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2014 Congress Announced Health Minister's Homeopathy U-Turn

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2014 Congress Announced Health Minister's Homeopathy U-Turn smle The Faculty of Homeopathy Newsletter October 2013 official statement clarifying the govern - Health minister’s homeopathy U-turn ment’s current position on NHS homeo - pathy to ensure the public – and in pathy is seen by many as an attempt to particular those millions of people h t draw a line under the issue and put an end through out the UK who use homeopathy l a e H to the constant questioning, thus allowing and want NHS access to this form of f o t him to concentrate on talking about the treatment – are fully aware of its contin - n e government’s NHS reforms. uing availability on the NHS. The BHA is m t r a p However, concerns have been raised waiting for his reply. e D : that by voicing a personal opinion about Mr Hunt’s U-turn was widely reported o t o homeopathy on national radio, the in the media and resulted in Faculty h P minister’s viewpoint could be mistaken president, Dr Sara Eames, appearing on Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt (above), by the public as government policy. As Radio 5 Live and BBC World News where has publicly stated that he no longer this is most definitely not the case, the she passionately debated the future of supports homeopathy in an interview on British Homeopathic Association (BHA), NHS homeopathy with arch sceptic Radio 5 Live . Questioned on his position on behalf of patients, has written to Professor David Colquhoun, a pharma - towards the complementary therapy Mr Jeremy Hunt calling on him to make an cologist at University College London. Hunt claimed that as a young member of parliament he once, at the request of a constituent, signed an early day motion (EDM) praising the work of the NHS 2014 Congress announced homeopathic hospitals. But despite The next British Homeopathic Congress willingly signing the EDM in 2007 it will take place in Glasgow from 13 to appears the minister has now had a 15 November, 2014. The venue, subject change of heart and his reply to the to contracts being signed, will be interviewer’s question was unequivocal: Glasgow’s historic Grand Central Hotel, “I don’t support homeopathy.” which recently has undergone a £20- Ever since his appointment was million refurbishment transforming it announced in September 2012, Mr Hunt into one of the city’s most stylish four- has been asked repeatedly to clarify his star hotels l e t o views on the therapy but up to now has “Glasgow was agreed by Faculty H l a r refused to be drawn one way or the other. Council as our 2014 Congress venue t n e His sudden public rejection of homeo - for a number of reasons,” said Chief C d n Executive, Cristal Sumner. “Foremost is a r G that we all felt we should show support w o g for our colleagues in Scotland who have s a l G been battling to retain services of late. y s e We also felt it important to host the t r u o event in the north again, someplace c o t easy to reach and in a lively city centre. o h P Glasgow fits the bill and the programme Glasgow Grand Central Hotel is already developing into something special. I personally can’t wait to join architecture and design was built in everyone next year.” 1989 from the 1901 drawings of Although the congress theme has internationally acclaimed Scottish IN THIS ISSUE: yet to be decided, plans are already architect Charle Rennie Mackintosh News 1, 3 underway to make the event as (1868–1928), which he had produced for Editorial 2 memorable as previous years. These a competition that sought designs for a Research update 5 include the social events which for 2014 “Grand Residence for an Art Lover”. Conference reports 6, 8 will feature the ever-popular Gala dinner Further information about the 2014 Case studies 10, 15, 16 on Saturday night and an evening trip to British Homeopathic Congress, Feature 13 the House for an Art Lover. Set in the including booking forms and a call for What’s on 19 grounds of Bellahouston Park, this abstracts, will be appearing in simile fabulous example of modernist and on the Faculty website. •• editorial A voice from the Faculty Council Jane E Greenwood On 7 March 2013 I was appointed I approached Mr Lewis to correct these trials, which is vital if homeopathy is promotions convener for the Faculty of errors and he told me he doesn’t want to be taken seriously in the future. Homeopathy (FOH), having previously to stop homeopathy, just remove it from Although we still await the results, served as the podiatry members’ the NHS. To be fair, I found him to be the importance of this work cannot representative on the Members’ quite an amiable fellow but he is very be underestimated, for it shows our Committee for almost of ten