Legal status of homeopathy

The Legal Status of Homeopathy in Selected Countries Worldwide.

Europe

European Union – the legal status of homeopathic remedies for humans and animals is regulated across all member countries by two directives of the European Union dated January 1, 1994, with each member state having the right to decide on restricting the practice of medicine to university-educated doctors:

• Austria – professional doctors can use homeopathic remedies at their own responsibility in treating patients; Austria has one academy of holistic medicine, and homeopathic consultations are provided in 5 allopathic hospitals in Vienna and one in Klagenfurt am Wörthersee; postgraduate three-year homeopathic studies for doctors recognized by the Medical Society of Austria; homeopathic remedies are generally reimbursed.

• Belgium – homeopathic remedies are mainly prescribed by family doctors (1 in 4 includes alternative therapies in their practice) and physiotherapists; they can also be prescribed by registered non-doctor therapists, subject to meeting legal requirements; homeopathy is not taught in medical schools; the homeopathy department offers continuing education courses for doctors, surgeons, dentists, pharmacists, and veterinarians; partial reimbursement or no reimbursement depends on the insurance company.

• Denmark – licensed doctors are not legally restricted in choosing therapy for patients.

• France – of the 6.2% of doctors who use at least one alternative therapy in their practice, 20% prescribe homeopathic remedies (data from 1993); teaching alternative medicine to doctors is allowed; only a diploma in homeopathy issued by the Department of Natural Medicine at the University of Bobigny is officially recognized; social insurance reimburses homeopathic remedies if prescribed by a licensed doctor.

• Spain – many universities offer homeopathic courses for doctors; two public hospitals offer homeopathic treatment to patients; medicines are not reimbursed by the state insurance.

• Netherlands – according to a public opinion survey, 80% of Dutch people support the freedom to choose a form of treatment and the recognition of alternative therapies by cost-reimbursing authorities, with 60% of respondents agreeing to an increase in premiums to cover these additional costs; consultations with a doctor-homeopath or a registered non-doctor homeopath and prescribed homeopathic remedies are reimbursed up to a specified maximum amount/year.

• Luxembourg – treatment, diagnosis, and disease prevention can only be carried out by professional doctors; the medical faculty, unlike members of parliament, is unfavorable to practicing alternative medicine; homeopathy is reimbursed up to a maximum of 80% of costs as the only alternative treatment method.

• Latvia – homeopathy is mainly practiced by university doctors; homeopathy has the same status as a clinical specialty as other allopathic medical specialties; the costs of homeopathic treatment prescribed by a licensed doctor are reimbursed.

• Germany – all licensed doctors and registered non-doctors (Heilpraktiker) can apply alternative therapies to patients; about 3/4 of practitioner doctors use alternative forms of patient treatment; the title "doctor-homeopath" is legally reserved and can be awarded after completing a 3-year teaching program; homeopathic studies are offered by medical faculties in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hanover, Heidelberg, and Freiberg; homeopathic remedies are generally reimbursed when certain criteria are met.

• Poland – homeopathic remedies are available in the market as "homeopathic medicinal products.[1]" They should be manufactured in accordance with the European Pharmacopoeia or other officially recognized pharmacopoeias[2]. They do not require proof of their therapeutic effectiveness and are not subject to the authorization procedure applicable to actual medicinal products. Such legal status raises concerns of the Supreme Medical Council, expressed in several opinions published in the 21st century. The Presidium of the National Medical Council considers naming homeopathic preparations "medicinal products" in the law as misleading patients and has appealed to doctors and dentists not to use homeopathic methods, considering them worthless and violating ethical principles.

• Sweden – homeopathic remedies are legalized.

• Hungary – only licensed medical doctors can use homeopathic remedies on patients; in 1977, homeopathy was recognized by the government as a medical therapy, but no official teaching and examination program was established.

• United Kingdom – homeopathy was recognized by the government in 1950 in the Faculty of Homeopathy Act. In 2018, the British equivalent of the NHS ceased funding hospital treatment using homeopathic preparations; homeopathic remedies are available in pharmacies; social insurance does not reimburse the costs of homeopathic "treatment"; some private insurance companies cover the costs of homeopathic treatment prescribed by a licensed doctor.

• Italy – 5.25% of the population uses homeopathic remedies; only registered allopathic doctors can practice alternative medicine; teaching alternative treatment methods at the academic level is not officially recognized; the registration and sale of homeopathic remedies are regulated by the law of March 17, 1995; potential reimbursement depends on the region.

• Russia – since 1995, the use of homeopathy in hospitals and clinics has been allowed; homeopathy has been recognized as a postgraduate specialization for doctors in the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. In 2017, the Commission to Combat Pseudoscience and Falsification of Scientific Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences declared homeopathy pseudoscience and proposed the introduction of a requirement to inform on the packaging that these preparations have no confirmed therapeutic effect.

• Switzerland – anyone legally authorized to provide medical care can offer homeopathic treatment according to Good Medical Practice standards; since 1998, homeopathy has been recognized as a medical subspecialty; since 2000, university doctors can choose homeopathy as a specialization; medicines are partially reimbursed.

• Ukraine – homeopathic preparations are recognized by the Ministry of Health; medicines are not reimbursed.

North America

• Canada – homeopathic education is available exclusively in private schools; the legal situation depends on the province, for example, in Quebec, homeopathy is not recognized as a medical profession, in Ontario, the title of homeopath is reserved for graduates of the College of Homeopaths of Ontario, and in Manitoba, medical law allows its use by conventional doctors.

• Mexico – since 1996, homeopathy has been recognized as a medical specialty and is legally regulated.

• United States – homeopathic preparations are allowed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and their production follows strictly specified standards. Since 1988, homeopathic product packaging has been required to state that the information provided is not confirmed by the FDA. In 2016, a requirement was introduced to inform that these preparations have no confirmed therapeutic effect. In a report published in 1996, the American Medical Association (AMA) stated that most homeopathic remedies are not harmful, but their therapeutic effectiveness has not been observed. The AMA allows the use of such substances provided that it is not inconsistent with its other recommendations and, in the case of administering drugs, with FDA recommendations, such as not administering any form of alcohol to children.

pl:Sytuacja prawna homeopatii

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