Recommendations in the design and conduction of randomised controlled trials in human and veterinary homeopathic medicine
Background: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are an established research method to investigate the effects of an intervention. Several recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs with homeopathic interventions have identified shortcomings in design, conduct, analysis, and reporting of tri...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Complementary Therapies in Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229923000481 |
| _version_ | 1827862941934813184 |
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| author | Katharina Gaertner Klaus von Ammon Philippa Fibert Michael Frass Martin Frei-Erb Christien Klein-Laansma Susanne Ulbrich-Zuerni Petra Weiermayer |
| author_facet | Katharina Gaertner Klaus von Ammon Philippa Fibert Michael Frass Martin Frei-Erb Christien Klein-Laansma Susanne Ulbrich-Zuerni Petra Weiermayer |
| author_sort | Katharina Gaertner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are an established research method to investigate the effects of an intervention. Several recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs with homeopathic interventions have identified shortcomings in design, conduct, analysis, and reporting of trials. Guidelines for RCTs in homeopathic medicine are lacking. Objectives: This paper aims to fill this gap in order to enhance the quality of RCTs in the field of homeopathy. Methods: Identification of the homeopathy-specific requirements for RCTs by reviewing literature and experts’ communications. Systematization of the findings using a suitable checklist for planning, conducting, and reporting RCTs, namely the SPIRIT statement, and high-quality homeopathy RCTs as examples. Cross-checking of the created checklist with the RedHot-criteria, the PRECIS criteria, and a qualitative evaluation checklist. Consideration of the REFLECT statement and the ARRIVE Guidelines 2.0 for veterinary homeopathy. Results: Recommendations for future implementation of RCTs in homeopathy are summarized in a checklist. Alongside, identified useful solutions to the issues encountered when designing and conducting homeopathy RCTs are presented. Conclusions: The formulated recommendations present guidelines additional to those in the SPIRIT checklist, on how to better plan, design, conduct, and report RCTs in homeopathy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T14:01:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5f8c84a956624d84bee998e3a7a5449c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0965-2299 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T14:01:46Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Complementary Therapies in Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-5f8c84a956624d84bee998e3a7a5449c2023-08-22T04:06:43ZengElsevierComplementary Therapies in Medicine0965-22992023-09-0176102961Recommendations in the design and conduction of randomised controlled trials in human and veterinary homeopathic medicineKatharina Gaertner0Klaus von Ammon1Philippa Fibert2Michael Frass3Martin Frei-Erb4Christien Klein-Laansma5Susanne Ulbrich-Zuerni6Petra Weiermayer7Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine IKIM, University of Bern, Freiburgstr. 46, CH-3010 Bern, Switzerland; Institute of Integrative Medicine, University of Witten/Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, DE-58313 Herdecke, GermanyInstitute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine IKIM, University of Bern, Freiburgstr. 46, CH-3010 Bern, SwitzerlandDepartment of Psychology and Pedagogic Science, St Mary’s University, Twickenham, UKem. Medical University of Vienna, Department of Medicine I, A-1090 Vienna, Austria; Institute for Homeopathic Research, Columbusgasse 20, A-1100 Vienna, AustriaInstitute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine IKIM, University of Bern, Freiburgstr. 46, CH-3010 Bern, SwitzerlandLouis Bolk Institute, Health and Nutrition, Kosterijland 3-5, NL-3981 AJ Bunnik, the NetherlandsWissHom: Scientific Society for Homeopathy, Wallstraße 48, DE-06366 Koethen, GermanyWissHom: Scientific Society for Homeopathy, Wallstraße 48, DE-06366 Koethen, Germany; Corresponding author.Background: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are an established research method to investigate the effects of an intervention. Several recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs with homeopathic interventions have identified shortcomings in design, conduct, analysis, and reporting of trials. Guidelines for RCTs in homeopathic medicine are lacking. Objectives: This paper aims to fill this gap in order to enhance the quality of RCTs in the field of homeopathy. Methods: Identification of the homeopathy-specific requirements for RCTs by reviewing literature and experts’ communications. Systematization of the findings using a suitable checklist for planning, conducting, and reporting RCTs, namely the SPIRIT statement, and high-quality homeopathy RCTs as examples. Cross-checking of the created checklist with the RedHot-criteria, the PRECIS criteria, and a qualitative evaluation checklist. Consideration of the REFLECT statement and the ARRIVE Guidelines 2.0 for veterinary homeopathy. Results: Recommendations for future implementation of RCTs in homeopathy are summarized in a checklist. Alongside, identified useful solutions to the issues encountered when designing and conducting homeopathy RCTs are presented. Conclusions: The formulated recommendations present guidelines additional to those in the SPIRIT checklist, on how to better plan, design, conduct, and report RCTs in homeopathy.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229923000481Randomised controlled trialRCTHomeopathyVeterinary homeopathyRecommendationsGuidelines |
| spellingShingle | Katharina Gaertner Klaus von Ammon Philippa Fibert Michael Frass Martin Frei-Erb Christien Klein-Laansma Susanne Ulbrich-Zuerni Petra Weiermayer Recommendations in the design and conduction of randomised controlled trials in human and veterinary homeopathic medicine Complementary Therapies in Medicine Randomised controlled trial RCT Homeopathy Veterinary homeopathy Recommendations Guidelines |
| title | Recommendations in the design and conduction of randomised controlled trials in human and veterinary homeopathic medicine |
| title_full | Recommendations in the design and conduction of randomised controlled trials in human and veterinary homeopathic medicine |
| title_fullStr | Recommendations in the design and conduction of randomised controlled trials in human and veterinary homeopathic medicine |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recommendations in the design and conduction of randomised controlled trials in human and veterinary homeopathic medicine |
| title_short | Recommendations in the design and conduction of randomised controlled trials in human and veterinary homeopathic medicine |
| title_sort | recommendations in the design and conduction of randomised controlled trials in human and veterinary homeopathic medicine |
| topic | Randomised controlled trial RCT Homeopathy Veterinary homeopathy Recommendations Guidelines |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229923000481 |
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