years. serious and committed, and any attempt opponents and, more importantly, I’ll be very open with you all – I had at dialogue with him or others of his ilk, other healthcare professionals and the some misgivings about taking on the in my opinion, would be fruitless. scientific community that homeopaths new role and remember voicing my Central to the homeopathy debate are serious about rigorous research reservations at the council meeting is the scientific evidence. Interestingly, and committed to demonstrating that just before this year’s AGM. at the same time I was invited to join homeopathy is evidence based. Nevertheless, I decided to “test the the Faculty Council I was also studying However, as reported in last month’s water” (no pun intended) and see for for my MSc in podiatry for which simile Research Update, in future myself the challenges we currently I needed to acquire the skills and homeopathy may be known as face as statutorily registered healthcare knowledge for critically appraising adaptive network nanomedicine to professionals using homeopathy and research literature. This made me “reflect the integration of our historical try to understand why homeopathy is question my own podiatry practice. medical system with modern scientific subjected to so much hostility. Was I delivering evidence-based findings”. Perhaps a rebrand at this To this end I decided to enter the practice? If not, was I potentially point in time is not such a bad idea? lions’ den and attend a “Skeptics in the Pub” event in Sheffield. The “skeptic “the more people involved with the movement” claims to pursue the truth through reason and evidence. The talk organisation, the richer and more vibrant I attended was given by Andy Lewis, it will become . a well-known homeopathy antagonist, ” who on this occasion was aiming to putting patients at risk? These were In the current climate it is easy for debunk Steiner schools. However, just two of the many questions that us to feel isolated and alone. Active homeopathy was also discussed and I asked myself and others about the involvement in the Faculty can quickly I couldn’t fail to notice a few factual interventions we increasingly have dispel these feelings. Simply by joining errors in what was being said. Later available to us. These questions have the Promotions Network you will become particularly relevant, for as from receive email updates keeping you 2014 advanced practitioner podiatrists informed of the latest developments and physiotherapists will be able to concerning homeopathy, and I promise independently prescribe medicines. you it’s not all bad news! To become smle I’ve also read Bad Pharma , a book part of the Promotions Network by Ben Goldacre, which raised more contact the Faculty’s communications The Faculty of Homeopathy questions about drug interventions officer at jburry@facultyofhomeopathy. Newsletter and the pharmaceutical industry’s less org who will put you on the mailing list. than objective approach to research. Alternatively, there are still a Editor: John Burry It appears that many drugs we have number of vacancies on the Members’ Consultant Editor: Cristal Sumner thought to be evidence based are in Committee, the work of which is fact not, and this has undoubtedly explained in an article by Dr Gary Faculty of Homeopathy harmed patients. Several drug Smyth on pages 13 and 14. Or why Hahnemann House companies have deliberately misled not write for this newsletter; your 29 Park Street West Luton LU1 3BE medicine licensing bodies and views and ideas are important to the healthcare professionals by hiding Faculty and getting them published in Tel: 01582 408680 data and publishing only favourable simile is a great way of sharing them Fax: 01582 723032 outcomes for their products. The All with colleagues. Email: [email protected] Trials 1 campaign has led to certain These are just a few of the ways Web: www.facultyofhomeopathy.org pharmaceutical companies declaring for you to become actively involved with All the material in this publication is copyright they will publish the results of all the Faculty. And the more people who and may not be reproduced without permission. trials. So in future let us hope evidence- are involved with the organisation, the The publishers do not necessarily identify with based medicine is exactly that and all richer and more vibrant it will become. or hold themselves responsible for contributors’, correspondents’ or advertisers’ opinions. healthcare professionals will be more reliably informed. Jane E Greenwood Design: Wildcat Design [email protected] This leads me on to the British MChS DPodM DFHom(Pod) Homeopathic Association’s (BHA) Printing: Berforts Information Press systematic review programme and Reference meta-analysis of placebo-controlled 1.
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