Homoeopathy as a system of medical practice is very popular throughout the world.
It is in fact the second most preferred choice as a therapeutic method of treatment. Homoeopathy has been around for approximately 200 years.
In recent years, homoeopathy, and its practice as a branch of medicine have waned in its popularity throughout Germany, which was its place of origin, Europe, and other parts of the world.
However, it has seen exponential growth in India. Today, India is the only country with systemized homoeopathic education, practice, and research.
Criticism about homoeopathy and its method of cure has never fallen short, and the research component of homoeopathy is still questionable.
Efforts of the Government of India through the AYUSH ministry and the Central Council of Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) are undoubtedly laudable, yet not good enough to silence these critics.
Over 250 undergraduate & postgraduate colleges, many homoeopathic practitioners, and research units are available for homoeopathy.
Proper utilization of their potential may be way ahead of launching homoeopathy into an orbit by which its scientificity may be proven.
Research into homoeopathy at present revolves around clinical research.
However, the clinical efficacy and veracity of homoeopathy have never been a cause of criticism as the results are evident and the number of patients benefitting from this mode of treatment is well documented.
Applied Research in Homoeopathy is ongoing into various aspects of clinical homoeopathy and needless to say, the results are very encouraging.
The AYUSH Ministry through the CCRH is encouraging students, teachers, and practitioners through Short Term Studentship in Homoeopathy (STSH) projects and many other projects and by providing good funding, is already trying their best to promote the research initiative by all the stakeholders.
The number of quality publications would further improve if more journals were included in reputed databases like the SCOPUS, Web of Science, and PubMed.
In comparison to other branches of medicine, we fall severely short in the number of journals included in these databases.
At present, there are many journals available on homoeopathy. However, publications in them are not acceptable by most National and International Councils of accreditation.
Therefore, publications in such journals by teachers and students become futile in terms of acceptance of the research work by reputed researchers.
Ignorance in research coupled with a lack of motivation is the basic reason for the poor performance of homoeopathy in the field of research.
The inclusion of research methodology in the syllabus of undergraduate courses will prepare a fertile ground into which seeds of research if sown would grow into a gigantic tree, the fruits of which would silence all the critics of homoeopathy.
Many research dissertations of postgraduates and Ph.D. scholars would enrich homoeopathy.
if systems are made whereby basic research is given a higher preference by regulatory authorities.
There is no dearth of research questions on homoeopathy if we apply our unbiased mind because every point of criticism about homoeopathy can be converted into a research question. And subsequent research on such points will certainly propel homoeopathy further into the realms of scientificity.
Focusing on basic research and the inclusion of learned persons from the scientific community in homoeopathic research would help in corroborating homoeopathy with the principles of physics, chemistry, and biology.
It would further unravel many of the mysteries of homoeopathy, the support of which is sought by all so-called critics of homoeopathy to target this wonderful therapeutic system of medicine.
This task, if undertaken by authorities, would certainly change the face of homoeopathic research and would certainly be the way forward for homoeopathic research.
I am reminded of Gellert’s poem from the organon of medicine quoted by Dr. Hahnemann:
"The truth we mortals need
Us blest to make and keep,
The All-wise slightly covered over,
but did not bury deep."