The Faculty of Homeopathy Newsletter August 2016 Vets defend right to practise homeopathy eterinary members of the Faculty Monika Wisniewska/Shutterstock.com Photo: of Homeopathy have been in the Vmedia defending the practice of using homeopathy to treat animals. This follows news that equine vet Danny Chambers in submitting a petition to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) calling for vets to be banned from prescribing homeopathic medicines. Mr Chambers launched his petition in November last year with the aim of attracting widespread support for a ban. But despite numerous appearances in the media to promote his petition it has attracted just 1,000 signatures from vets, which is only 4.5% of the RCVS’s 22,000 membership. The evidence debate Appearing on the BBC’s Victoria president of the British Association of He argued this was the main reason Derbyshire Show, Mr Chambers claimed Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons, why vets who practise homeopathy get homeopathy has been proven not to Mark Elliott, was a guest on BBC Radio attacked. “We do get results,” he said, work and is bad for animal welfare. 4’s Today programme where he too “and are obviously denying the placebo “Science tells us homeopathy does debated the subject with Mr Chambers. effect.” nothing whatsoever … sick animals He first informed a polite but In a statement, the RCVS said “… should be given a proven product,” clearly hostile presenter that a homeopathy is currently accepted he said. similar petition was presented to by society and recognised by UK Also appearing on the show was the American Veterinary Medical medicines legislation, and does not, Faculty member Geoff Johnson who Association (AVMA) two years ago in itself, cause harm to animals”. said: “Science is where you observe and was “comprehensively rejected”. Before going on to say it could see phenomenon occurring and in 21 years As well as stating there is evidence no justification for banning veterinary of being a homeopathic vet I’ve seen for homeopathy, Mr Elliott informed surgeons from practising homeopathy. many animals respond very well.” the presenter that another reason for An official response to the petition He then went on to point out the AVMA’s decision was because “the from the Faculty was published on its that contrary to Mr Chambers’ claims, evidence for their own practices was website. In it the Faculty’s veterinary there are quality scientific studies pretty sketchy at best”. in veterinary homeopathy and dean, Peter Gregory, said: “In an age highlighted a Dutch trial in which Emphatic response when antibiotic resistance is such an neonatal piglets responded positively When the presenter said that while important issue, veterinary surgeons when homeopathy was used as a people may experience a placebo and farmers who have found they can replacement to antibiotics in the effect, animals can’t and therefore limit the use of these drugs by using treatment of Escherichia coli diarrhoea. should not be treated homeopathically, homeopathy should be applauded and Another Faculty vet and the vice- Mr Elliott was emphatic in his response. not attacked.” EDITORIAL Brexit and the Faculty of Homeopathy t was a result that wrong-footed the confident to invest at higher levels. Greg White experts, the pundits, the bookmakers Nonetheless the Faculty can Iand the markets. Britain’s vote to demonstrate constantly our pivotal leave the European Union has marked role as the representative body for the start of an unprecedented period healthcare professionals integrating of uncertainty and potential change homeopathy into practice, and in the UK economy. The immediate should be viewed as most investment aftermath of the decision to leave the worthy. In fact, even if uncertainty is EU has seen a fall in share prices and not removed quickly, once any “new the value of Sterling. Other impacts, such normal” is defined supporters could as movements in interest rates and a start to prioritise investment as the tightening public purse, are yet to be seen. importance of our educational cause The people have spoken. What is pressed home – precisely because might their verdict mean for the of the impacts of financial and political Faculty? Though it is too early to tell options in the near term may tighten fallout. Rather than scrolling back their whether recessions and significant as other matters compete for attention. support, the Faculty’s past, present economic downturns in the past hold This may continue until such time as and future backers will see the need to any precedent for the current situation, either “normal service is resumed” or a sustain their commitments. the uncertainty itself could create a “new normal” is defined. Returning back to Brexit, the UK need for adjustment to the Faculty’s The Faculty suggests the following certainly finds itself in a peculiar plans for growth. Beyond