BACKGROUND: Music therapy is a promising approach widening the potential applications of psychotherapy. Music influences both, psychologic and physiologic parameters, and children are especially responsive to this form of therapy. Many aspects of its action mechanisms remain to be elucidated, underscoring the need for evidence-based medicine (EBM) for clinical use of music therapy. AIMS: This review seeks to highlight some of the issues of music therapy research and to initiate a discussion about the need for international multicenter cooperation to bring scientifically sound evidence of the benefits of music therapy in pediatric patients. METHODS: Scientific bibliographic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials on use of music therapy for children. Identified articles were evaluated according to criteria for scientific quality. RESULTS: Twenty-eight studies were identified. Most of the trials were biased by the number of participants, and some trials showed the need to improve design of control groups. Indeed, the novelty of this area of study has produced a large number of different studies (with variability in diagnoses, interventions, control groups, duration, and/or outcome parameters), and there is a need for a more homogeneous and systematic approach. Available studies highlight the need to address reproducibility issues. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis identifies the need for a subsequent series of clinical studies on the efficacy of music in the pediatric population, with more focus on eligibility criteria with respect to EBM and reproducibility.

J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Oct;16(10):1089-95. Mrázová M, Celec P. Department of Child Psychiatry, Charles University, 2nd Medical School, Prague, Czech Republic.

William Mitchell is the founder of the Mitchell Institute for Professional Hypnosis and Personal Motivation Hypnosis Clinics and Pastor First Baptist Church, Stonington, IL.

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In the last year there has been a great deal of public debate about homeopathy, the system of alternative medicine whose main principles are that like cures like and that potency increases relative to dilution. The House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology concluded in November 2009 that there is no evidence base for homeopathy, and agreed with some academic commentators that homeopathy should not be funded by the NHS. While homeopathic doctors and hospitals are quite commonplace, some might be surprised to learn that there are also many homeopathic dentists practising in the UK. This paper examines the statements made by several organisations on behalf of homeopathic dentistry and suggests that they are not entirely ethical and may be in breach of various professional guidelines.

Br Dent J. 2010 Nov 27;209(10):493-6. Shaw D. Dental School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, 378 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JZ. david.shaw@.glasgow.ac.uk