Data collection? Why bother?

British Homteopathic Journal April 1990, Vol. 79, pp. 73

Our cover Response to treatment of rheumatoid arthritis treated with eight commonly prescribed homoeo- pathic medicines. Dotted bars represent improvement, cross-hatched bars unchanged or worse. (See paper by van Haselen and Fisher on page 74 ft.

G u e s t e d i t o r i a l

Data collection? Why bother? For the majority of the 49,000 or so doctors in the UK who are outside the Faculty and have not attended its courses, hommopathy is a subject as insubstantial as its medicines. It is uncharted ter- ritory, a land without frontiers or contours. Often, rather than learn its principles our col- leagues want to know--What does it do? When is it useful? What does it do best? What is its scope? The answers to these questions are edu- cational matters, but the raw materials are facts. Within the Faculty, and even more in homceo- pathy world-wide, there is an extraordinary diversity of therapeutic method--and a veritable embaras de richesse. Hommopathy embraces a degree of inconsistency and confusion that delights the sceptics. This may be a measure of the sensitivity and versatility of our method---or it may not. Its justification, verification or clar- ification must be based not upon supposition or precept, but on fact.

Our materia medica and repertories, for all their value, include material of uncertain prov- enance, are often archaic, and are probably both over-inclusive and incomplete. Their verifica- tion and revision depends upon carefully authenticated clinical and experimental obser- vation. The science of homceopathy is inductive, drawing general principles from empirical obser- vation. Data, according to the dictionary, are 'factual information used as a basis for reason- ing, discussion and calculation'. DATA COL- LECT provides a useful mnemonic for its functions and attributes:

D is for Description, Demonstration, Deft- nition, and Discipline. Data collection

describes what we are doing for the benefit of all concerned; demonstrates it by publication so that discussion among ourselves and dia- logue with other colleagues can take place; defines the diversity and confusion so that they may be clarified and resolved; brings dis- cipline to our study and our work.

A is for Analysis and Application. Analysis of the principles on which we practise, of the way we apply those principles in practice, and of the relationship between the two.

T is for Thinking what we are doing. A is for Audit and Assessment. Audit includes

Inspection, Verification and Correction. Assessment of outcome is a development of these, and very much a part of the potential of data collection.

C is for Clarity and Consistency, which data col- lection can help both to expose and to ensure.

0 is for the Objectivity which data collection permits, and which makes the anecdotal significant.

L is for the Limitations, of our role, our knowl- edge and our ability which data collection can painfully but essentially reveal.

E is for the Empiricism on which our science depends and which good data collection serves .

C is for Communication, which is valueless without good factual information to communicate.

T is for Testing every therapeutic principle, and Taking nothing for granted.

We cannot afford not to collect data, JEREMY SWAYNE

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