European Coalition on
Homeopathic & Anthroposophic
Medicinal Products
Antimicrobial resistance
It is estimated that resistance to antibiotics results in 25,000 deaths per year in the EU and costs the EU EUR 1.5 billion per year in healthcare costs and productivity losses. EU action in public health gives priority to tackling the emerging global threat of antimicrobial resistance and over-prescription of antibiotics in primary care. In its Pharmaceutical Strategy, the Commission proposes a number of initiatives directly aimed at combatting antimicrobial resistance (AMR), reinforcing the EU One Health Action Plan against AMR adopted in 2017.
The use of effective and safe non-antibiotic treatments of infections is one of the strategies to reduce (inappropriate) use of antibiotics.
Current evidence suggests that the potential of complementary medicines in reducing the problem of antimicrobial resistance should be given serious consideration. Homeopathy and anthroposophic medicine can have an important role to play - the use of anthroposophic medicine has been associated with much lower use of antibiotics and antipyretics, quicker recovery, fewer adverse reactions, and greater therapy satisfaction compared to conventional medicine. Similar results have been seen in homeopathy, with one study, for example, showing lower use of antibiotics and fewer antipyretic/anti-inflammatory drugs for a similar clinical evolution.
Further research should be carried out in this area in both human and veterinary healthcare. Compared with other avenues, such as the identification and development of new antibiotics, such trials would be relatively easy and inexpensive to carry out and the potential rewards could be enormous.
Further information
- The role of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in reducing the problem of AMR, EUROCAM
- Working group JPIAMR “Appropriate use of antibiotics: the role of CAM treatment strategies”