Homeopaths get stick in the UK

This follows an active campaign by doctors and scientists. He asks if this signals the end of homeopathy in the UK's National Health Service.

The past two years have seen campaigning against homeopathy by journalists, doctors and scientists who point out the lack of evidence for its effectiveness. They are particularly concerned about its availability on the NHS. A recent symposium on the role of homeopathy in HIV was a particular cause for concern, leading to fears that homeopaths may be becoming overconfident about what they can treat. There are further concerns about homeopaths offering homeopathic pills against malaria and other tropical diseases such as typhoid, dengue fever and yellow fever, potentially amounting to false claims about treatment.

The homeopathic market in the UK is predicted to become worth £46 million by 2012, but referals to the Royal Homeopathic Hospital in London are down and NHS funding for the Tunbridge Wells Homeopathic Hospital has been stopped. Hmoeopathy, which has been available on the NHS since it began in 1948, remains ever popular with the UK public. Around 13 000 patients are treated at the five homoeopathic hospitals each year and 14•5% of the population say they trust homoeopathic medicines. According to the market research group Mintel, the homoeopathy market is estimated to be worth £38 million.

The rational behind the objections is that homeopathic treatments are based on solutions that are do dilute that not a single active ingredient remains. Homeopaths believe that dilution increases, rather than decreases, the strength of a remedy. However, a meta-analysis published in The Lancet in 2005 and four other large meta-analyses, found that the clinical effects of homeopathy were no greater than placebo – causing great controversy among those who espouse the benefits of homeopathy.

Samarasekera Udani. Lancet 2007; 370: 1677-1678