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mothers used homeopathic medicines in the previous doctors. Other evidence of support from health 12 months.’ A survey of French pharmacists was professionals is a 1990 survey of British pharmacists conducted in 2004 and found that an astounding 94.5% which found that 55% considered homeopathic reported advising pregnant women to use homeopathic medicines "useful" while only 14% considered them medicines."” “useless"."* The normally conservative Association of A survey in November 2007 was carried out by a _ the British Pharmaceutical Industry held a debate in eading French insurance company in collaboration with 1992 to decide whether pharmacists should promote a French market research business.'' They found that homeopathic medicines. The conclusion by a large he largest group of users of natural medicine in France —_ majority was that they should.” end to be people belonging to the socio-professional The field of complementary medicine gained much categories (50%), more so than employees (41%), support in the 1990s. In 1993, the British Medical pensioners (37%) and workmen (31%). More than one Association published a book entitled Complementary out of two (55%) consider natural medicines effective in Medicine: New Approaches to Good Practice.'° In 1994, Britain's conjunction with the treatment of diseases such as _ then Minister of State for Health Services, Dr Brian cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. One of the most Mawhinney, stated: "Complementary medicine has surprising discoveries of the above survey is that it also generally proved popular with patients, and a recent ound that 82% of the users of homeopathic and natural survey found that 81 per cent of patients are satisfied medicines think that their use of these treatments with the treatment they received." Another health contributes to the economic minister stated that 80% of savings of the health system in general practitioners want France. And more surprisingly, raining in complementary 60% of non-users were similarly Homeopathy is popular herapies; 75% now refer convinced of these benefits patients to complementary rom the use of natural not only among the herapists."” Miner cc pathy is popular not French public but also aceentance Te hotneopathy only among the French public among the French hroughout the UK, there is a g p C ; but also among the French medical community. very active group of sceptics, medical community. As many with unknown sources of as 70% of physicians are unding, who work incessantly receptive to homeopathy and © attack this system of natural consider it effective, and at medicine. Even though there is least 25,000 physicians prescribe homeopathic a wide variety of serious and significant pressing issues medicines for their patients. Homeopathy is taught in in British medicine and science today, in October 2009 at least seven medical schools—Besancgon, Bordeaux, an active group of homeopathy sceptics successfully Lille, Limoges, Marseille, Paris Nord and Poitiers—and resurrected a governmental committee, the House of there are numerous postgraduate training programs. Commons Science and Technology Committee, with the Courses in homeopathy are taught in 21 of France's 24 intention of having a report issued on homeopathy. schools of pharmacy, and also in two dental schools, A leading sceptics organisation, Sense About Science, two veterinary medical schools and three schools of — which was pushing for the re-creation of this committee, midwifery. is led by a former public relations professional who worked for a PR company that represents many Big United Kingdom Pharma companies. Of additional interest is the fac Members of Britain's Royal Family have been among hat other directors of Sense About Science are a homeopathy's strongest advocates, thereby confirming mixture of former or present libertarians, Marxists and that this system of natural medicine is not some "new __ Trotskyists (ironically, libertarians normally advocate a age" therapy. In the UK, there are five homeopathic _ "live and let live" philosophy, but in this instance i hospitals working within the National Health Service, seems that they prefer to take choice in medica some of them with a two-year waiting list for non- reatment away from British consumers). Sense Abou emergency visits to a homeopath. Science is a registered UK charity, despite being a According to the 2000 report of the House of Lords __ political pressure group. As such, it has to divulge its Select Committee on Science and Technology, 17% of — sources of income, which it does on its website. No the British population use homeopathic medicines.” — surprisingly, much of this income comes from named The respect accorded homeopathy and homeopathic — pharmaceutical manufacturers. practice by British physicians is evidenced by a 1986 One of the investigators for the Science and survey in the British Medical Journal which showed that Technology Committee was the now former Libera 42% of physicians referred patients to homeopathic Democrat MP (Member of Parliament) Dr Evan Harris. Homeopathy is popular not only among the French public but also use among the French medical community. United Kingdom Members of Britain's Royal Family have been among homeopathy's strongest advocates, thereby confirming that this system of natural medicine is not some "new age" therapy. In the UK, there are five homeopathic hospitals working within the National Health Service, some of them with a two-year waiting list for non- emergency visits to a homeopath. According to the 2000 report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology, 17% of the British population use homeopathic medicines.” The respect accorded homeopathy and homeopathic practice by British physicians is evidenced by a 1986 survey in the British Medical Journal which showed that 42% of physicians referred patients to homeopathic 24 * NEXUS OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com