| HOMEOPATHY TODAY |
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| Homeopathy throughout the world |
Homeopathy is currently used in over eighty countries throughout the world, mainly in Europe. It is also highly represented in South America (Brazil, Argentina), India and Pakistan. Although still not very present in North America, constant growth is nevertheless noted.
Over the last thirty years, homeopathy has also developed or made an appearance in South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, Venezuela, Israel, Australia, etc.
In several countries, homeopathy is integrated in the system of health care (India, Mexico, Brazil) whereas, in others, its practice is authorised but not legalised
(Argentina).
In a great many cases (France, Italy,
Spain, etc.), the prescription of homeopathic drugs, like all drugs, is exclusively limited to doctors – whether generalists or specialists (a great many paediatricians in Italy
and Brazil) – as well as certain health professionals (dental surgeons, midwives, etc.).
Elsewhere, professionals who are not doctors but are medically and officially qualified in their country (osteopaths, naturopaths, chiropractors), are also able to prescribe drugs, and in particular homeopathic drugs (Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, etc.).
With over 300 million patients that put their trust in homeopathy, we have a duty to advance even further and favour the integration of homeopathy within modern, open and diversified medicine.
Medical reality of homeopathy: Panorama
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| AMERICA : |
• Argentina
1,200 homeopath doctors out of a total of 88,000 doctors.
• Brazil
9 million people
use homeopathy in Brazil*.
Homeopathy is a medical speciality that has been recognised 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 paediatricians.
• 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.
• Mexico
Homeopathy has been officially recognised.
4,000 homeopath physicians out of a total of 92,000 doctors.
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| EUROPE : |
• 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).
• 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.
• 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.
• Central and Eastern Europe
A considerable development in homeopathy has been noted over the last ten years in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria.
Today over 4,000 doctors use homeopathic drugs in these countries.
• United Kingdom
10% of the British population consults a homeopath physician.
22% take or consider taking homeopathic drugs.
22 % prennent ou envisagent de prendre des médicaments
homéopathiques.
600 doctors practice homeopathy on a regular basis out of 1,300 graduate members of the London School of Homeopathy practising 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*.
• Russia
10,000 Russian doctors out of a total of 565,000 prescribe homeopathic treatments.
• 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.
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| AFRICA : |
• Senegal, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and
Kenya are the main African countries using homeopathy, restricted to doctors. Homeopath 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, that offers medical training in homeopathy, counts about one hundred doctors in this discipline.
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| ASIA |
• India
Over 250,000 homeopath practitioners (sspecial Indian status) and 75,000 medical auxiliaries prescribe homeopathy.
Almost 10% of the population (about 100 million people) 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.
• 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.
• Pakistan
Out of 10,000 doctors registered in Pakistan,4,000
or 5,000 prescribe homeopathy on a regular basis.
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Source : OMHI 2003
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