Homeopathy on the NHS

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee has said that the NHS should stop funding homeopathy (read the BBC article here).

We at BMA Cymru believe that NHS provision should be confined to those areas of complementary medicine where formal regulatory systems exist.

We recognise the growing interest in complementary and alternative therapies, but it is important that patients are protected against unskilled or unscrupulous practitioners of health care. Standards of good practice should be set to help both referring doctors and their patients.

The current system needs to change where for most therapies - virtually anyone is free to practice irrespective of his or her training or experience.

It's very important that when a person goes to see a complementary therapist they know what sort of training they have had, and know they are bound by professional rules - because that gives them reassurance.

The key to enhancing scientific credibility for such therapies is through research into their safety and effectiveness. BMA Cymru Wales supports evidence based medicine, and feel strongly that all complementary therapies should be regulated to the same standards expected of the medical profession.