A fresh look at the concept of Genus Epidemicus: findings from the Clificol Project

The Clificol® COVID-19 Support Project is an innovative international data collection project aimed at tackling some of the core questions in homeopathy, including the notion of Genus Epidemicus. Aims:To shed some light on the notion of Genus Epidemicus in the context of this infection. Going beyond that, the project aims to use these data to tackle more fundamental questions, such as the role of symptoms and rubrics in treatment individualisation. Methodology:This online multi-national data-collection project is supported by the ECH, ECCH, ICH, HRI, LMHI, and other professional associations. The collected data includes demographic information, severity, conventional diagnosis and treatment, presenting symptoms as well as the remedies prescribed. The outcome of treatment was tracked using the ORIDL scale. The concept of Genus Epidemicus, including the role of treatment individualisation, was investigated by analysing whether presenting symptoms cluster into distinct groups (K-Means clustering approach). The symptom data originating from China was obtained using a questionnaire. Results and discussion: 20 Chinese practioners collected 359 cases, primarily in the first half of 2020 (766 consultations, 363 prescriptions). The cluster analysis found two to be the optimum number of clusters. These two symptomatic clusters had a high overlap with the two most commonly prescribed remedies in that population: In cluster 1 there were 297 prescriptions, 95.6% of which were Gelsemium sempervirens, incluster 2, there were 61 prescriptions, 95.1% of which were Bryonia alba. Under the assumption of a single genus epidemicuswe would expect to see a single cluster of symptoms. The data from the Chinese population were not compatible with this assumption. Conclusion:This was the first study that investigated the notion of Genus Epidemicus by using modern statistical techniques. These analyses identified at least two distinct symptom pictures. The notion of a single COVID-19 Genus Epidemicus did not apply to this population.

Update from the Clificol Project: Omicron in Hong-Kongand worldwide overview of the pandemic

The Clificol® COVID-19 Support Project is an innovative international data collection project aimed at documenting the presenting symptoms, use of homeopathy through the pandemic and tackling some of the core questions in homeopathy. The Covid-19 pandemic raised many questions and mobilised many resources. In order to make good use of resources, sound knowledge of the presenting complaints and demographics are required. In particular, we aimed to characterise the recent Omicron wave in Hong-Kong and to get an overall picture of the global pandemic as experienced by the homeopathic community. This online multi-national data-collection project is supported by the ECH, ECCH, ICH, HRI, LMHI, and other professional associations. The collected data includes demographic information, severity, conventional diagnosis and treatment, presenting symptoms as well as the remedies prescribed. The outcome of treatment was tracked using the ORIDL scale. More recently a 23-items prospective questionnaire was added to the input in order to gather targeted data about the presenting complaints. The recent wave of the Omicron variant in Hong-Kong, was analysed (N=372 cases) in terms of the symptomatology of this variant. The data from the 23-items questionnaire is compared to the longer questionnaire (150 items) used by the Hong-Kong team (21 practitioners). The most frequently reported common Clinical symptoms were extreme tiredness (60%), sore throat (46%), headache during fever (45%), dryness of mouth (37%), poor appetite (37%), runny nose (34%) and unusual muscle pains (31%).Also, the cases collected from around the world over the course of the pandemic (N=1300) were analysed, providing an overall picture of the pandemic and its specificities per country and over time. Clificol has shown and continues to show the value of data collection for the homeopathy community, providing important information for the management of future pandemics and opening new avenues for research in homeopathy.

Pesquisas físico-químicas sobre as preparações homeopáticas: revisão sistemática e análise bibliométrica ­ parte 1 / Physical-chemical research on homeopathic preparations: review systematics and bibliometric analysis

Objetivo: A última revisão sistemática das pesquisas físico-químicas sobre preparações homeopáticas foi publicada em 2003. O objetivo do presente estudo foi atualizar e ampliar o estado atual dos conhecimentos na área das propriedades físico-químicas das preparações homeopáticas. Na parte 1 do estudo objetivamos apresentar um panorama da literatura quanto à qualidade e métodos utilizados nas publicações. Na parte 2 objetivamos identificar as técnicas experimentais mais interessantes. Desta maneira, esperamos estar na posição de gerar hipóteses significativas quanto ao possível modo de ação das preparações homeopáticas. Métodos: Foi adotado um procedimento com 2 etapas: 1) pesquisa ampla da literatura, seguida de análise bibliométrica e da qualidade das publicações e, 2) análise qualitativa minuciosa das pesquisas físico-químicas individuais localizadas. Na presente publicação relatamos a etapa 1). Realizamos uma busca nas principais bases científicas de dados de publicações relatando pesquisas físico-químicas da homeopatia desde a sua origem até o final de 2015. As publicações foram avaliadas através de um sistema de pontuação, o Manuscript Information Score (MIS). Foram coletadas informações sobre o país de origem dos estudos e as técnicas experimentais utilizadas. Resultados: Localizamos 183 publicações (versus 44 na revisão anterior), 122 delas com MIS ≥ 5. A taxa de publicações na área foi ˜2 por ano entre as década de 1970 e 2000. Depois aumentou para mais de 5,5 publicações por ano. [...] Conclusões: As pesquisas físico-químicas sobre as preparações homeopáticas está aumentando tanto na quantidade e na qualidade das publicações. (AU)

