NEW DELHI: The European Journal of Pediatrics has retracted a study that compared homeopathic treatment with conventional primary care for infants, citing serious flaws in the study’s design.
In its retraction note, the journal’s editor said concerns were raised after publication over key methodological shortcomings in the randomised controlled trial, including the absence of blinding and placebo controls. A post-publication review found that these deficiencies could lead to “significant bias” in data interpretation and conclusions.
The editor noted that the flaws were fundamental and could not be addressed through a correction or erratum, adding that confidence in the reliability of the article had been lost.
The study, published in 2024, assessed homeopathic treatment versus standard primary care during the first 24 months of life—a period that demands particularly high ethical and scientific safeguards.
According to the journal, the authors were invited to submit a revised manuscript addressing the concerns. However, the retraction note states that the authors do not agree with the decision, a stance communicated by lead author Menachem Oberbaum.
The paper, which included authors from multiple institutions, including India, had attracted attention for comparing an alternative system of medicine with conventional care in a vulnerable age group.
While the article remains accessible as an open-access publication, it has now been clearly marked as retracted.
