ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the current status of evidence-based practice within homeopathy in the UK and touches on some of the key issues around concepts such as research and evidence. It draws on data collected as part of a grounded theory study of the practice of professional UK homeopaths when treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. The full grounded theory “getting to the heart of the case” can be found in (Heirs 2012), while this chapter focuses on the issue of research and the use of evidence in practice. This chapter presents the key ways in which homeopaths made use of research and evidence as concepts in relation to their personal practice. These findings are discussed within a broader context of the rise of evidence-based practice in many areas of health and social care. Finally, reflections on both the practice and the teaching of homeopathy are offered, while remaining mindful of the changing territory. In the following section, an overview of homeopathy and its current status within the UK healthcare system is provided, followed by a brief discussion on evidence, evidence-based practice and research, both generally and within complementary medicine.