Objectives: The last systematic review of physicochemical research performed on homeopathic preparations was published in 2003. The aim of the study is to update and expand the current state of knowledge in the area of physicochemical properties of homeopathic preparations. In part 1 of the study, we aim to present an overview of the literature with respect to publication quality and methods used. In part 2, we aim to identify the most interesting experimental techniques. With this, we aim to be in a position to generate meaningful hypotheses regarding a possible mode of action of homeopathic preparations. Methods: A two-step procedure was adopted: (1) an extensive literature search, followed by a bibliometric and quality analysis on the level of publications and (2) a thorough qualitative analysis of the individual physicochemical investigations found. In this publication, we report on step (1). We searched major scientific databases to find publications reporting physicochemical investigations of homeopathy from its origin to the end of 2015. Publications were assessed using a scoring scheme, the Manuscript Information Score (MIS). Information regarding country of origin of the research and experimental techniques used was extracted. Results: We identified 183 publications (compared to 44 in the last review), 122 of which had an MIS ‡5. The rate of publication in the field was *2 per year from the 1970s until 2000. Afterward, it increased to over 5.5 publications per year. [...]Conclusions: Physicochemical research into homeopathic preparations is increasing both in terms of quantity and quality of the publications. (AU)

Pesquisas físico-químicas sobre as preparações homeopáticas: revisão sistemática e análise bibliométrica ­ parte 1 / Physical-chemical research on homeopathic preparations: review systematics and bibliometric analysis

Objetivo: A última revisão sistemática das pesquisas físico-químicas sobre preparações homeopáticas foi publicada em 2003. O objetivo do presente estudo foi atualizar e ampliar o estado atual dos conhecimentos na área das propriedades físico-químicas das preparações homeopáticas. Na parte 1 do estudo objetivamos apresentar um panorama da literatura quanto à qualidade e métodos utilizados nas publicações. Na parte 2 objetivamos identificar as técnicas experimentais mais interessantes. Desta maneira, esperamos estar na posição de gerar hipóteses significativas quanto ao possível modo de ação das preparações homeopáticas. Métodos: Foi adotado um procedimento com 2 etapas: 1) pesquisa ampla da literatura, seguida de análise bibliométrica e da qualidade das publicações e, 2) análise qualitativa minuciosa das pesquisas físico-químicas individuais localizadas. Na presente publicação relatamos a etapa 1). Realizamos uma busca nas principais bases científicas de dados de publicações relatando pesquisas físico-químicas da homeopatia desde a sua origem até o final de 2015. As publicações foram avaliadas através de um sistema de pontuação, o Manuscript Information Score (MIS). Foram coletadas informações sobre o país de origem dos estudos e as técnicas experimentais utilizadas. Resultados: Localizamos 183 publicações (versus 44 na revisão anterior), 122 delas com MIS ≥ 5. A taxa de publicações na área foi ˜2 por ano entre as década de 1970 e 2000. Depois aumentou para mais de 5,5 publicações por ano. [...] Conclusões: As pesquisas físico-químicas sobre as preparações homeopáticas está aumentando tanto na quantidade e na qualidade das publicações. (AU)

Objectives: The last systematic review of physicochemical research performed on homeopathic preparations was published in 2003. The aim of the study is to update and expand the current state of knowledge in the area of physicochemical properties of homeopathic preparations. In part 1 of the study, we aim to present an overview of the literature with respect to publication quality and methods used. In part 2, we aim to identify the most interesting experimental techniques. With this, we aim to be in a position to generate meaningful hypotheses regarding a possible mode of action of homeopathic preparations. Methods: A two-step procedure was adopted: (1) an extensive literature search, followed by a bibliometric and quality analysis on the level of publications and (2) a thorough qualitative analysis of the individual physicochemical investigations found. In this publication, we report on step (1). We searched major scientific databases to find publications reporting physicochemical investigations of homeopathy from its origin to the end of 2015. Publications were assessed using a scoring scheme, the Manuscript Information Score (MIS). Information regarding country of origin of the research and experimental techniques used was extracted. Results: We identified 183 publications (compared to 44 in the last review), 122 of which had an MIS ‡5. The rate of publication in the field was *2 per year from the 1970s until 2000. Afterward, it increased to over 5.5 publications per year. [...]Conclusions: Physicochemical research into homeopathic preparations is increasing both in terms of quantity and quality of the publications. (AU)