Attitudes about complementary and alternative medicine did not predict outcome in a homeopathic proving trial.
OBJECTIVE
A homeopathic proving states that when a homeopathic remedy is given to a healthy person, they will experience symptomatic effects specific to that remedy. The aim of this study was to assess if attitudes about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) predicted proving outcome.


METHODS
An exploratory study nested in a double blinded randomized controlled proving trial of the remedy Belladonna C30.


METHODS
Two hundred and six (206) healthy subjects took part in the reproving trial of whom 29 (14%) proved.


METHODS
Subjects completed the Attitudes to Alternative Medicine Scale prior to participating in the proving trial (n = 206) and after the proving trial was completed (n = 77).


METHODS
The primary outcome was whether attitude to CAM predicted proving outcome.


RESULTS
Attitudes about CAM at baseline did not predict proving outcome (chi2 = 35.34, df = 36, p = 0.50) and attitudes to CAM did not alter after taking part in the proving trial for either provers or non provers.


CONCLUSIONS
Subjects classified as being provers in a proving trial did not have significantly different attitudes about CAM than nonprovers. The experience of proving the study remedy did not alter the prover's attitudes about CAM.
Brien
Sarah
S
Complementary Medicine Research Unit, University of Southampton, Primary Medical Care, Aldermoor Health Centre, Southampton, Hampshire, UK. s.brien@soton.ac.uk
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001533:Belladonna Alkaloids; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
D001533:Belladonna Alkaloids