Researching alternative medicine for treatment of mastitis in cattle: possibilities and limitations

Summary in the original language of the document

The use of alternative treatment types within conventional and organic cattle farming is increasing. Within the organic milk farming industry in Denmark, attention towards alternative treatment has particularly intensified after the EU regulation No. 1804/1999 has been implemented. According to this regulation, diseases should preferably be treated with alternative medicine (phyto-therapeutic products or homoeopathic solutions) when these are effective in the treatment of the species and condition in question. The 2 alternative medicines mentioned in the legislation comprise a heterogeneous group of treatments in terms of mechanism of effect. While there is information relating to the mechanism of effect of phyto-therapeutic products, in that the effect of these treatments is demonstrable on the chemo-physical level, there is limited knowledge concerning the mechanism of effect of treatments, such as homeopathy, which are claimed to work via an indirect effect on the energy of the treated individual. Effect of treatments such as homeopathy is therefore measured in terms of improvement in the disease level of an individual animal after treatment. Numerous trials have investigated effect of homeopathy for human and veterinary use, however almost all of the trials have been criticised for poor scientific quality, or for neglecting to carry out treatments in accordance with homeopathic philosophy. In order to explore reasons for these criticisms, issues such as differences in terminology between biomedicine and homeopathy, values in health and disease, and the importance of the treatment situation in relation to treatment with homeopathy need to be addressed.