Medicine

Background: In March 2020, WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. Preventive strategies have been explored by a large number of researchers. Zincum Metallicum and China Ars are known to prevent replication of the virus. A use of nosodes Tuberculinum enhances the action of these components used in the formulation. Methods: The study is an open-label randomized controlled trial evaluating the immune boosting ability of a Homoeopathic therapeutic strategy involving a nosodes Tuberculinum 1M, followed by Zincum Metallicum 6c, Chininum arsenicosum 6c and Calcarea Phos 6x in asymptomatic Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in vulnerable risk group. Results: A statistically significant effect was observed in the strata of age group of 21-30 in terms of completion of treatment (p< 0.001). Among the occupation, the health professionals group showed statistically significant results with respect to completion of the treatment (p< 0.001). There were no variation statistically significant results observed in terms of other factors. Conclusions: Homoeopathic therapeutic strategy involving a nosodes Tuberculinum 1M, followed by Zincum Metallicum 6c, Chininum arsenicosum 6c and Calcarea Phos 6x is effective in age groups 21-30 years. A larger trial may be carried out based on the results of the current study.

COVID 19 posed varying challenges to the medical fraternity in general and to the homoeopathic community in specific. In general the medical fraternity faced many challenges. One such challenge for
the clinicians was how they interact with the patient while, protecting themselves? It was important that they remain active and functional as long as possible to serve their respective patients.

Action Research. In an action research the researcher works closely with the practitioner and aims to improve the practice standards of provisions by closely monitoring the issues and problems of changing
practice. It is seen as an extremely useful approach to research in healthcare and social care settings. The approach also provides practitioner to account for how they act as researcher in to their daily
practice thus, strengthen the practitioner researcher movement and utilization of research as underpin for the practice . Data drives the decision making in practice and not the individual biases, idiosyncrasies
of the clinician, thus improving the outcomes.

The objective of this exercise was to create a COVID 19 model for clinical practice without comprising the principles of homeopathic science while, addressing the current challenges. The homoeopathic prescriptions
had to be evidence based rooted in principles of individualization.

The decisions of future prescriptions were to be based on observational
data of cured cases. The time required for case taking and assessment has to reduce by at least 70%. The physician exposure to the infected individual had to be minimum. The prescriber should be trained easily to observe the individualizing patterns, thus reducing the need for a highly
skilled prescribers. The method should be replicable and
scalable.

An observations of 400 plus cases of diagnosed cases of COVID 19 were compiled together. Three stages of COVID 19 were observed in clinical practice. For each stage and clinical pattern observed first and second line of action was planned, the data for the same was recorded and reported
real-time. Homoeopathic treatment for all the stages of COVID 19 illness
was based on peculiar sign & symptoms exhibited by an individual suffering from illness. The clinical patterns when observed helped to select indicated homoeopathic medicines.

During the epidemic 453 patients were treated using this method. One patient out of the 453 died in the hospital. The death rate in this set of patient is 0.22% and survival rate as 99.78%.In 48 hours 78% patients were symptom free. At the end of 72 hours 95% patients had clinically recovered. The pattern recognition helped in achieving 95% accuracy in
hitting the bulls eye. Only 5 % patients required change of
first prescription due to inadequate response.

This action research study indicates that, clinical data as a substratum to improve efficiency in a pandemic setting is effective. The data driven decisions help improve homoeopathic outcomes. Data analysis also helps to conceptualize the pandemic experience from a homoeopathic perspective.

Clinical model using Boger and Boenninghausen philosophy
when linked to pattern recognition technique with support
of real-time data helped improve accuracy of homeopathic
prescriptions. The model reduced time required to assess a case, hence,
brought down physician exposure to patients in the hospital.
Thus, making it easy and safe for the clinicians without compromising
the fundamentals of homoeopathy.

The case taking method adopted in the model was swift
and easy to replicate. Homoeopathy if, improvised without compromising fundamental principles, using modern day allied sciences and
technology has immense potential to offer solution for large
scale public health issues. Through this model homoeopathy could be applied in a pandemic, upholding its core virtue of being gentle, swift
and effective.

