In short: Complementary and alternative therapies have in common (a) biological implausibility and (b) therapeutic inefficacy. Our first example is homeopathy

1. PS409
Psychology, Science,
& Pseudoscience
Dr Brian Hughes
School of Psychology
brian.hughes@nuigalway.ie @b_m_hughes

2. Case Studies:
Examples of Psychology-related
Pseudoscience

3. Case Studies from
Outside Mainstream Psychology:
1. Complementary and alternative
medicine/therapies

4. Name Content Everyday use Homoeopathic use
Potassium Batteries; dye; photo
Kali bichromium Weakness
bichromate chemicals
Deadly Aches and pains; high
Belladonna Poison
nightshade fever
Arsenicum album Arsenic Rat poison; herbicide Infant diarrhoea
Arnica Arnica Montana Assassination Bruises; fall injuries
Hypericum Abortifacient; yellow Injuries to fingers and
Hypericum perforatum dye; antidepressant toes
Spice for meat; Puncture wounds;
Ledum Ledum palustre
laxative insect stings
Poison ivy (Rhus
Rhus tox toxicodendron)
Poison Nappy rash; sprains
Aconitum Repelling Mental shock; fright
Aconite napellus werewolves; poison
Matricaria Dermatological
Chamomilla Irritability in children
chamomilla antiseptic
Pyrethrum
Feverfew parthenium
Herbal medicine* Aches and pains

5. Choosing the ‘right’ homeopathic
remedy
Consultation of a Homoeopathic Materia Medica,
or equivalent
First was by Hahnemann
Others common
Boericke’s Materia Medica
Kent’s Repertory

6. Efficacy of CAM
By end of 20th century, approximately 1,500 reports
of clinical-trials of CAM published annually
Medline: number of publications trebled from 1994
to 2003 (Ernst et al., 2005)
Cochrane Library: 10,000+ clinical trials
 “Randomized Controlled
Trials” (RCTs)
 Placebo controlled
 (Double-)blinding
 Meta-analysis
 Systematic reviews

7. CAM efficacy: Homeopathy
Plausibility issues:
Law of similars, law of infinitesimals
‘Succussion’
‘Memory of water’ controversy
Empirical issues:
Cochrane Library: 4 reviews
15 trials; 4,148 participants
One ‘effect’: oscillococcinum
↓self-reported colds by 1.4 to 12 hrs
In only two of seven trials
Authors’ conclusion: no effect

8. CAM efficacy: Homeopathy
Lancet reviews
Linde et al. (1997, 1999)
Shang et al. (2005)
Effects accounted for by poor
methodological quality of research
Methodological note
Poor quality trials increase Type II,
rather than Type I, errors
(Ezzo et al., 2000; Chalmers et al., 1983; Schulz et
al., 1995; Jadad & Rennie, 1998; Moher et al.,
1998)

9. Homeopathy
THE IRISH TIMES

10. PS409
Psychology, Science,
& Pseudoscience
Dr Brian Hughes
School of Psychology
brian.hughes@nuigalway.ie @b_m_hughes