The Kerala Chapter of Indian Homoeopathic Medical Association (IHMA) plans to conduct research in homoeopathy jointly with Central Council of Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), a subsidiary of Central Council of Homoeopathy.
The Chapter has submitted a proposal to the state health minister seeking all possible support from the government towards this novel project.
Once an area of research in the homeopathic system of treatment is decided, the scientific identification of this system can be confirmed and there won't be further questions or suspicions on its veracity, said Dr. Dr.K.Narayana Pai, director of the School of Homoeopathy of the state unit of the IHRC.
He said that at the national level, the IHMA has taken a decision to begin researches and the organisation has formed a separate wing, Indian Homoeopathic Research Centre (IHRC), for short listing the projects. This Centre will also work out its plans co-operating with the CCRH. But the CCRH is engaged in conducting the job of drug testing and clinical trials only.
As a first step, the Kerala Chapter of IHMA is conducting three zonal workshops (Renaissance-2008) in the state to chalk out its plans and to sensitise the delegates in research methodology. The second zonal workshop will be held on July 26 and 27 in Kozhikode and the third will be in Kochi in August. The first workshop was held in Thiruvananthapuram in June this year.
Earlier, the Association has submitted a memorandum to the Kerala Government to incorporate Homeopathy into the health sciences department of the proposed medical university.
"Now, the homoeopathy courses are up to the level of Post Graduation only. There is no higher study course after PG. No meaningful research is going on now. Even today, homoeopathy is in its growing stage. It has only a short history of 25 years, but within this period it has gained tremendous popularity worldwide. Promotion efforts should be made to access the benefit of this method also", he said.
While speaking to Pharmabiz, Dr. Pai said amongst the alternative systems of medicine, homoeopathy has received much acclaim for its tremendous growth. However, this has led to large-scale criticism from various sectors, especially from the modern medicine system and its supporting segments. The state unit of IHRC has chalked out a systematic plan to overcome the criticism regarding the scientificity of homoeopathic system in the years to come.
"IHRC initiated the discussion and deliberation, among the like minded people, over the last two years and was thus able to bring together a group of enthusiastic Homoeopaths having an interest in research. Many of them were given proper directions, so they could attend a few basic research methodology programmes in renowned institutions in the southern states during the previous year", the head of the homoeopathic school said.