Complementary individual homeopathy in paediatric cancer care: A case series from a University Hospital, Switzerland
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
30477851
Abstract
The Department of Haematology/Oncology at the University Children’s Hospital Bern (HONK), has adopted an
integrative approach in addition to state of the art oncological care and implemented a collaboration with the
Institute of Complementary Medicine IKOM, University of Bern, over the past 10 years. Stakeholder satisfaction
with this service was high. We present descriptive data and report on 4 exemplary patients treated with additional
individualized homeopathy (iHOM). Data concerning frequency of consultations, pathologies, follow-ups
and clinical results were reviewed and summarized using descriptive statistics.
94 paediatric oncologic patients consulted for iHOM. Indications for the complementary treatment was wideranging.
No interactions with conventional treatment and no adverse side-effects of iHOM were detected. We
present four characteristic patient histories, in which iHOM was used in addition to standard treatment for
mucositis, permissive tissue infection, insomnia and affective dysfunctions. All four patients clinically improved
in an immediate temporal relationship to the additional treatment.
Conclusion: The collaboration between HONK and IKOM established iHOM in paediatric oncology in Bern. In
this setting, iHOM was a safe and supportive additional treatment for various indications during the conventional
cancer care. However, no generalizable results can be deducted from these data. We emphasize future
research on this topic.
integrative approach in addition to state of the art oncological care and implemented a collaboration with the
Institute of Complementary Medicine IKOM, University of Bern, over the past 10 years. Stakeholder satisfaction
with this service was high. We present descriptive data and report on 4 exemplary patients treated with additional
individualized homeopathy (iHOM). Data concerning frequency of consultations, pathologies, follow-ups
and clinical results were reviewed and summarized using descriptive statistics.
94 paediatric oncologic patients consulted for iHOM. Indications for the complementary treatment was wideranging.
No interactions with conventional treatment and no adverse side-effects of iHOM were detected. We
present four characteristic patient histories, in which iHOM was used in addition to standard treatment for
mucositis, permissive tissue infection, insomnia and affective dysfunctions. All four patients clinically improved
in an immediate temporal relationship to the additional treatment.
Conclusion: The collaboration between HONK and IKOM established iHOM in paediatric oncology in Bern. In
this setting, iHOM was a safe and supportive additional treatment for various indications during the conventional
cancer care. However, no generalizable results can be deducted from these data. We emphasize future
research on this topic.
Date Issued
2018-10-16
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Language(s)
en
Journal
Complementary therapies in medicine
Publisher
Elsevier
ISSN
0965-2299
Access(Rights)
open.access