A randomized placebo controlled clinical trial using Homoeopathy as an adjuvant to standard care in the management of COVID-19

COVID-19 challenged medical fraternity with high transmission rates, lack of prior sensitization of the immune system, high mortality, and emotional stress due to fear of death and social isolation. The objective of this trial was to test the effectiveness of individualized homoeopathic treatment as an adjuvant to modern medicine. setting, participants, and interventions This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Two hundred and sixty-nine participants who tested positive for COVID-19 infection (N Gene, ORF 1-ab-Gene, and the S Gene of the SARS COV-2 virus) were randomized into two parallel groups. A total of 133 participants (49%) were randomized to the homeopathic group. The remaining 136 (51%) patients in the control group received a placebo intervention in addition to standard care of modern medicine. The endpoints of the trial were measuring the impact on patient symptoms, mortality rate, need for mechanical ventilation, inflammatory markers, and length of hospital stay. Statistical analysis was performed using a multivariate random effects model for symptoms and inflammatory markers. Logistic regression models were used to assess clinical outcomes, including intensive care unit (ICU) requirement, ventilator support, and deaths. Of the 269 participants, 133 (49%) were in the homoeopathic group and 136 (51%) were in the control group. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics, comorbidities, or allopathic treatment administered within the groups at baseline. The median scores for shortness of breath, cough, weakness, and fatigue significantly reduced on days five and ten. There were no significant differences in the median values of inflammatory markers. The ICU requirement (p=0.01), ventilator requirement (p=0.01), and mortality (p=0.003) were significantly lower in the homoeopathic group. Homoeopathy as an adjuvant to standard care in the management of COVID-19 resulted in faster resolution of clinical symptoms, lower ICU requirement, lower requirement of ventilation, and reduced mortality compared to standard care alone. • This was a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled trial which assessed the effectiveness of individualized homoeopathic treatment as an adjuvant to modern medicine in the management of COVID-19 using multivariate random-effects models and logistic regression models. • On days five and ten, the group that received homoeopathic treatment experienced significant reductions in symptoms, such as shortness of breath, cough, weakness, and fatigue. • The homoeopathic group exhibited significantly lower rates of ICU requirement, need for a ventilator, and mortality than the placebo group. • No noticeable differences were found in the median levels of inflammatory markers between the two groups.