Homeopathy: Medicine for the 21st Century

The British Medical Association annual representatives meeting at the Brighton Centre has voted in favour of seven motions against homeopathy. These are detailed here.

 

They were debated for a mere 10 minutes on Tuesday 29 June 2010. NHS doctors from the Faculty of Homeopathy , who have relevant expertise, were not allowed an opportunity to present a case for homeopathy in the meeting. Instead, on the previous day they handed out leaflets to representatives, inviting them to discuss the motions and become better informed about the evidence for homeopathy.

 

In the 'debate' those supporting the motions continued repeating the nonsense, invective and misrepresentations so typical of these ill-informed attacks on homeopathy.

 

In the end some 150 doctors at the meeting refused to go along with the witch-hunting, but they were outnumbered 3 to1. The BMA now has to work out how to square its new policy with its Code of Ethics.

 

Outside the Brighton Centre the British Homeopathic Association had organised a protest joined by more than 70 homeopaths and patients. The representatives and banners of  five organisations were present, including:

• the British Homeopathic Association

• H:MC21

• the League of Friends of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital

• the Society of Homeopaths

• Homeopathy Heals

 

As was the case at the lobby of Parliament in February, the protesters included homeopaths who work in the NHS, others who work outside it, and patients of all ages. The youngest, Jake, was 11 days old and the oldest, Jane, was 96, and neither had had any treatment other than homeopathy. A large proportion of the protesters were women, and some had brought their children.

 

Some of the people there said that they had turned to homeopathy because orthodox medicine had failed to help them. One told about her success with treating her dog with homeopathic remedies after antibiotics had failed to work.

 

They all believed that patients should have the right to decide what treatments they will use, and that doctors should not take away that right.

 

If you want to defend choice in medicine:

• Write to your MP, the Secretary of State for Health, the BMA, your local press and the national press. Key points are available on our BMA Protest page, as well as template letters.

• Write to your local MP to sign Early Day Motion 284 and the other EDMs supporting homeopathy (see our new Early Day Motions page).