Introduction : The rise of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions has taken place alongside an increase in public use of CAM therapies. Some actions have been taken to establish educational standards, often focusing on educating competent professionals to ensure citizens' freedom to make choices for their own healthcare while at the same time ensuring their safety. However, in professions like homeopathy that are unregulated in most European countries, it is not clear what it means to be a competent homeopath. The aim of this study was to investigate educators' views on what a competent homeopath is and what they require in their education. Methods : This was a qualitative study based on grounded theory methodology involving telephone interviews with 17 educators from different schools in 10 European countries. It used constant/simultaneous comparison and analysis to develop categories and properties of educational needs and theoretical constructs and to describe behaviour and social processes. The main questions asked of subjects were "What do you think is necessary in order to educate and train a competent homeopath?" and "How would you define a competent homeopath?" Results : The educators defined a competent homeopath as a professional who, through her knowledge and skills together with an awareness of her bounds of competence, is able to help her patients in the best way possible. This is achieved through the processes of study and self-development, and is supported by a set of basic resources. Becoming and being a competent homeopath is underpinned by a set of basic attitudes. These attitudes include course providers and teachers being student-centred, and students and homeopaths being patient-centred. Openness on the part of students is important to learn and develop themselves, on the part of homeopaths when treating patients, and for teachers when working with students. Practitioners have a responsibility towards their patients and themselves, course providers and teachers have responsibility for providing students with effective and appropriate teaching and learning opportunities, and students have responsibility for their own learning and development. Discussion : According to homeopathy educators' understanding, basic resources and processes contribute to the development of a competent homeopath, who possesses certain knowledge and skills, all underpinned by a set of basic attitudes.

Background: Virtually many patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) suffer from neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD). Although the most severe consequence of NLUTD, damage of renal function, can be treated effectively today, urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common urologic problems in SCI patients. They severely impair the quality of life, and no evidence-based prophylaxis exists. The goal of this study is to assess the usefulness of adjunctive homeopathic treatment for the reduction of UTI in patients with SCI. Methods/Design: A prospective randomized controlled trial is designed to assess whether adjunctive treatment with classical homeopathy leads to a relevant reduction of the rate of UTI in patients with SCI. In addition, it will be assessed if homeopathic treatment will significantly improve patient satisfaction and quality of life. Fifty patients with SCI and recurrent (3 or more) UTI per year will be recruited from the patients of the neuro-urology of the Swiss paraplegic Centre in Nottwil, Switzerland. All patients will be randomly allocated into two groups: patients in the homeopathy group (n = 25) will receive standard of-care prophylaxis combined with homeopathic treatment; the control group (n = 25) will receive standard of-care prophylaxis alone. Standard of-care prophylaxis consists of cranberry products and urine acidification. Homeopathic treatment consists of a homeopathic medication; the remedy is chosen individually based on the homeopathic case taking. Patients do not routinely present to the homeopaths during the study, but can contact them if a UTI occurs during the course of the study. Primary outcome are the UTI rate, and secondary outcomes are quality of life and satisfaction with the treatment over a follow-up period of 1 year. Discussion: There is a high demand for effective UTI prophylaxis in patients with SCI, because UTI are associated with an increased morbidity and even mortality. The results of the study will significantly add to our knowledge not only about UTI prevention, but the clinical value of homeopathy. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01477502, registered on 17 November 2011. Ethics: The "Ethikkommission Nordwest- und Zentralschweiz (EKNZ): PB_2016-00054" approved this study protocol. Informed consent: Patients will sign an informed consent prior to participation in the study.

To study the awareness of Basic Life Support (BLS) among students, doctors and nurses of medical, dental, homeopathy and nursing colleges. A cross-sectional study was conducted by assessing responses to 20 selected basic questions regarding BLS among students, doctors and nurses of medical, dental, homeopathy and nursing colleges. After excluding the incomplete response forms the data was analysed on 1,054 responders. The results were analysed using an answer key prepared with the use of the Advanced Cardiac Life Support manual. Out of 1,054 responders 345 were medical students, 75 were medical interns, 19 were dental students, 59 were dental interns, 105 were homeopathy interns, 319 were nursing students, 72 were doctors, 29 were dentists, 25 were nursing faculty and six were homeopathy doctors. No one among them had complete knowledge of BLS. Only two out of 1054 (0.19%) had secured 80 - 89% marks, 10 out of 1054 (0.95%) had secured 70 - 79% marks, 40 of 1054 (4.08%) had secured 60 - 69% marks and 105 of 1054 (9.96%) had secured 50 - 59% marks. A majority of them, that is, 894 (84.82%) had secured less than 50% marks. Awareness of BLS among students, doctors and nurses of medical, dental, homeopathy and nursing colleges is very poor.