a suggestion considerations for those organisations situation and one that requires that “expecting the unexpected” might with whom we work, as we will be steadfast leadership to see us through. be wise going forward, here are a few attempting to stick to these ourselves: Just as the government needs to reassure the public of the country’s thoughts octhe Faculty’s immediate 1. Things can’t stop: homeopathy future stability, the Faculty wants to plans and reaction to Brexit. is under pressure as it is; were we to allay any fears among our European Faculty council met to consider discontinue the programmes of work and worldwide members and and approve the new Faculty plan on planned prior to the referendum result partners as to our commitment to the 13 June 2016. The council recognised we will collectively suffer as a result. A international homeopathic community. that as an independent organisation a business as usual attitude is important It will take some time for the dust new approach to our external relations as it is hard to see how failure to to settle. should be at the heart of our activities continue to engage for short-term going forward. Just as well, for we now reasons wouldn’t create even larger Greg White look out at an external environment problems in the future. Chief Executive drastically altered from the date of that meeting. I will write more about the 2. Poverty is relative: many Faculty’s plan in simile in the weeks to organisations prospered even during come. the seismic downturn of the credit Suffice to say that central to the crunch and banking collapses of 2008/9. Grant-makers – organisations external relations strategy are options Editor: John Burry which are in the business of giving to help the Faculty generate more Consultant Editor: Greg White external income, so relationships with money to professional bodies like our Faculty of Homeopathy grant giving trusts, foundations and Faculty – should have in place long- other potential supporters will be one term investment strategies which CAN Mezzanine key to our success. Yet funding-related take into account the possibility of 49-51 East Road decision making may be delayed as recession and in general tend to invest London people monitor the effects of Brexit on in limited risk vehicles. While grant- N1 6AH giving did fall during the last recession wealth and liquidity. Almost certainly Tel: 020 3640 5903 there will be a sense of distraction, so it was less than was anticipated by the National Council for Voluntary E: [email protected] it could take longer to engage and W: www.facultyofhomeopathy.org cultivate potential funders. Trouble in Organisations. All the material in this publication is copyright the markets may mean organisations 3. Let’s all be patient and not and may not be reproduced without permission. feel poorer as well, so less inclined to assume the worse: it is possible, The publishers do not necessarily identify with or hold themselves responsible for contributors’, invest even though poverty is relative perhaps probable, that projects and correspondents’ or advertisers’ opinions. (see below). programmes may take longer to deliver Design: HMCA Services It may be premature to assume that than envisioned as funding decisions [email protected] levels of European co-operation and take longer, or as funders invest more Printing: Henry Ling Limited grant giving will fall, but quite possibly modestly until such time that they feel 2 NEWS simile • August 2016 • The Faculty or Homeopathy NHS homeopathy to end in Liverpool NHS Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Speaking after the decision, Dr de ignoring the people who matter most – Group (CCG) has announced it is to Lacy said: “It has been a very frustrating the patients who use the service.” cease funding homeopathy treatment. and time consuming process to reach In its consultation the CCG found The decision follows a campaign by the conclusion that was perhaps that the majority of patients who have the anti-homeopathy group the Good inevitable from the outset. The whole undergone homeopathic treatment Thinking Society, who threatened the consultation process will have incurred reported an improvement in their CCG with legal action if the service, significant costs to Liverpool CCG to health, with almost 60% describing which costs just £29,000 a year to run, decommission a service that costs their experience as “excellent”. was not reviewed. £29,000 a year or 0.003% of Liverpool “The CCG states in its Quality As part of the formal review CCG’s total budget.” Strategy 2015-2017 document that process, the CCG conducted a public She continued: “No matter how ‘patient feedback’ is an important consultation which found that almost supportive our patients are, how element in assessing the quality of local 60% of local people who had used effective and cost effective the service healthcare services.