Creation of an International Scientific Committee 
on Homeopathic Investigations (ISCHI) 

Composition, Brief, Charter and Operation

At the suggestion of the International Foundation for Clinical Homeopathy (IFCH), four learned bodies joined together with the IFCH to organise a day of discussion on the theme of "homeopathic medicine and avian influenza" on 19th November 2005: the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital (RLHH), the European Committee for Homeopathy (ECH), the American Institute of Homeopathy (AIH) and the Indian Institute of Homeopathic Physicians (IIHP). Subsequently, the IIHP has been replaced by a representative of the department of AYUSH, Health Ministry of India.

A Scientific Committee was set up to organise this event and validate its proposals.

Following the international meeting of 19th November 2005, the aforementioned learned bodies and the Scientific Committee decided to pursue their research and evaluation initiatives in homeopathic treatments. The scientific committee was formally named the “International Scientific Committee on Homeopathy and Influenza” (ISCHI).

At the meeting of 15-17 April, 2010, the Committee was renamed "International Scientific Commitee on Homeopathic Investigations" in order to broaden the scope of research initiatives that may be considered and undertaken. Additional members were added, and the ISCHI currently is made up of the following persons:

- Dr. Peter Fisher, Chairperson (UK)
- Dr. Marie France Bordet, Vice-Chairperson (FR)
- Dr. Michel Van Wassenhoven (BE)
- Dr. Flavio Dantas (BRA)
- Gilles Chaufferin (FR)
- Dr. Robert Mathie (UK)
- Dr. Helmut Roniger (UK)
- Dr. Menachem Oberbaum (ISR)
- Dr. John Ives (USA)
- Dr. Jennifer Jacobs (USA)
- Dr. Joyce Frye (USA)
- Dr. Chaturbhuja Nayak (IND)

SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE BRIEF 

ISCHI’s brief consists of:

- Initiating mechanisms for communication regarding its mission and for inviting research programmes intended to evaluate the use of homeopathic medicine.
- Initiating mechanisms for communication regarding contemporaneous homeopathic treatment of epidemic infectious diseases.
- Promoting and improving the quality of research through assessing, examining and evaluating research proposals submitted to it.
- Providing financial support for approved proposals, with co-funders where appropriate.
- Assessing the progress of ongoing supported research projects at regular intervals, offering assistance and follow-up activities as needed and approving release of funds for additional stages of the project.
- Supporting publication of results in international peer-reviewed publications.
- Liaising with, advising and making representations to external bodies on important matters within its remit.

- Perform literature review to identify promising studies for replication.
- Accept unsolicited proposals.
- Call for proposals with guidelines.
- Identify experimental research groups from whom to invite submission of research protocols.
- Collaborate with potential research groups on protocol design and study conduct.

- High impact studies.
- Epidemiology, RCTs and basic research.
- Studies deserving of replication.

- Objective outcomes.
- Feasibility and duration.
- Appropriately powered.
- Cost-effectiveness of study.
- Type of condition, e.g. epidemic diseases (influenza, dengue, etc...), major chronic diseases.