Allergy Patients Turn to Homeopathy
Members of the Society of Homeopaths are seeing an increasing number ofpatients suffering from a range of allergic conditions, from skinproblems such as eczema through to life-threatening food allergies.
A House of Lords report published this week recommends the Governmenttakes urgent action to address the “epidemic” of allergies in the UK,and acknowledges that many patients are turning to complementarymedicine for help1.
The report of the science and technology committee, urges ministers totake concrete steps to tackle the lack of specialist clinics, andinadequate allergy training for doctors within the NHS, which it says isleading to a poor service for patients.
As well as a plan of action to tackle the problem within the NHS, thereport recommended that “robust research into the use of complementarydiagnostic tests and treatments for allergy should examine the holisticneeds of the patient, assessing not only the clinical improvement ofallergy symptoms, but also analysing the impact of these methods”.
Kate Chatfield, representative of the organisation’s research ethicscommittee, gave evidence to the science and technology committee earlierthis year. She told them: “With the kind of holistic treatment that weare measuring in homeopathy, we still do not have an outcome measurethat successfully can measure the effect on every level. By their verynature, randomised control trials are trying to measure veryspecifically. Homeopathy is going to affect the whole person. It is verydifficult to measure an outcome for a whole person.”
The Society believes that homeopathy should form part of an integratedapproach to treatment. Kate explained: “For an increasing number ofpeople homeopathy is becoming the treatment of choice for allergies asit offers a more gentle alternative to conventional approaches, such asantihistimines and steroid-based skin preparations. Homeopathy is aholistic approach and treats each person as an individual. Allergieshappen when the immune system over-reacts to substances which should notcause a problem, and with carefully selected remedies a homeopath willaim to strengthen the immune system.
She explained that results from several recent observational studiesindicated that homeopathy appeared to have high levels of clinicaleffectiveness in the treatment of people with allergy related problemssuch as eczema and asthma2.
It is the experience of members of the Society that patients in the vastmajority of cases seek homeopathic treatment when they have exhaustedthe conventional route, which has good results in palliating thesymptoms but does not treat the underlying cause. Remedies can be usedalongside conventional medication where needed.
Release Ends Notes to the EditorReferences:
1.House of Lords Science and Technology Committee.www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/lords_press_notices/pn260907st.cfm
2. Bristol Homeopathic Hospital Outcome survey (1997-2003)www.trusthomeopathy.org/case/res_outcomesurveys.html
Homeopathy
- Homeopathy has been available on the NHS since its inception in1948.
- There are 5 NHS homeopathic hospitals
- The homeopathy market for 2007 is estimated to be worth £38m andprojected to reach £46m in 2012 (21% rate of growth).
“Homeopathy is showing steady growth and this is likely to continue”. (Mintel,Complementary Medicines, April 2007)
Article from SoH.
A House of Lords report published this week recommends the Governmenttakes urgent action to address the “epidemic” of allergies in the UK,and acknowledges that many patients are turning to complementarymedicine for help1.
The report of the science and technology committee, urges ministers totake concrete steps to tackle the lack of specialist clinics, andinadequate allergy training for doctors within the NHS, which it says isleading to a poor service for patients.
As well as a plan of action to tackle the problem within the NHS, thereport recommended that “robust research into the use of complementarydiagnostic tests and treatments for allergy should examine the holisticneeds of the patient, assessing not only the clinical improvement ofallergy symptoms, but also analysing the impact of these methods”.
Kate Chatfield, representative of the organisation’s research ethicscommittee, gave evidence to the science and technology committee earlierthis year. She told them: “With the kind of holistic treatment that weare measuring in homeopathy, we still do not have an outcome measurethat successfully can measure the effect on every level. By their verynature, randomised control trials are trying to measure veryspecifically. Homeopathy is going to affect the whole person. It is verydifficult to measure an outcome for a whole person.”
The Society believes that homeopathy should form part of an integratedapproach to treatment. Kate explained: “For an increasing number ofpeople homeopathy is becoming the treatment of choice for allergies asit offers a more gentle alternative to conventional approaches, such asantihistimines and steroid-based skin preparations. Homeopathy is aholistic approach and treats each person as an individual. Allergieshappen when the immune system over-reacts to substances which should notcause a problem, and with carefully selected remedies a homeopath willaim to strengthen the immune system.
She explained that results from several recent observational studiesindicated that homeopathy appeared to have high levels of clinicaleffectiveness in the treatment of people with allergy related problemssuch as eczema and asthma2.
It is the experience of members of the Society that patients in the vastmajority of cases seek homeopathic treatment when they have exhaustedthe conventional route, which has good results in palliating thesymptoms but does not treat the underlying cause. Remedies can be usedalongside conventional medication where needed.
Release Ends Notes to the EditorReferences:
1.House of Lords Science and Technology Committee.www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/lords_press_notices/pn260907st.cfm
2. Bristol Homeopathic Hospital Outcome survey (1997-2003)www.trusthomeopathy.org/case/res_outcomesurveys.html
Homeopathy
- Homeopathy has been available on the NHS since its inception in1948.
- There are 5 NHS homeopathic hospitals
- The homeopathy market for 2007 is estimated to be worth £38m andprojected to reach £46m in 2012 (21% rate of growth).
“Homeopathy is showing steady growth and this is likely to continue”. (Mintel,Complementary Medicines, April 2007)
Article from SoH.
