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Contact Details

Name: Mr David Retford
Job Title: Lecturer / Course Manager
Address: Cornwall College, Camborne, Trevenson Road, Pool, Redruth, Cornwall, TR15 3RD
Tel: 01209 617620
Fax: 01209 616247
Email: david.retford@ccb.cornwall.ac.uk

Work History

2003 to Present: Lecturer & Course Manager on Foundation Degree in Complementary Health Therapies.
1995 to Present: Homoeopath, self-employed, Director of Waterside Clinic for Complementary Health.

Research Details

Weaver Fish
David Retford, Homeopath: Lecturer in Homeopathy, Camborne - Weaver Fish:
The Final Report 2009-10
Further and final progress was made in the summer of 2009; we managed to run our fourth and sadly last clinical trial researching the possible effects of the homoeopathic remedy Apis mellificia on the pain caused by weaver fish stings. Following last year protocol it again allowed us to administer the homoeopathic remedy or placebo at approximately the same time as the hot water treatment; with a second remedy or placebo 5 minutes later.

Using the same protocol and same randomization method from 2008, (again aided by Dr Adrian White from Plymouth University), it will allow us to combine the results from 2009 with data from 2008; this will increase the amount of data for available final analysis. I am looking to gain permission from The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) to use this research as my dissertation for my Masters in `Homoeopathy`.
Again, as with all previous years research there were no incidents or complaints from any members of the public or lifeguards involved in the research.
The results from 2008 and 2009 have not yet been analysed and are still blind to myself and the research team for one main reason, that Dr White wants me to look at analysis before the blinding is removed, so that I gain a good understanding of the statistical analytical process for my MSc.
The research
Unfortunately due to yet another bad summer in 2009, the third in a row!!! The tourists didn’t come to the Cornish beaches in their usual numbers; but luckily it was better than 2008. We had 30 participants in 2009 and only 16 in 2008; as opposed to 59 in our first year 2006 and 24 in 2007. Our inclusion criteria again allowed us to include women on the contraceptive pill, as this is not considered a `treatment for a medical condition `by the NHS ethics committee. So we have data from 46 participants for final analysis. However, with only 23 in each group (remedy and placebo n=46) this may not be enough to gain any statistical significance.
The future
This was the final year of research; the RNLI, although incredibly supportive up to now, has no funding available to support the project into a fifth year and other funding sources have been exhausted, Cornwall College has also generously funded us for four years, but further funding is not available; so our final paper for publication will rest on existing data.
Our trial identification numbers were the same. We employed three new students this year from the first year in Complementary Health Therapies FdSc, that allowed them to fulfil `Work Placement` requirements for their course; the students started practising the procedures in July on the beach at Perranporth alongside the RNLI lifeguards; all students again needed to train to become RNLI volunteers for insurance purposes, to qualify in Appointed Person First Aid and First Person On the Scene Lifeguard Operations Assistant (FPOS / LOA).

If all goes well we will have a paper ready for publication in June 2010.

David Retford
Homoeopath
Lecturer
Cornwall College
01209 617620 / 3620
david.retford@ccb.cornwall.ac.uk
3rd July 2007
Research: http://www.cornwall.ac.uk/weaverfish

David's details were last updated on 30th Mar 2010