Background Prior vaccination is often studied for its impact on individuals' postinfection prognosis. Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) medicines, advised by the Government of India as prophylaxis during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, were consumed by the masses in 2020. A study was therefore undertaken to observe any association between the prior usage of AYUSH prophylactic medicines and post-infection severity as reported by recovered COVID-19 individuals. Methods This was a retrospective, multi-centre, cohort study conducted in 21 cities of India from 5th August to 30th November 2020. Data from recovered COVID-19 patients, of either sex or any age, captured information about AYUSH prophylactic medicines intake prior to infection, disease severity, symptomatology, duration of

To compare the difference between primary homoeopathic and conventional paediatric care in treating acute illnesses in children in their first 24 months of life. One hundred eight Indian singleton newborns delivered at 37 to 42 weeks gestation were randomised at birth (1:1) to receive either homoeopathic or conventional primary care for any acute illness over the study period. In the homoeopathic group, conventional medical treatment was added when medically indicated. Clinicians and parents were unblinded. Children in the homoeopathic group experienced significantly fewer sick days than those in the conventional group (RR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.24-0.58; p < 0.001), with correspondingly fewer sickness episodes (RR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.32-0.87; p = .013), as well as fewer respiratory illnesses over the 24-month period. They were taller (F (1, 97) = 8.92, p = .004, partial eta squared = 0.84) but not heavier than their conventionally treated counterparts. They required fewer antibiotics, and their treatment cost was lower. Conclusion: Homoeopathy, using conventional medicine as a safety backdrop, was more effective than conventional treatment in preventing sick days, sickness episodes, and respiratory illnesses in the first 24 months of life. It necessitated fewer antibiotics and its overall cost was lower. This study supports homoeopathy, using conventional medicine as a safety backdrop, as a safe and cost-effective primary care modality during the first 2 years of life. Trial registration: Clinical Trial Registry-India (2018/09/015641). https:// ctri. nic. in/ Clini caltr ials/ login. php What is Known: • Due to their holistic nature, many Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) modalities are not readily amenable to assessment by headto-head RCT for a given Indication. • We propose a pragmatic, RCT comparing homoeopathic with conventional medicine as a system. What is New: • Homoeopathic was apparently superior to conventional primary care in preventing sick days, sickness episodes, and respiratory illness episodes and was significantly associated with growth in height but not weight and required fewer antibiotics in children from birth to 24 months of age. Keywords Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) • Antimicrobial resistance • Infant and toddler primary care • Homoeopathy • Respiratory illness • Diarrhoea Abbreviations ANOVA Analysis of variance CCRH Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy HC Head circumference IQR Interquartile range JIMS Jeeyar Integrated Medical Services mITT Modified intention-to-treat analysis MUAC Mid-upper arm circumference RCT Randomised controlled trial Communicated by Peter de Winter Menachem Oberbaum and Anupriya Chaudhary contributed equally to this work.

To compare the difference between primary homoeopathic and conventional paediatric care in treating acute illnesses in children in their first 24 months of life. One hundred eight Indian singleton newborns delivered at 37 to 42 weeks gestation were randomised at birth (1:1) to receive either homoeopathic or conventional primary care for any acute illness over the study period. In the homoeopathic group, conventional medical treatment was added when medically indicated. Clinicians and parents were unblinded. Children in the homoeopathic group experienced significantly fewer sick days than those in the conventional group (RR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.24-0.58; p < 0.001), with correspondingly fewer sickness episodes (RR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.32-0.87; p = .013), as well as fewer respiratory illnesses over the 24-month period. They were taller (F (1, 97) = 8.92, p = .004, partial eta squared = 0.84) but not heavier than their conventionally treated counterparts. They required fewer antibiotics, and their treatment cost was lower. Conclusion: Homoeopathy, using conventional medicine as a safety backdrop, was more effective than conventional treatment in preventing sick days, sickness episodes, and respiratory illnesses in the first 24 months of life. It necessitated fewer antibiotics and its overall cost was lower. This study supports homoeopathy, using conventional medicine as a safety backdrop, as a safe and cost-effective primary care modality during the first 2 years of life. Trial registration: Clinical Trial Registry-India (2018/09/015641). https:// ctri. nic. in/ Clini caltr ials/ login. php What is Known: • Due to their holistic nature, many Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) modalities are not readily amenable to assessment by headto-head RCT for a given Indication. • We propose a pragmatic, RCT comparing homoeopathic with conventional medicine as a system. What is New: • Homoeopathic was apparently superior to conventional primary care in preventing sick days, sickness episodes, and respiratory illness episodes and was significantly associated with growth in height but not weight and required fewer antibiotics in children from birth to 24 months of age. Keywords Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) • Antimicrobial resistance • Infant and toddler primary care • Homoeopathy • Respiratory illness • Diarrhoea Abbreviations ANOVA Analysis of variance CCRH Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy HC Head circumference IQR Interquartile range JIMS Jeeyar Integrated Medical Services mITT Modified intention-to-treat analysis MUAC Mid-upper arm circumference RCT Randomised controlled trial Communicated by Peter de Winter Menachem Oberbaum and Anupriya Chaudhary contributed equally to this work.