Conventional homeopathy and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are two popular alternative systems of medicine, which are practiced also in many countries outsidethe countries of origin. Homeopathy originated in Germany in the 19^th century and spread throughout the world in spite of antagonism by theorthodox practitioners. It is a holistic medicine based on the principles of treatment where the remedy and the disease have similar symptoms,applies a single potentized medicine at a time, in minimum dose. TCM, also a holistic medicine originating in ancient China about 3000 years ago, has been developed and practiced through centuries till today as one of the most popular alternative medicines in the world. Both the systems ofmedicine have many differences in theories, principles and practices, but they have some important aspects in common. Both are holistic in approach,treating the whole patient, not the affected organs only; focusing on stimulating the intrinsic life principle to bring order, and on homeostasis and balance in the organism. In therapeutics, they may advantageously be applied as adjuvant to each other, producing synergistic effects.

Background: Patient satisfaction is a key indicator of the quality and effectiveness of a therapeutic method. Assessing the satisfaction of patients undergoing homeopathic therapy is essential in the early steps of educating the community, if suitable outcomes are to be achieved. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2008 on 125 patients from the city of Isfahan. Patients aged above 15 years who had referred to the homeopathic practitioners and received homeopathic drugs for at least three times were randomly selected and included in the study. Patient satisfaction was assessed in three main areas (general health, physician performance, and symptoms relief) using a valid questionnaire. The results were compared with those of a similar study conducted in 2004 on 240 patients. Results: Mean score of satisfaction with homeopathic treatment was 77.48 ± 6.36 out of 100. In 2004, it was 77.4 ± 8.13. Median age was 36.41 ± 11.25 years. Median time of therapy was 16.80 ± 17.94 months. The highest level of satisfaction was related to relief of symptoms. Satisfaction of physician performance and improvement of general health came next. The degree of satisfaction with therapy was not significant between the different groups with regard to their sex and different levels of education, but there was significant difference in the duration of treatment. The four symptoms that showed better improvement in 2008 were headache, gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances, fatigue, and insomnia. Conclusions: After using homeopathy for several years, patients' satisfaction was found to be still high. Shifting the area of satisfaction from general health to relief of symptoms could be related to physicians' experiments for remedy selection. Scientific centers should do more surveys about the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment. Integration of homeopathy with medicine may bring in more success at less cost. It  seems rational to support homeopathy as an effective practice.

Context: Shelf life of the drug can be considered up to the period it gets deteriorated and does not get any alteration in its physicochemical state. Every product has definite shelf life, which depends on various physical, chemical, environmental, and biological factors. Ancient seers have clarified shelf life of various compound formulations. However, there is a need to revalidate and ascertain the shelf life of individual formulations by following parameters prevalent in respective scenario. Aim: To evaluate shelf life of Shirishavaleha prepared in the presence of water (SW) and Kanji (SK) as liquid media through accelerated stability study. Subjects and Methods: Physicochemical parameters were measured at 40°C ± 2°C temperature and 75% ±5% relative humidity. Analysis was repeated at intervals of 1, 3, and 6 months, and average 10% degradation of both the test drug samples was calculated and extrapolated to find the shelf life. Results: The sample prepared in the presence of Kanji (SK) showed more extractive values and sugar contents and found to have longer shelf life (2.6 years) than SW (1.4 years). Conclusion: Shirishavaleha prepared with Kanji (SK) is comparatively more stable than the sample prepared with water (SW).

Objectives: To access knowledge and practices related to the oral health of geriatrics among the health care providers practicing in urban and rural areas. Background: Older adults have identified a number of barriers that contribute to lack of dental service use. However, barriers that clinicians encounter in providing dental treatment to older adults are not as clear-cut. Materials and Methods: 236 health professionals (of allopathy, ayurveda, and homeopathy) from urban and rural areas were assessed by means of structured questionnaire related to oral health practices and beliefs. Results: Doctors practicing in urban areas assessed dental care needs more frequently (P = 0.038) and performed greater practices related to oral health of geriatrics (P = 0.043) than the doctors practicing in primary health care (PHC) centers (rural) (P = 0.038). Conclusion: Owing to the relative lack of knowledge among rural practitioners, there is a need to integrate primary health care with oral care in rural areas.

Warts are classified under one sided diseases as external local maladies. They often have individualistic and immunological basis as also familial tendencies. Warts are included under miasm sycosis. Although warts are local diseases, they are treated with internal remedy which is based on comprehensive understanding of the patient. This includes local symptoms, i.e. morphology and location of lesion, mental makeup of the person, and physical characteristics. This is what is called totality of symptoms. A constitutional remedy thus selected eradicates the complaint locally as well as internally, thereby providing long lasting relief from complaints. Common remedies include Calcarea carbonica, Causticum, Dulcamara, Natrum muriaticum, Nitric acidum, and Thuja occidentalis. Homeopathic concept and homeopathic treatment of warts has been described.

Any doctor prescribing medicines or using any equipment/technique that is outside the scope of his/her qualification, skill or experience is negligent. (In this case, the homeopath (OP) was held negligent for using a 'Laser Gun' for treating a case of hair fall. The court clearly held that use of the 'Laser Gun' was alien to the practice of homeopathy).