smle The Faculty of Homeopathy Newsletter April 2010 Flawed report misrepresents homeopathy The Faculty of Homeopathy, along with the British Homeopathic Association has responded in detail to the recommendations in the recently published House of Commons Science and Technology Report which calls for the withdrawal of NHS funding for homeopathy. The two organisations are currently t d i formalising a complaint to Parliament m h c S and have approached key MPs s i r including Secretary of State for Health h C / m Andy Burnham (pictured). They will o c . o argue that the Department of Health t o h which is responding on behalf of p k c o government should note that the t s i : Report was flawed and that there is o t o h research evidence that demonstrates P homeopathy to be effective. The BHA and the Faculty will point opposite by restricting the investigation in the report, one of whom dissented out that it is unfair and undemocratic to the narrow remit of Randomised on the recommendations was Ian for the Science and Technology Controlled Trials. Stewart. In addition, of the three that Committee to put forward Cristal Sumner, chief executive of voted in favour one is long term recommendations that misrepresented Faculty of Homeopathy, said: “The detractor Evan Harris and another MP scientific evidence to the detriment committee did not entertain evidence was brought on to the committee in of homeopathy especially as Phil Wills, of effectiveness, which is actually what January after the hearings. chair of the committee, went on record patients care most about. Patient Sara Eames, President of the last year to say that the review was reported outcome studies from NHS Faculty of Homeopathy, said the not an investigation into whether hospitals have been positive towards Faculty and the British Homeopathic homeopathy worked or not. But in homeopathy. In a study of 6,500 Association would continue to fight to the recent report he did the exact patients at Bristol Homeopathic retain NHS funding of homeopathy and Hospital more than 70% recorded for funding for more research to be clinical improvement following conducted in this area of medical homeopathic treatment.” intervention. “I understand the NHS She added: “One might think from has to look at how it spends its the recommendations that everything resources. By treating the patients we in medicine has solid evidence besides see –with half a dozen conditions and homeopathy. However, according to list of investigations and drugs as long the British Medical Journal, only 40% as your arm – we probably save the of conventional treatments are NHS money.” evidence based and 12% are The European Committee for potentially harmful. In actuality Homeopathy concurred with the BHA homeopathy has a firmer base of and the Faculty that the conclusions evidence than other interventions and and the recommendations of the costs very little.” Science and Technology Committee IN THIS ISSUE: The BHA and Faculty will be also were completely unfounded and not News 1 -4 questioning the government on reflective of current EU or global Research update 6 whether it is fair for a minority of MPS practice. It said: “We fully endorse the International focus 8 -9 to make a decision that will impact the robust and comprehensive response by Case studies 10-15 health and welfare of thousands of the British Homeopathic Association.” Events 17 -19 patients. Only four out of 14 members For more log onto: of the Select Committee were involved www.facultyofhomeopathy.org •• editorial We lead this issue on the House of Commons Science and Technology Report that calls for the withdrawal of NHS funding for homeopathy. smle The scientific community’s continued services (including dental and optical) reliance on randomised clinical trials as are fully or partly funded by the patient. The Faculty of Homeopathy the gold standard for evidence-based Could this offer a way forward for Newsletter medicine (not only for complementary homeopathy? If one wants to upgrade medicine but also inappropriately for walking aids or spectacles, one certain interventions used in orthodox contributes. There is already a charge Editor: Steven Kayne medicine) is most unsatisfactory. The per item for homeopathic and other Assistant Editor: Keren Sall robust nature of the Faculty and BHA medicines supplied on prescription in response to the flawed conclusions is England and, for a little while longer, to be applauded. We provide guidance Scotland, although many people qualify Faculty of Homeopathy on how you can support the fight (see for exemption. I can already hear some Hahnemann House page 5). As might be expected there of you reaching for your keyboard to 29 Park Street West has been a flurry of media interest take issue with this suggestion! Our Luton LU1 3BE mostly negative – even the Royal letter pages await your contribution. Pharmaceutical Society got in on the And while you are in the writing mode, Tel: 01582 408680 act. However, I did catch sight of a we could do with some more case Fax: 