Homeopathy 2005; 94(01): 3-9
DOI: 10.1016/j.homp.2004.11.021
Original Paper
Copyright ©The Faculty of Homeopathy 2004

Pharmacoeconomic comparison between homeopathic and antibiotic treatment strategies in recurrent acute rhinopharyngitis in children

M Trichard
1   BOIRON, 20 rue de la Libération, 69 110 Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, France
,
G Chaufferin
1   BOIRON, 20 rue de la Libération, 69 110 Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, France
,
N Nicoloyannis
2   Université Lumière Lyon 2, avenue Pierre-Mendès-France, 69 676 Bron Cedex, France
› Institutsangaben
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Publikationsverlauf

Received06. November 2003
revised05. Mai 2004

accepted22. November 2004

Publikationsdatum:
28. Dezember 2017 (online)

Objectives: A pharmacoeconomic study to compare, in terms of: medical effectiveness, quality of life and costs two treatment strategies (‘homeopathic strategy’ vs ‘antibiotic strategy’) used in routine medical practice by allopathic and homeopathic GPs in the treatment of recurrent acute rhinopharyngitis in 18-month to 4-year-old children.

Methods: Statistical analysis of data obtained from a population of 499 patients included in a previous 6-month prospective, pragmatic study. The patients were re-grouped according to type of drug prescribed. Medical effectiveness was assessed in terms of (i) episodes of acute rhinopharyngitis, (ii) complications, (iii) adverse effects. Quality of life was assessed using the Par-Ent-Qol© scale. Direct medical costs (medical consultations, drug prescriptions, prescriptions for further tests) and indirect medical costs (sick-leave) were evaluated from three viewpoints (society, patient, Social Security) using public prices and French Social Security tariffs.

Results: The ‘homeopathic strategy’ yielded significantly better results than the ‘antibiotic strategy’ in terms of medical effectiveness (number of episodes of rhinopharyngitis: 2.71 vs 3.97, ; number of complications: 1.25 vs 1.95, ), and quality of life (global score: 21.38 vs 30.43, ), with lower direct medical costs covered by Social Security ( vs , ) and significantly less sick-leave (9.5% of parents vs 31.6% of parents, ).

Conclusions: Homeopathy may be a cost-effective alternative to antibiotics in the treatment of recurrent infantile rhinopharyngitis.

 
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