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Following the debate: homeopathy and anthroposophic medicine

Feb 13, 2018

Our regular round up of recent stories in the media from Europe and around the world confirms that the debate about homeopathy is still very much alive. From India to the UK, from United States to Spain, interest in homeopathy continues to hit the headlines. This article from ECHAMP provides a summary of recent news stories on homeopathy and anthopophic medicine, with back up information and useful links to make sure you get the real facts in the debate. 

October

November

  • A new government proposal seeks to abolish the exception in Swedish pharmaceutical legislation that grants special marketing authorisations and exceptions for anthroposophic medicines.
  • EASAC, the European Academies Science Advisory Council, whose statement in September 2017 (see ECHAMP News) on ‘Homeopathic products and practices’ generated significant media coverage around Europe, published in November their statement in the Journal of Internal Medicine: ‘Assessing and regulating homeopathic products’. They also provide via their website a list of all the press coverage around Europe generated by this statement over the past six months.

December

January

  • Indian media reported (and here) on the visit to India by Homeopathy Research Institute Chief Executive, Rachel Roberts, and her meeting with Shri. Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy). They discussed the need to exchange expertise and foster research collaboration in the field of homeopathy. Other articles report on the Minister’s commitment to ensure the future for homeopathic medicine and the laying of the foundations for the third Central Research Institute for scientific research in homeopathy (and here) and the signing of a co-operation agreement with Israel on research into homeopathy.
  • The British Homeopathic Association (BHA) has called for a judicial review of what it calls the “fundamentally flawed” process that will prevent homeopathic medicines being prescribed on the NHS; this follows the three-month consultation by NHS England launched in July and the subsequent proposal in November to stop funding homeopathy and herbal medicine. Some media coverage  and here (with discussion here and here) in January informed about the BHA’s campaign while other coverage shows the homeopathy debate is still very much alive.
  • A new book by Edzard Ernst, ‘More Harm than Good’, generates further discussion in the UK media (and here), in advance of its publication in February with a personal attack on monarch to-to-be, HRH Prince Charles.
  • Proving that the British are a nation of animal lovers, a statement by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the UK calling to ban veterinary surgeons from prescribing homeopathy as a treatment for animals generated coverage in November (see coverage here, here, here and here). A march in protest by pet owners and a petition with some 15,000 signatures in response also generated considerable coverage in the specialist media: here, here, here and here in the UK and in Germany.
  • The debate continues in France too, with an article on homeopathy in La Libération  responding to readers’ request for further information and one in Le Nouvel Observateur, quoting Dr Helene Renoux, President of the European Homeopathic Doctors’ Association.
  • An article in Ärtzte Zeitung, for doctors in Germany explains how competitive skiers prepare for their sport with homeopathy, with the approval of their doctors.
  • The debate continues in the media on the reimbursement of homeopathy by the health insurance companies in Germany: Die Welt, Stern, Spiegel with other articles (and here) also balancing the public profile of homeopathy in Germay

February

  • English and German translations of a new Swedish film, 'The battle for the paradigm of health' respond to the criticisms of the worldwide campaign against homeopathy and include an interview with Professor Robert Hahn, who speaks on the evidence base of homeopathy.
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