On world Homoeopathy Day we received an invitation by Ayush ministry CCRH to make a presentation on the topic of Clinical Research in a private practice setting. It was a wonderful experience. To share our experience at Ambedkar International centre on this global scientific convention. Faculty of Homoeopathy U K had collaborated. Vithoulkas compass had sponsored.
Following is the abstract:-
RESEARCH IN PRIVATE PRACTISE SETTING:
Dr. Praful Barvalia, Hon. Director, Spandan Holistic Institute of Applied homoeopathy, Mumbai, India
For so many decades clinical research has been viewed as the domain of medical Institutions, a project to be done in the luxury of time, space, and infrastructure while private practice as a challenging situation with the intense pressure of providing results and great means for bread and butter. I held a different view. I have strongly felt that private practice provides experiences that have great potential to arouse research questions. If we work on them, we can conduct a pilot project by suitably upgrading our private practice set up followed by a research trial.
I will be taking up 3 research projects in my presentation to demonstrate this aspect:-
1. Neurodevelopmental disorders: Early years of paediatric practice (1985-92) had raised a number of questions related to the role of Homoeopathy in Dyslexia, ADHD, etc. After struggling with various questions and brainstorming with colleagues, I applied standardized methods with strict objective evaluations in my practice. This helped me to undertake retrospective study and conduct pilot projects which gave a number of answers. Subsequent clinical trials helped me to establish Spandan Institute.
2. Susceptibility and Posology: Often considered as Enigma. Analytical understanding of the disease process from the standpoint of Immunity and Reactivity (Reference: Stuart Close and C.M. Boger) helped to evolve guidelines after a study cohort of 350 cases with 3 years follows up from practice.
3. Participated as one of the Homoeopathic practitioners(out of 23) in a prospective, multi-centre, data collection survey of homeopathic practice in the treatment of influenza-like illness in India during the 2009 pandemic of A/H1N1 influenza (‘swine flu’, SF) conducted by Robert T Mathie1,*, Elizabeth S Baitson1, Joyce Frye2, Chaturbhuja Nayak3, Rajkumar K Manchanda3, and Peter Fisher4
Influenza pandemic in India was characterized by several prominent symptoms and symptom/medicine associations, particularly temperature >38_C + cough + runny nose, associated with the Arsenicum album. This input proved extremely valuable later.
All these experiences prove beyond doubt that private practice setting has great potential to provide a platform for clinical research. Conflict of interest, ethics, monitoring is some of the debatable areas. They can be handled by some procedural guidelines to safeguard the interests of research subjects participating in clinical trials in private physician offices.
Gains are immense and it will bring out academician residents in the private homoeopathic practitioner.
Dr. Praful Barvalia, Hon. Director, Spandan Holistic Mother – and – Child Care Hospital, Near Deonar Fire Brigade, Municipal Colony, Near Sai Mandir, Deonar, Govandi, Mumbai – 400 043.
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