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A homeopathic proving^[1] is the method by which the profile of a homeopathic remedy is determined. The word 'proving' derives from the German word 'Prüfung' ('test').

Provings are carried out in a number of ways, depending on the group who is conducting the trial. This usually involves following Samuel Hahnemann’s strict protocol but may extend to a person taking the remedy and meditating on the effects. Most authoritative provings are done following a strict method, laid down in Jeremy Sherr's book entitled The Dynamics and Methodology of Homoeopathic Provings, published by Dynamis Books. See especially pages 45-55.

A proving typically involves about 20 volunteers taking six doses of the remedy over two days. If symptoms occur then no further doses are taken. During this time, and for some time after, each prover keeps a diary recording all mental, physical and emotional symptoms that are experienced during the proving. At the end of the proving period the master prover will collate the symptoms from the diaries, excluding those symptoms which have been demonstrated to be symptoms that the prover experienced, before the proving commenced. This part of the process can be quite time comsuming. Finally the proving is published in its entirety. In order to give a full remedy picture it is normal for the provers to take the remedy at a range of potencies.

A more recent development involves having some of the participants in a trial^[2] take a placebo (other than the homeopathic remedy in question.) The symptoms recorded by these provers are compared to the symptoms recorded by the other provers in order to aid the process of deciding which symptoms are caused by the remedy. Some such 'placebo-controlled' provings may not qualify as either randomized or double-blind clinical trials, since the participants are not randomized and the master prover is routinely aware of who is on placebo. In most modern, well conducted provings even the master prover is not aware of who is on placebo, and they therefore may legitimately be regarded as double blind.

A curiosity is that in some instances, the provers on placebo have been observed to produce symptoms similar to those who are taking the remedy. Homeopaths attribute this observation to field effects ('energetic resonance'). However, in strict scientific terms this would indicate rather that there is probably no difference between the treatment and the placebo.

• Homeopathy Drug Proving - Information about homeopathic drug provings and a collection of old and new provings.

• World Wide Proving Index - Open access database of recent provings

1. ^ Homeopathic proving
2. ^ Clinical trials

• Sherr J The Dynamics and Methodology of Homoeopathic Provings, published by Dynamis Books
• Hahnemann C F S Organon of Medicine, translated by Dudgeon R E & Boericke W, 5th & 6th Editions