Researchers at Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, partially funded by HRI, have completed the first phase of a pilot study into the homeopathic treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Preliminary analysis shows extremely encouraging results for those receiving homeopathy in addition to usual care, demonstrating a clinically and potentially statistically significant change in the IBS Symptom Severity Score (the global measure of IBS symptoms). However, at the end of phase 1, statistical analysis shows that more patients will need to be recruited to the study to ensure that firm conclusions can be drawn from the results, one way or the other.

The project needs a final £15,000 to carry out this essential second phase. Without it, the positive clinical results seen so far will simply be dismissed because the number of participants was too small.

At a time when homeopathy continues to be criticised for a lack of high quality evidence, this is exactly the kind of homeopathy research that is sorely needed – an expert team of professional homeopaths, gastroenterologists and researchers collaborating to carry out rigorous scientific research within the NHS.

Peter Whorwell, Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology at the University of Manchester, who was involved in designing this study explains it’s importance:
«IBS remains an extremely challenging condition to treat and because current medications are not always effective, many patients turn to alternative approaches.  Consequently we need to know if any of these approaches are of value by putting any prejudices on one side, and encouraging well conducted trials of such treatment options.»

Make a donation: If you would like to contribute to the fund for the ‘IBS Homeopathy Pilot: Phase 2’ please click here to make a safe online donation.
Any amount you can manage would be gratefully received.

With thanks,

Dr Alexander Tournier & Ms Rachel Roberts
HRI Management Team

For more details, see BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine where the protocol has just been published.

If you prefer to donate by a different payment method, or would like to discuss this appeal further, please contact Rachel Roberts on rachelroberts@homeoinst.org.