, F., (1990) Review of randomized trials of homoeopathy Rev. Epidemiol. Sante Publique Vol. 38 no. 2 pp. 139-147
“... the results do not provide acceptable evidence that homoeopathic treatments are effective.”
Links: [abstract - pub med ]
Hirst, S.J., Hayes, N.A., Burridge, J., Pearce, F.L., Foreman, J.C., (1993) Human basophil degranulation is not triggered by very dilute antiserum against human IgE Nature Vol. 366 pp. 525-527
“We have attempted to reproduce the findings of Benveniste and co-workers ... no aspect of the data is consistent with the previously published claims.”
Links: [abstract - nature.com ]
Holmes, M.A., Cockcroft, P.D., Booth, C.E., and Heath, M.F., (2005) Controlled clinical trial of the effect of a homoeopathic nosode on the somatic cell counts in the milk of clinically normal dairy cows Veterinary Record Vol. 156 pp. 565-567
“Cows in a 250-cow Holstein-Friesian herd were allocated at random to be treated with either a homoeopathic nosode or a negative control... There were no significant differences between the somatic cell count (SCC)of the two groups on any sample day, but there were significant variations on different days (P=0·003) in both groups... there was no evidence to show that the homoeopathic nosode tested had any effect on the cows’ SCCs.”
Links: [abstract]:[full text - vet rec, pdf ]:[full text - BVVS, pdf, OA ]
Homola, S., (2010) Real orthopaedic subluxations versus imaginary chiropractic subluxations Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies Vol. 15 no. 4, pp. 284-287
"The chiropractic vertebral subluxation theory has confused the definition of the word ‘subluxation’; a common medical term. Unlike the mysterious, undetectable chiropractic ‘vertebral subluxation complex’ alleged to be a cause of disease, a real vertebral subluxation can be a cause of mechanical and neuromusculoskeletal symptoms, but has never been shown to be a cause of organic disease..."
Links: [full text, html, FACT]
Horzinek, M.C., and Venker-van Haagen, A., 2006 European veterinary specialists denounce alternative medicine Veterinary Sciences Tomorrow
"The EBVS only recognizes scientific, evidence-based veterinary medicine which complies with animal welfare legislation. Specialists or Colleges who practice or support implausible treatment modalities with no proof of effectiveness run the risk of withdrawal of their specialist status. No credit points can be granted for education or training in these so-called supplementary, complementary and alternative treatment modalities. Failure of a college to comply with any of the Policies and Procedures of the EVBS may lead to the withdrawal of provisional or full recognition."
Links: [original article]
| History of RVM |
| The Best They Can Do |
| The Usual Suspects |
| How to look at evidence |
| CAM journals and evidence |
| Scepticism about homeopathy |
| Arguments |
| Acupuncture references |