Memorandum submitted by Irish Health Trade
Association (HO 47)
If I may, I would like to refer you to the website
of the South African Faculty of Homeopathy. The faculty
provides training in homeopathy for medical doctors.
In particular, I would like to refer you to a page
of the website titled: Research in Homeopathy
http://www.homeopathysouthafrica.co.za/homeopathy_research_evidence.htm
There you will find the following:
1. A debunking of the myth that homeopathy "works"
by a placebo effect.
2. A highlighting of some randomized clinical
trials and the meta-analyses of these trials that show homeopathy
has a positive clinical effect.
3. A presentation of outcome studies, large case
series and research that demonstrates high rates of patient satisfaction
with homeopathic treatment.
4. A look at the laboratory research and a meta-analysis
of these trials that all show that homeopathy has a multitude
of effects in laboratory conditions.
There follows a demonstration of how research
has shown that homeopathy is:
— Cost-effective and offers an opportunity
for resource-conscious health authorities to provide additional
health benefits for their populations.
Homeopathy and funding is then examined in a
South African context as follows:
— Increasing numbers of patients and medical
doctors are using homeopathy.
— More medical doctors are being trained
in homeopathy.
— Funders are prepared to pay for homeopathy.
Research that gives encouraging indications
as to how homeopathy works is also presented.
Dr Alan G Ruth
Chief Executive Officer
Irish Health Trade Association
November 2009
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