Positive Health Online

Abstract

HAMRE and COLLEAGUES,  Institute for Applied Epistemology and Medical Methodology, Freiburg, Germany. [Review] [59 refs] clinical effects of treatments using anthroposophical medicine, including mistletoe therapy for cancer, as well as anthroposophic treatment for mental, musculoskeletal, respiratory, and other chronic conditions.

Background

Anthroposophic medicine includes special medications and special artistic and physical therapies.

Methodology

More than 200 clinical studies of varying design and quality have been conducted on anthroposophic treatment. Half of these studies concern anthroposophic mistletoe therapy for cancer.

Results

Clinical effects of mistletoe products include improvement of quality of life, reduction of side effects from chemotherapy and radiation, and possibly increased survival. Apart from cancer therapy, the largest studies of anthroposophic treatment have been 2 naturalistic system evaluations: In German outpatients with mental, musculoskeletal, respiratory, and other chronic conditions, anthroposophic treatment was followed by sustained improvements of symptoms and quality of life.

Conclusion

In primary care patients from 4 European countries and the United States treated for acute respiratory and ear infections by anthroposophic or conventional physicians, anthroposophic treatment was associated with reduced use of antibiotics and antipyretics, quicker recovery, and fewer adverse reactions; these differences remained after adjustment for relevant baseline differences..

References

Hamre HJ, Kiene H and Kienle GS. Clinical research in anthroposophic medicine. [Review] [59 refs]. Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine. 15(6): 52-5. Nov-Dec 2009.