DRUG PROVING PROGRAMME
(Homoeopathic
Pathogenetic Trial)
Proving
of a drug substance is a process unique to Homoeopathy, unlike conventional
medicine where animal experimentation forms the basis of evaluation of drug pathogenesis,
homoeopathic medicines are proved on healthy human volunteers, including
controls, from both sexes. The entire process takes about 12-24 months and has
to be repeated more than once at different places and in different settings.
The voluminous data of subjective symptomatic changes recorded by each of the
provers is then compiled, sifted and sieved to remove symptoms recorded by
controls and those of doubtful nature. The entire process from initiation of
proving to final compilation of proving data and its publication is time
consuming and takes about 2 to 3 years.
Keeping
in view the importance of drug proving for the growth of Homoeopathy in the
Country and abroad the council has undertaken drug proving programme on
priority. The Council has developed a plan and Protocol* based on Double Blind
Technique in Drug Proving. The main objective of the Council is to find
out the proving symptoms of indigenous and partially proved homoeopathic drugs
on healthy human volunteers
Drug proving has been under
taken at the Central Research Institute (H), Noida (UP), Central Research
Institute (H), Kottayam (Kerala), Drug Proving Research Unit, Kolkata (WB),
Homoeopathic Drug Research Institute, Lucknow (UP), Regional Research Institute
(H), Mumbai- (Maharashtra), Regional Research Institute (H), Gudivada (Andhra
Pradesh) and extension unit of RRI (H) Puri at Dr. A.C. Homoeopathic Medical
College & Hospital, Bhubaneswar (Orissa) as well.
The council has
completed proving of 76* drugs. Out of
which 35 drugs are indigenous. The data of 62 drugs has been published by the
Council so far and proving of 8 drugs will be published shortly. Proving data
of 6 drugs is under compilation.