title: How to handle worsening of condition during treatment - risk assessment in homeopathic practice.
abstract: Even though homeopathy is regarded as a harmless intervention, homeopathic practice may not be entirely risk-free. Risk in homeopathy can be divided into direct and indirect risk. Direct risk refers to traditional adverse effects of an intervention; indirect risk is related to adverse effects in a treatment context, e.g. the practitioner. Available data suggest that the risk profile of homeopathic remedies in ultra-molecular potencies is minor, but there is a potential for indirect risk related to homeopathic practice. The concept of 'homeopathic aggravation' which is unique for homeopathy may impose a particular risk as it allows the health status of the patients to deteriorate before there is a possible improvement. In that respect it is imperative to distinguish homeopathic aggravations from adverse effects. In a general risk evaluation of the homeopathic treatment it may be useful to assess the patient's symptoms in accordance with the natural course of disease and to evaluate any negative deviation from the normal curve as a possible adverse effect of the treatment. It is imperative that more emphasis is placed on patient safety during the education in homeopathy, and that students are trained to identify serious and red flag situations.
authors.affiliation: The National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NAFKAM), Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Trine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stub
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salamonsen
authors.forename: Agnete
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kristoffersen
authors.forename: Frauke
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Musial
mesh_terms: D018450:Disease Progression; D006705:Homeopathy / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008419:Materia Medica / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061214:Patient Safety; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D008419:Materia Medica