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References

1. G. Bracho et al., ‘Large-scale application of highly-diluted bacteria for Leptospirosis epidemic control’,

    Homeopathy, 99 (2010),156-66, available at <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20674839>.

2. D.S. Spence, E.A. Thompson, S.J. Barron, ‘Homeopathic Treatment for Chronic Disease: A 6-Year,

     University-Hospital Outpatient Observational Study’, JACM, 2005, 11:793-798.

3. Professor Kent Woods, Chief Executive of the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency

    (MHRA), response to Q211, House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, Evidence 

     Check: Homeopathy (2010), p. Ev 70, at:

       <http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmsctech/45/45.pdf>

4. Mr Mike O’Brien, Minister for Health Services, Department of Health, response to Q244, Evidence

     Check, p. Ev 73.

5. O’Brien, response to Q244, Evidence Check, p. Ev 73.

6. Spence et al.

7. Sarah Boseley, ‘Adverse drug reactions cost NHS £2bn’, The Guardian, 3 April 2008,

      <http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/apr/03/nhs.drugsandalcohol>, accessed 14 November

      2008.

8. <http://www.britishhomeopathic.org /research/ >.

9. ‘How much do we know?’, BMJ Clinical Evidence at

     <http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/about/knowledge.jsp>.

10. ‘Interview mit Professor Edzard Ernst, Exeter’, Homöopathische Nachrichten, April 2010, 1-3,

       translation at <http://www.hmc21.org/ #/edzard-ernst/4543212059>.

11. Funding information taken from the annual accounts at the Charity Commission.

12. Strategy information from the ‘Memorandum submitted by Sense About Science’ (HO36), Evidence 

      Check, pp. Ev 7-8.

13. William Alderson, Halloween Science (Stoke Ferry: Homeopathy: Medicine for the 21st Century,

      2009), available at <http://www.hmc21.org/#/ halloween-science/4535659799>.

14. ‘Formal minutes’, Evidence Check, pp. 48-50.

15. Register of Members’ Interests, available at <http://www.theyworkforyou.com/regmem/?p=10261>,

       accessed 22 May 2010.

16. <http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/other/491/>, accessed 22 May 2010.

Homeopathy for Economic Health

 

Homeopathy has a history of success in clinical practice

• In Cuba homeopathy has enabled 2.3 million people to be cheaply and effectively

     protected against endemic Leptospirosis. [1]

• At Bristol Homeopathic Hospital 70.7% of 6,500 patients with chronic conditions

     benefited from homeopathic treatment and had reduced need for conventional medication. [2]

• About 6 million people in the UK choose homeopathy despite the fact that for the vast majority this

     means that they have to pay for their treatment. [3]

• There is considerable research evidence for homeopathy, with more randomised controlled trials

     being positive than negative. For more information see www.britishhomeopathic.org.

 

Homeopathy offers solutions to the NHS

• The NHS spends £11 billion annually on conventional drugs out of a budget of £100 billion, and this

     cost keeps rising, so it is essential to look seriously at alternatives. [4]

• Only 0.001% of the NHS drugs budget is spent on homeopathic medicines, and these are mainly

     used to treat patients with chronic health problems who have not been helped, despite great cost, by

     conventional means. [5,6]

• The NHS also spends £2 billion annually on treating the adverse side effects of conventional drugs.

     Homeopathy has no side effects. [7]

• Even a small increase in spending on homeopathy could produce dramatic savings, cutting waste

     and increasing patient satisfaction.

 

Opposition to homeopathy is based on propaganda

• Homeopathy has a growing evidence base, but according to the British Medical Journal, of the 2,500

     most commonly used treatments in the NHS, 51% have unknown effectiveness, and only 11% have

     been shown to be beneficial.[8,9]

• The leading so-called ‘expert’ and critic of homeopathy, Professor Edzard Ernst, has admitted that he

     has no qualifications in homeopathy.[10]

• The leading organisation opposing homeopathy, Sense About Science, is funded by pharmaceutical

     companies and relies on a strategy of propaganda stunts rather than scientific research.[11,12]

• The leading popular book critical of homeopathy (Trick or Treatment?) has been shown to be

     scientifically unreliable. It was co-authored by Simon Singh (a trustee of Sense About Science) and

     Professor Ernst.[13]

• The 2010 Science and Technology Committee report on homeopathy was voted for by only three

     MPs. Of these only one attended the hearings and he has strong links to Sense About Science (Dr

     Evan Harris).[14,15,16]

 

A vision for an economic and effective medical future

H:MC21 believes that the NHS should increase the integration of homeopathic practitioners into front-line healthcare whilst monitoring both clinical and cost benefits.

 

H:MC21 believes that, by sharing clinical experience and skills in this way, homeopathic and conventional practitioners can provide the safest, most economic and most effective service to patients.

 

H:MC21 believes that this will allow the NHS to confirm the benefits of homeopathy in the real world of clinical practice.

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