DeCS 2011 - Revision of the HP category (Homeopathy)

Apart from the modifications due to the annual MeSH revision, changes may also occur in the exclusively DeCS categories, which are Homeopathy (HP), Science and Health (SH), Public Health (SP), and Health Surveillance (VS).

In 2010, the Homeopathy category was revised in collaboration with experts from the Associação Paulista de Homeopatia and the Virtual Health Library in Homeopathy. As a result, the 1944 concepts and their 2476 synonyms are now defined in three languages, adding more information to these concepts.

The total number of concepts also changed, as seen below:

(a) Exclusion of two descriptors identified as being outside the area of knowledge of homeopathy:

Floral Drugs: continues to exist in the VS category, as Floral Remedies;
Mechanicism: was absorbed by Philosophy, Medical.

(b) The merging of two descriptors with its equivalents from MeSH:

Datura metel: is a new descriptor in MeSH 2011;
Alternative Therapies: became an alternative term for Complementary Therapies.

(c) the merging of four descriptors with others from the HP category:

Chelidoninum: was absorbed by Chelidonium majus;
Kali Manganicum: became an alternative term for Kali Permanganicum;
Nosodes Cahis: was absorbed by Nosodes (Homeopathy);
Drugs Relations, was absorbed by Homeopathic Prescription.

(d) The removal of an occurrence of hierarchical code from three HP descriptors that were specific descriptors under Drug Relations and still exist in another branch of the HP category:

Antidotes
Drug Incompatibility
Complementary Medicines

(e) HP-to-MeSH Mapping: inclusion of 1094 references suggesting the MeSH concept closest to the HP concept in question, totaling 1381 HP concepts mapped in this category.

Thus, the total number of concepts now in HP changed from 1950 to 1944.

Last updated in: January 13, 2011