World Health Organisation
Report On Homeopathic Medicines
Homeopathy has continued to grow and, according to the World Health Organization report in 2001 (Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A World Review) homeopathy is part of the national health system of the many countries. It is most widely practiced alternative form of medicine; W.H.O. has declared that homeopathy is the second-most used medical system internationally. Many countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and America have centers for training in homeopathic medicine. In those countries, as in the U.S., homeopathy is being taught to medical students, to medical residents, and to practicing physicians as a post-graduate primary care or specialty training. Homeopathic medicines greatly help in the restoration of the damaged immune system and it also detoxifies the body from the side effects due to strong medicines taken over along period.
According to the W.H.O. report homeopathy is practiced legally in the following countries, and is the first or second most popular form of complementary/ alternative medicine in many of these; several of these countries also include reimbursement for homeopathic treatment in mandatory or private health insurances:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Rep., Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, South Africa, U.S.A., Venezuela etc.
AMERICA:
• Brazil:
9 million people use homeopathy in Brazil. Homeopathy is a medical specialty that has been recognized by the Conselho Federal de Medicina since 1980. Out of the 15,000 Brazilian doctors that practice homeopathy (out of a total of 282,000 doctors). We note a large number of pediatricians prescribe homeopathy.
• Mexico:
4,000 homeopath physicians out of a total of 92,000 doctors. Homeopathy has been accepted and integrated into the national health system. Government recognized homeopathy as a medical specialty.
• United States:
Homeopathic drugs have been official since 1938 (Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act). The conditions for their commercialisation were specified by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the Compliance Policy Guide of 1988.
The American Medical Association is not in favour of homeopathy. For this reason, there are only a few hundred homeopaths out of a total of 615,000 doctors.
In 11 out of 50 states, a certain number of non-medical health practitioners, mainly naturopaths, have been legally authorised to prescribe homeopathic drugs.
• Argentina:
1,200 homeopath doctors out of a total of 88,000 doctors.
ASIA:
• India:
Over 300,000 homeopathic practitioners (special Indian status) and 75,000 medical auxiliaries prescribe homeopathy.
Over 100 million people (almost 10% of the population) use homeopathy. It is included in the Indian national health system beside western medicine and two systems of Indian medicine, Ayurveda and Unani. Doctors wishing to prescribe homeopathic drugs have to undergo special training defined by the Central Council of Homœopathy that depends directly on the Health Department.
Since 1970 Homeopathy has been well integrated into the national health care system with State hospitals & dispensaries and state-supported research and training.
There are over 190 institutes all over India. There is a Diploma course (DHMS) in homeopathy in India. These institutes are also offering a Bachelor’s Degree in Homeopathy (BHMS) of “five-and-a-half” years. Thereafter, there is a “three-year” MD program in Homeopathy.
• Pakistan:
Out of 10,000 doctors registered in Pakistan, 4,000 or 5,000 prescribe homeopathy on a regular basis. Homeopathy is integrated into the national health system. The Unani, Ayurvedic and Homeopathic Practitioners Act of 1965 was passed to regulate qualifications.
• SRI LANKA:
The Homeopathy Act of 1970 recognized homeopathy as a system of medicine and established the Homeopathic Council, which is responsible for regulating and controlling the practice and education of homeopathic medicine.
• Israel:
300 prescribing doctors and 1,000 naturopaths.
• Japan:
A medical homeopathy association, the Japanese Society for Homeopathy, was created in the middle of the 90’s and currently includes 70 doctors.
AFRICA:
• Senegal, Ivory Coast, Nigeria & Kenya
In these countries Homeopathic physicians are also present in dispensaries or in religious missions.
• North Africa:
After almost disappearing, homeopathy has surfaced in Morocco and Tunisia over the last fifteen years. A few hundred doctors use homeopathy.
• South Africa:
There are medical training schools for homeopathy. There are more than one hundred doctors practicing homeopathy in the country.
EUROPE:
• United Kingdom:
10% of the British population consults a homeopath physician. 22% take or consider taking homeopathic drugs.
More than 600 doctors practice homeopathy on a regular basis out of 1,300 graduate members of the London School of Homeopathy practicing throughout the world.
In 1994, an official report noted that 45% of all British doctors did not hesitate referring their patients to a homeopath colleague.
In 1950 the Government gave official recognition to homeopathy in the Faculty of Homeopathy Act. Successive governments have ensured that as long as patients require complementary/ alternative treatment, access to it will be guaranteed. As a result, the UK is the only country in the European Union with public-sector hospitals for homeopathy.
• Germany:
3,500 doctors out of 258,000 doctors prescribe homeopathy on a regular basis as well as 10,000 Heilpraktiker (recognised naturopaths authorised to practice medicine except for a certain number of medical acts).
• France:
France is the leading country using homeopathic drugs. An increasing number of the French choose these drugs, going from 22% in 1984 to 40% in 2002. In addition, 74% of the patients declare that they are “disposed to heal themselves with homeopathy if their doctor prescribes it.
Only doctors and certain health professionals (dental surgeons, midwives, etc.) are able to prescribe homeopathic treatments. 5,000 generalists use homeopathy on a regular basis and 25,000 occasionally, out of 110,000 private practice doctors. 69% of the medical profession considers that homeopathy is an effective treatment.
The Lebatard-Sartre report, commissioned by the Conseil de l’Ordre des Médecins Français (French Medical Board) and published in 1997, recognised homeopathy as a medical practice.
• Italy:
8.2% of all Italians use homeopathic drugs, which are available in almost half of all pharmacies.
7,000 doctors out of a total of 360,000 prescribe a homeopathic treatment on a regular or occasional basis.
• Belgium:
About 1,000 doctors use homeopathy. This situation is due to the strong patient demand. Homeopathy-related health costs are in part covered (up to 20%) by the complementary health insurance coverage. There is a specific drug board for homeopathy in Belgium.
• Spain:
1,200 out of 176,000 doctors prescribe homeopathy on a regular basis.
Half of the new doctors trained in homeopathy are specialists with a hospital-university practice.
• Switzerland:
470 doctors out of a total of 4,000 are homeopaths. Most of them are members of the SSMH (Société Suisse des Médecins Homéopathes), that includes doctors, veterinarians, dentists and pharmacists.
• Central and Eastern Europe:
A considerable development in homeopathy has been noted over the last ten years in Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.
Today over 4,000 doctors use homeopathic drugs in these countries.
• Russia:
10,000 Russian doctors out of a total of 565,000 prescribe homeopathic treatments.
