Homeopathy: Medicine for the 21st Century

The British Medical Association annual representatives meeting passed the following motions against homeopathy:

 

301 Motion by THE AGENDA COMMITTEE:

That this Meeting believes that, in the absence of valid scientific evidence of benefit:

(i) there should be no further commissioning of, nor funding for, homeopathic remedies or homeopathic hospitals in the NHS;

(ii) no UK training post should include a placement in homeopathy;

(iii) pharmacists and chemists should remove homeopathic remedies from shelves indicating they are 'medicines' of any description, and place them on shelves clearly labeled 'placebos'.

 

301a Motion by SHROPSHIRE DIVISION:

That this Meeting demands that homeopathy should not be funded by the NHS due to lack of convincing evidence that it is effective. In fact there is recent evidence that it does not work any better than a placebo and can divert patients away from more evidence based therapy that they may require.

 

301b Motion by SCOTTISH COUNCIL:

That this Meeting believes that, given the complete lack of valid scientific evidence of benefit:

(i) homeopathy should no longer be funded by the NHS;

(ii) no UK training post should include a placement in homeopathy.

 

301c Motion by SOUTH DEVON DIVISION:

That this Meeting is concerned to improve patients' fully informed choice, and calls for those pharmacists and chemists regulated by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (or its successor during 2010 - the General Pharmaceutical Council) to remove homeopathic medicines from shelves indicating they are 'medicines' of any description, and to place them on shelves clearly labelled 'placebos'.

 

301d Motion by CONFERENCE OF HONORARY SECRETARIES OF BMA DIVISIONS:

That this Meeting calls for there to be no further commissioning of nor funding for homeopathic medicines within or by the NHS unless or until the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) determines the cost-effectiveness of such medicines and sets out guidelines and recommendations for their use in the NHS.

 

301e Motion by SHROPSHIRE LMC:

That this Meeting believes there is insufficient clinical evidence to justify NHS funding for homeopathy clinics.

 

301f Motion by NORTHAMPTONSHIRE LMC:

That this Meeting requests that homeopathy should be first in line for NHS cuts in this economic crisis since it is unproven and expensive, and patronage by royalty should not ensure funding for unproven treatments. Homeopathic hospitals should be paid for and funding for homeopathic drugs should no longer be available on the NHS.