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LMCs conference calls for savings axe to fall on homeopathy

By Lilian Anekwe

Homeopathic medicine has come under a barrage of criticism at the annual LMCs confernece, in a heated debate which even saw its most prominent supporter the Prince of Wales come under fire.

The conference passed a motion on Thursday condemning homeopathy as ‘unproven and expensive', and calling for it to be first in line for cuts in the Government's efficiency savings drive.

Dr Ian Rummens, a GP in Oswestry, Shropshire, told delegates: ‘In the current economic climate there is no place for homeopathic medicines that are shown to be of no value.'

The motion argued ‘that conference believes there is insufficient clinical evidence to justify NHS funding for homeopathy clinics.'

A second motion also mandated the GPC to ‘request that homeopathy should be first in line for NHS cuts in this economic crisis since it is unproven and expensive, and patronage by royalty should not ensure funding for unproven treatments.'

Prince Charles has been a high-profile supporter of homeopathic treatments, and was the former patron of the now-defunct Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health.

But Dr Mehdi Dabestani, a GP and homeopath in Chatham, Kent, said many of his patients had benefited from homeopathy, and added: ‘Absence of evidence for homeopathy is not evidence of absence.'

Homeopathic treatments came under fire at the LMCs conference Homeopathic treatments came under fire at the LMCs conference