01582 723032 more supportive article in Bella studies. magazine. I should make it clear that I thought the Faculty AGM was well Email: [email protected] this was a chance encounter in the attended this year. Colleagues seemed Web: www.facultyofhomeopathy.org dental surgery waiting room – I do not to like the venue. In the Richard read this publication on a regular basis. Hughes Memorial Lecture, ECH All the material in this publication is It is pleasing to see the research President Dr Ton Nicolai suggested that copyright and may not be reproduced successes (see page 3). The Veterinary homeopathy could profit by ‘jumping on without permission. The publishers do Record has published the Faculty the bandwagon of CAM and Integrative not necessarily identify with or hold findings of an equine data collection Medicine.’ and concluded that although themselves responsible for contributors’, correspondents’ or advertisers’ opinions. study Encouraging results also from homeopathy was still scientifically Sao Paulo on the treatment of mild controversial, its future was ‘bright’ to moderate depression with (see report on pages 7 and 12). I am Design: Wildcat Design individualised LM (Q) potencies. sure that is true, although for a variety [email protected] As well as the positive therapeutic of reasons the situation here is rather Printing: Burlington Press, Cambridge outcome, the study illustrated the different to that in the rest of Europe. methodological feasibility of carrying There is no doubt in my mind that to out randomised controlled double-blind progress further the homeopathic trials of homeopathy in depression, community needs statutory recognition One of my second year under - and we should continue to work graduate students told me last week. towards this goal. homeopathy. Reading Valeri’s article ‘I don’t understand this opposition to The recently published WHO reminded me of attending a conference homeopathy. If patients say it helps document entitled ‘Safety issues in the in Moscow in the early 90s – my fellow them, why should it not be made preparation of homeopathic medicines’ presenters included Jacques available?’ I was at a bit of a loss to has been a long time in the making. Bennveniste who was still involved in answer a question that some of my Interestingly, WHO considers the major international controversy orthodox colleagues might consider homeopathy to be Traditional Medicine following publication of his paper in to be naïve and based on a lack of and has produced the document in Nature. This described the action of knowledge of the principles of social support of a resolution adopted in 2009. very high dilutions of anti-IgE antibody medicine. I found it refreshingly honest! This urged Member States to on the degranulation of human The student was relieved to hear that “formulate national policies, regulations basophils, findings that appeared to the debate was not about whether and standards, as part of provide a mechanism for homeopathy. homeopathy should be banned in the comprehensive national health On one memorable night he and I, UK, but about whether it should systems, to promote appropriate, safe together with some Russian male continue to be available under the and effective use of traditional colleagues, ended up in a sauna in the National Health Service. I have heard medicine”. This resolution would also middle of a forest drinking non- others express this misconception. seem to be relevant to the argument homeopathic amounts of vodka and I explained that in some areas it was about the availability of homeopathy whisky. It is probably advisable not to alive and kicking – in Scotland for under the UK NHS discussed above. pursue this account any further in order example, the Government has Our international feature focuses on to preserve any professional credibility reaffirmed its support for homeopathy. Russia (see pages 8 and 9). I was that I may still enjoy. There are potentially other models fascinated to learn that the for the supply of homeopathic services; disintegration of the Soviet Union Steven Kayne for example some existing NHS stimulated the development of [email protected] 2 •• news A Congress like no other to unite us in challenging times Dutch homeopathy author Frans Vermuelen and American homeopath Linda Johnston will present a paper entitled “Plant families and their use to improve homeopathic prescribing”. The Congress will not just be an educational y r a gathering, it is an ideal r b i L opportunity for networking y t l u and exchanging ideas with c a F like-minded individuals. : o t o On the Friday night h P delegates can punt on the The practice of homeopathy A study of the Dr Jeremy Swayne will river with mulled wine and has come under fierce Papavaraceae (poppy family) discuss how he believes the then take part in a University scrutiny in the past year as will be given by trio Drs Julie homeopathy community can Challenge Question quiz at never before and left some Geraghty, Jonathan Hardy earn greater interest and Homerton College.