Memorandum submitted by the UK Advisory
Committee on Malaria Prevention in UK Travellers (ACMP) (HO 07)
1. The UK Advisory Committee on Malaria
Prevention in UK Travellers (ACMP), an independent expert committee
of the Health Protection Agency has been asked to respond by the
HPA to the call of your committee for evidence on:
— Government policy on licensing of homeopathic
products
— Government policy on the funding of homeopathy
through the NHS
— the evidence base on homeopathic products
and services.
2. The ACMP has on several occasions considered
the third question in relation to travellers who have been advised
to take homeopathic prevention against malaria (not by NHS homeopathic
practitioners) and subsequently contracted the disease.
3. Malaria is a potentially fatal disease,
almost completely preventable by a combination of mosquito bite
prevention and antimalarial prophylaxis, which kills several people
every year and causes over 1,000-2,000 cases of malaria in
the UK. There is no convincing evidence that homeopathic prevention
or treatment works, although no scientifically robust trials have
been conducted.
4. There is clear scientific evidence based
on trials that several antimalarial drugs do substantially reduce
the risk of malaria, as do insecticide-treated bednets. There
is clear evidence that current antimalarial drugs are highly effective
at treating malaria.
5. Given the seriousness of the disease
and the clear evidence of other measures being effective no responsible
homeopathic practitioner would consider recommending homeopathy
in the view of the ACMP. We would strongly advise against homeopathic
products for preventing or treating malaria being licensed in
the UK on the basis of current evidence. The ACMP has no views
on homeopathy more widely.
Professor Christopher Whitty
FRCP FFPH
Acting chair, ACMP
November 2009
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