Table 1 Criteria for proving symptoms and characteristic symptoms

Characteristic symptoms are defined as proving symptoms with a strongly individualistic character:

 • New symptoms: the symptom is unfamiliar and has not been observed within the last year or during the run-in period

 • Symptoms affecting the whole organism of one or more study participant

 • Study participant or study physician classifies the symptom as new or unusual

 • Symptoms affecting different organs or organ systems of one or more study participant

 • The study physician classifies the symptom as new in his final evaluation

 • Symptoms accompanying a variety of other symptoms

 • A strong aggravation or modification of present (familiar) symptoms

 • Symptoms that occur during the trial that appear strange, peculiar or unique to one or more study participants

 • Present familiar symptoms that have disappeared during the proving (cure)

 • Familiar symptoms from the past or present that have been cured or strongly alleviated