Future Directions for Homeopathy Research

Abstract

The field of homeopathy research is expanding, with a wide array of different types of studies investigating various aspects of this complex and controversial topic. Good-quality research is absolutely essential; therefore, it is vital that there is debate, discussion and collaboration within the profession about the directions of future research. Mindful of this, a Delphi study was designed to gather the opinions of experts in the domains of homeopathy research and practice to identify significant and impactful research relating to homeopathy, and to ascertain future research priorities for the homeopathy profession. The Delphi technique is an iterative group communication process using a sequence of written questions and/or statements, which are distributed to a panel of expert respondents. This technique is particularly suited to working toward consensus-building in complex problems and/or emerging fields. This article will present the resulting collation of expert opinion identifying significant and impactful homeopathy research and establishing research priorities for the future. It is envisaged that this research will provide direction for future research collaborations and inform guidance for new researchers undertaking relevant Masters and PhD studies.