Cost-effectiveness of homeopathy
Health economic research aims to establish a scientific basis for efficient distribution of limited healthcare and financial resources, whilst also ensuring a consistent delivery of high-quality care to patients. The health economic methods used to assess cost-effectiveness of conventional medical treatments can also be applied to homeopathy.
A systematic review published in 2024 provides an overview of cost-effectiveness studies of homeopathy1. In all 21 studies included in the review, homeopathy showed similar or better clinical effectiveness compared to the control groups, with a clear positive trend for cost-effectiveness and a statistically significant increase in study quality over the years.
*2 of these studies were shown to be cost-effective through incremental cost effectiveness analysis.
Two independent researchers assessed the quality of the studies using the CHEC list, specifically designed for use with economic evaluations. CHEC scores ranged from 2 to 16 (out of a maximum score of 19): studies published before 2009 had a lower mean score (6.7 ± 3.4) than those published in or after 2009 (9.4 ± 4.3).
It is worth noting that the two most recently published studies included in the review3,4 are among those with the highest quality rating. In addition to a well-chosen study design, both used state-of-the-art economic evaluations. The authors of the updated review stress the importance of maintaining this level of excellence in future economic evaluations of homeopathy.
- for children under 12, additional SilAtro-5-90 treatment is always cost-effective (regardless of the severity of recurrent tonsillitis), reducing the number of acute throat infections at a lower cost than using conventional treatment alone
- for adults and children aged 12 years and older with ‘severe’ recurrent tonsillitis (more than three acute throat infections per year), SilAtro-5-90 helped avoid expensive surgical tonsillectomy.
Further high quality research on this topic is clearly warranted: building on these encouraging findings will determine more definitively whether homeopathy can play a role in managing healthcare costs in future, whilst maintaining levels of clinical effectiveness comparable to existing treatments.
Cost-effectiveness review by Ostermann et al. 2024 synopsis.
Cost-effectiveness review of homeopathic treatment for recurrent tonsillitis by Ostermann et al. 2021 synopsis.
- Ostermann T, Burkart J, De Jaegere S, et al. Overview and quality assessment of health economic evaluations for homeopathic therapy: an updated systematic review. Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res, 2024;24:117-142 [PubMed] [FullText]
- Viksveen P, Dymitr Z, Simoens S. Economic evaluations of homeopathy: a review. Eur J Health Econ, 2014;15:157-74 [PubMed]
- Kass B, Icke K, Witt CM, Reinhold T. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of treatment with additional enrolment to a homeopathic integrated care contract in Germany. BMC Health Serv Res, 2020;20:872 [PubMed] [FullText]
- Ostermann T, Park A-L, De Jaegere S, Fetz K, Klement P, Raak C, McDaid D. Cost-effectiveness analysis for SilAtro-5-90 adjuvant treatment in the management of recurrent tonsilitis, compared with usual care only. Cost Eff Resour Alloc, 2021;19:60 [FullText]
- Palm J, Kishchuk VV, Ulied A, Perotti Fernández J, De Jaegere S et al. Effectiveness of an add-on treatment with the homeopathic medication SilAtro-5-90 in recurrent tonsillitis: An international, pragmatic, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Complement Ther Clin Pract, 2017; 28:181-191 [PubMed]