Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SA: You have been in an active academics and homeopathic research for almost four
decades? What did you find more interesting and challenging- homeopathic research or
teaching?
CN: For me, both teaching and research in homeopathy were interesting as well as
challenging. In order to improve the quality of teaching and research, I took initiative to
organize seminars/CME programs in Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College,
Bhubaneswar, CCRH, Bakson Homoeopathic Medical College and Homoeopathy
University, Jaipur. While in CCRH, although more time and attention was given for
promotion of research, yet a large number of publications in the form of books and
monographs were made which aimed at improving the quality of teaching.
SA: For the majority of us, academic teaching and research seem to be directionally
CN: Sorry, I do not subscribe to the statement that teaching and research are
SA: Did you find any difficulty in converging academic teaching to homeopathic
CN: No, I did not find any difficulty in converging academic teaching to homeopathic
research or vice versa, while working in Homeopathic colleges as well as CCRH. Rather, I
tried to integrate both the areas with the help of my colleagues and experts from other
scientific organizations and accomplished this through publications, seminars,
workshops and CME programs. Being a member of the Central Council of Homoeopathy
(CCH) as well as member of its Education Committee/PG Education Committee &
© IPRH | Jan 2018 | Available online at www.researchinhomeopathy.org
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An Exclusive Interview with Prof. Dr. C. Nayak – Why Case Reporting is Important in Homeopathy
Director General of CCRH, helped me to work for integration of teaching and research,
with the support of my colleagues of CCH, CCRH and three homeopathic institutions at
Bhubaneswar, Greater Noida and Jaipur.
SA: You have always been a preacher and supporter of homeopathic research. Can you
briefly explain the need for evidence-based research in homeopathy?
CN: As you are aware, there is a growing criticism against homoeopathy by some
Secondly, there are some challenges/ weaknesses within our system of homeopathy,
such as various schools of thoughts (classical homeopathy, clinical homoeopathy,
complex homoeopathy, isopathy, tautopathy, etc.); low-quality medicines manufactured
by some industries; poor expertise, and sub-standard teaching/research etc.
Thirdly, there are some myths about homeopathy for which a part of population is
reluctant to get benefits of homeopathy.
Lastly, many peer-reviewed journals having high impact factor do not publish the
outcomes of research studies without sufficient evidence.
For all the aforesaid reasons, evidence-based research is the need of the hour.
CN: I am happy, your question covers the answer to a great extent. The evidence
include patients’ versions, laboratory reports relevant to their disease conditions as well
as different scales/questionnaires used for outcome assessment of the individual
patients/ research studies. Some of the scales/questionnaires are general in nature, i.e.
can be applicable to various diseases, to assess the scores (pre-/ post-treatment), e.g.
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for assessing intensity of pain etc., whereas some scales are
disease-specific, i.e. Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) for Depression;
International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) for Benign Hypertrophy of Prostate;
Sino-nasal Outcome Test (SNOT) for Chronic sinusitis; Conners’ Parent Rating Scale –
Revised (CPRS-R) for ADHD, etc.
Besides, to assess the quality of life in different disease conditions, the general
questionnaire developed by WHO, i.e. WHOQOL – BREF can be adopted. Whereas to
assess the quality of life in specific disease condition like Rheumatoid arthritis, Quality
of Life-Rheumatoid Arthritis (QOL-RA) scale can be adopted.
SA: We have abundant case records with us, but the reciprocally limited number of
CN: The main reason for a limited number of publications despite abundant case
SA: According to you, why we must publish case reports and case series?
CN: The publications of case reports and case series are essential for the following
reasons:
To justify which potency, dosage & repetition schedule worked for the patient.
To justify the first and subsequent prescriptions and present their responses.
To benefit the entire medical community and thereby the common man at large.
SA: Any recommended readings to learn more about case reporting and their
importance in homeopathy?
CN: While preparing such manuscripts, the authors should follow CARE guidelines
also contributed. Besides, my article titled “Case Reporting In Homoeopathy: Why And
How?”, published in the Souvenir of XXIV National Homoeopathic Congress of Indian
Institute of Homoeopathic Physician at Nagpur in 2016, may also be referred. The
different ways of documenting case series published in various standard medical
journals including homeopathy, should be followed.
CN: There is no special mantra for publishing a good case report, but I would suggest
that the homeopathic institutions, as well as clinicians, should develop standard case
recording formats for documenting the profiles of the patients including their
pre-/post-evidences, since there is no uniformity in such formats at inter-/intra-
university level, inter-/ intra college level. Some institutions have adopted the case
recording formats to document all types of cases, whereas some others have developed
disease-specific case recording formats. The Central Council of Homoeopathy, the
regulatory authority for ensuring quality education and practice in homoeopathy should
take initiative to recommend standard case recording format for documenting profiles
of the patients, in a scientific way.
Well-documented case reports/ case series adds to the acumen of physicians and benefit
the profession as well as patients at large. Such documents not only improve the
knowledge of the clinicians, teachers and students but also inculcate confidence in them
for dealing with similar cases in future.
Prof. Dr. C. Nayak is currently the President of the Homoeopathy University, Jaipur
(Rajasthan); Chairman of the Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia Committee, Govt. of India;
Chairman of Special Committee on Fundamental Research & member of Special
Committee on Clinical Research under Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy
(CCRH); member of Drug Technical Advisory Board (Homoeopathy), Govt. of India;
Chairman of Scientific Advisory Committee of Delhi Homoeopathy Anusandhan Parishad
and Guide for P.G. & Ph.D. courses in Homeopathy. Formerly, he was the Director
General of CCRH, an autonomous organization of Ministry of AYUSH, member of
International Scientific Committee on Homoeopathic Investigations (ISCHI), member of
Education Committee & PG Education Committee of Central Council of Homoeopathy,
Director-Professor of Bakson Homoeopathic Medical College, Greater Noida and
Principal-cum-Superintendent of one pioneer Govt. Homoeopathic Medical College of
Odisha state. Last year, he was conferred with ‘Best Teacher Award’ by the CCRH,
sponsored by the Ministry of AYUSH, Govt. of India. Holding all these prestigious
positions, Dr.Nayak has been an instrumental personality in the development of
homoeopathic education and research in India. Dr. Nayak has always been supportive of
scientific and academic activities in Homoeopathy in the field of education and research.
If you are interested in receiving guidance from Dr. C. Nayak regarding publishing
case reports, you may contact him at drcbnayak@gmail.com