Homeopathy & ADHD (2023)
Treatment effect for ADHD children receiving additional homeopathic treatment - with a twist...
A rehash from Dec 20221 with inclusion of the pre-print results of the highly anticipated A Randomized Three-Arm Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study of Homeopathic Treatment of Children and Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder 2
‘‘There was an improvement in ADHD symptoms as measured by the Conner 3 Global Index-Parent T-score in the two groups (Arms 1 and 2) that received consultations with a homeopathic practitioner when compared with the usual care control group (Arm 3). Parents of the children in the study who received homeopathic consultations (Arms 1 and 2) also reported greater coping efficacy compared with those receiving usual care (Arm 3). There was no difference in adverse events among the three study arms.’’
This Faculty of Pharmacy dean led study was criticized at inception (2015) by a group of ninety concerned scientists and doctors who collectively stated “the mounting of such a study by a highly reputable researcher at a top notch university will be used by homeopaths to justify diverse aspects of their practice, including steering patients away from evidence-based treatments.” 3
Similar to (retracted 20.09.2023)4 Meta-analysis,5 the authors found individualized homeopathy (consultation plus remedy) resulted in improvement in ADHD symptoms. However, data suggests that this effect is not due to the remedy component of the intervention.
Around 5% of children are diagnosed with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).6 The current pharmacologic treatment model favours the dopamine agonist methylphenidate which has low acceptability and compliance in patients and their families7 likely due to its poor risk benefit ratio8 and critical lack of long-term beneficial effect.9 10
Randomized Controlled Trials on individualized homeopathy in ADHD have found:
Treatment by homeopaths and nutritional therapists may offer new opportunities to improve ADHD outcomes.11
Improvements in criminality, and anger, sustained, increasing improvements and high treatment acceptability in thirty children with ADHD having a concomitant diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.12
Better outcomes in the homoeopathy group for oppositional, cognition problems, hyperactivity and ADHD index scores.13
Statistically and clinically significant improvements in many outcome measures in both verum and placebo groups suggested to researchers that future studies be carried out over a longer time period and include a control group which does not undergo homeopathic consultation.14
Improved cognitive performance such as visual global perception, impulsivity and divided attention, suggest evidence for homeopathy in the treatment of ADHD, particularly in the areas of behavioural and cognitive functions.15
Brulé D, Landau-Halpern B, Nastase V, Zemans M, Mitsakakis N, Boon H. A Randomized Three-Arm Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study of Homeopathic Treatment of Children and Youth with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. J Integr Complement Med. 2023 Sep 6. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2023.0043. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37672605. Available from https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/jicm.2023.0043?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed
Dyer, 2015. University of Toronto is criticised for study of homeopathy in ADHD. BMJ. Mar 5;350:h1234. Available from https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h1234.full
Gaertner K, Teut M, Walach H. 2022. RETRACTED ARTICLE: Is homeopathy effective for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder? A meta-analysis. Pediatr Res. 2022 Jun 14. Available from: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41390-022-02127-3
Gaertner, Teut, Walach, 2022. Is homeopathy effective for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder? A meta-analysis. Pediatr Res. Jun 14. Available from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41390-022-02127-3
Sayal et al., 2018. ADHD in children and young people: prevalence, care pathways, and service provision. Lancet Psychiatry 5, 175–186. Available from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2215036617301670
Efron et al., 2020. Patterns of long-term adhd medication use in Australian children. Arch. Dis. Child. 105, 593–597. Available from https://adc.bmj.com/content/105/6/593.abstract
Storebø et al., 2018. Methylphenidate for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents - assessment of adverse events in non-randomised studies. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. May 9;5(5):CD012069. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29744873/
Jensen et al., 2007. 3-year follow-up of the NIMH MTA study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. Aug;46(8):989-1002. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17667478/
Jensen et al., 2001. Findings from the NIMH Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD (MTA): implications and applications for primary care providers. J Dev Behav Pediatr. Feb;22(1):60-73. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11265923/
Fibert et al., 2016. A comparative consecutive case series of 20 children with a diagnosis of ADHD receiving homeopathic treatment, compared with 10 children receiving usual care. Homeopathy. May;105(2):194-201. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27211327/
Fibert et al., 2019. Rethinking ADHD intervention trials: feasibility testing of two treatments and a methodology. Eur J Pediatr. Jul;178(7):983-993. Available from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6565660/
Oberai, P. et al. 2013. Homoeopathic management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomised placebo-controlled pilot trial. Indian J. Res. Homoeopathy 7, 158–167. Available from https://www.ijrh.org/article.asp?issn=0974-7168;year=2013;volume=7;issue=4;spage=158;epage=167;aulast=Oberai
Jacobs et al., 2005. Homeopathy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a pilot randomized-controlled trial. J Altern Complement Med. Oct;11(5):799-806. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16296913/
Frei et al., 2005. Homeopathic treatment of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled crossover trial. Eur J Pediatr. Dec;164(12):758-67. Available from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16047154/