Homeopathy in the treatment of influenza: a data collection proposal Homeopat -a en el tratamiento de la influenza: propuesta para la obtenci 3n de datos Homeopatia no tratamento da influenza: proposta para coleta de dados

Influenza is a common disease, widespread all over the world, that has no satisfactory treatment up to now. Homeopathy has a long tradition of being used to treat influenza and has accumulated empirical and experimental evidence showing positive effects. Large scale observational studies in different continents have never been carried out to assess the overall benefits of homeopathy in flu, what prescription strategy and medicines are more effective and for which group of patients it can be most helpful. On the other hand, there is a predicted pandemic of avian flu and it is important to be proactive and to be prepared to test homeopathy in this context. This worldwide study will collect observational data on patients with influenza or influenza-like illness treated with homeopathic by experienced homeopathic doctors during a period of 2 years. Measurements will include duration of influenza illness, change in total score of symptoms and clinical scales, as well as safety aspects (presence of adverse effects and complications). Homeopathic and any conventional medicines prescribed will be registered. Data will be entered and loaded in a web application, and will be statistically analyzed using descriptive and inferential techniques. Ethical approval will be sought, and all cases are to be submitted in an anonymous way to protect patient identity. This project aims to enable collection of useful data, together with the development of information technology infrastructure, that could be useful in future multi-centre randomized controlled trials in the treatment of influenza patients with homeopathy, besides testing a new strategy for accumulating evidence on the benefit of homeopathic treatment in other diseases and conditions. Keywords: Influenza; Homeopathy; Data collection; Evidence; Information technology database. Homeopatia no tratamento da influenza: proposta para coleta de dados Resumo A influenza uma mol stia comum, distribu -da no mundo todo, sem tratamento satisfat 3rio na atualidade. A homeopatia possui uma longa tradi § ￡o de uso na influenza e acumula evid ancias emp -ricas e experimentais de seu efeito positivo. No entanto, n ￡o t am sido realizados estudos observacionais em larga escala em diversos continentes para determinar quais s ￡o os benef -cios globais da homeopatia neste quadro; quais s ￡o as estrat gias prescritivas e os medicamentos mais eficazes e em quais grupos de pacientes pode ser mais ben fica. Por outro lado, est prevista uma pandemia de gripe avi ria, motivo pelo qual fu