| THE LIGA LETTER - October 1999 |
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THE CRUCIAL LINK: REPORTS FROM THE NATIONAL VICE–PRESIDENTS The National Vice Presidents/Representatives of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Italy, Latvia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United States are to be congratulated for submitting the requested reports. Each National Vice President is requested to submit a small summary for the Newsletter, along with his/her Annual Report. Where such has been received, it has been used. When a summary has not been received, the Editor has had to summarize the report. Though highly developed in Argentina, both in medical practice and in teaching, homeopathy has not been legally recognized and no related courses are available at state universities. However, the practice is allowed, provided that it is exercised by professionally qualified doctors who have graduated from recognized medical schools. Homeopathic drugs are legally recognized as remedies in Argentina. Legislation passed by the Cordoba legislature 11/97 establishing homeopathic professional practice rules was vetoed by the State Governor. His veto was prompted by the fact that the practice of homeopathy was already covered by existing law. Veterinary homeopathy is highly developed in Argentina and the annual meetings of its practitioners draw widespread attention from veterinarians. Argentina has eight homeopathic schools offering both regular 3-year courses and intensive courses for doctors from neighboring Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries. Scientific magazines are published for both doctors and the general public and these generate information exchanges with schools in other countries. Research and provings of new remedies are currently undertaken by some members of the Argentine Homeopathic Medical Association. Another important current development is the formulation of standards for homeopathic drugs under the auspices and direction of the Federation of Argentine Homeopathic Medical Associations (FAMHA). The Federation of Argentine Homeopathic Medical Associations (FAMHA) was formed in 1995 to bring together the three most important homeopathic institutions in the country. In 1998 and 1999 two more schools were incorporated into the Federation. The Federation held its Second Congress in 1998. The next FAMHA congress is scheduled for October 25-28, 2000 in Buenos Aires when the main topics for discussion will be Chronic Diseases and Acidum Remedies. For further information contact mailto:. In 2004, Argentina will host the LMHI Congress, in Buenos Aires. The Australian Integrative Medicine Association's inaugural scientific conference in Melbourne in 1998 gave us an excellent venue to present the homeopathic case to interested doctors. The forthcoming second AIMA conference will hopefully allow us to reach a larger audience again. The Sydney Homeopathy Clinic at Balmain Hospital is well attended and is the only homeopathic presence in the Australian public hospital system. While medical homeopathy in Australia has gone into a decline over the last decade, homeopathy by the non medically trained homeopaths is In Austria there are two homeopathic associations offering a training program consisting of 350 hours (200 hours theoretical, 150 hours practical training). An official diploma is awarded There are about 900 homeopaths in Austria. In June 1999, all schools have undersigned a “Consensus on Homeopathic Teaching in Belgium,” two levels of knowledge are authorized: a CERTIFICATE level attesting the basic competence in Homeopathy and a DIPLOMA level attesting full competence; refresher courses are compulsory. After review on the costs linked to the practice of Homeopathy by medical doctors, it appears that Good Homeopathic Medical Practice decreases the patient’s costs of medical practice. A document was published and used several times for the defense of the homeopathic medical practice in Belgium. In March 1999, a bill on the recognition of unconventional medicine was adopted by the Belgian Parliament. It provides a framework that allows the minister of health to recognize individual branches of unconventional medicine. It recognizes explicitly, from the first throw, four areas: homeopathy, acupuncture, osteopathy and chiropractic. For the first time, academic authorities are interested in two double-blind studies with homeopathic treatments. The participation in a Pan-European Sociologic & Well-being Study is decided after the very positive experience of our participation in such a study within 6 European Countries during the last year (31 MD Homeopaths involved for Belgium). The European Directives on Homeopathic Medications for human and veterinarian use will be implemented in a very near future in Belgium. A bill on this topic has been adopted in June 1999. We are now completing our experience as the LMHI Vice-President for Brazil, with the occurrence of the present 54th LMHI Congress. This time was basically dedicated to the organization and promotion of this event. Many travels, such as the one to the National Congress of Homeopathy and Regional Meetings, were made having this goal in mind, which resulted in a higher level of promotion of the League to our Brazilian colleagues. The organization of the event has relied on many homeopaths from throughout Brazil, in addition to our colleagues from Bahia. Something that has disturbed our work a lot was the financial situation in Brazil since last January. In the last meeting of this International Council, it was decided that the distribution of the LMHI Newsletter would be made in Portuguese. This could be done only for The Liga Letter issued in March. At that time a research was developed regarding the operational difficulties and costs involved, such as those related to printing. Because of the high customs taxes, it was concluded that the Newsletter had to be printed in Brazil. The next edition, once ready and translated, could not be issued for some reasons: first it was necessary to know the best place for printing it (SC, SP or BA); then we had the financial constraints; and finally because we have waited for the best date to issue it, taking into consideration the promotion of the Congress. Since then, many urgent activities have required solution and this subject was placed on our pending list. The Newsletter that was distributed had many good results. I have received mail requesting information from libraries of graduate schools in the private and public health area and even from colleagues not directly linked with the Liga nor with national homeopathic associations, etc. Today we know that in order to issue and distribute 5000 (five thousand) units of The Liga Letter in Brazil it requires about R$ 5000 (five thousand reals) - approximately US$ 2600 (two thousand and six hundred dollars). My suggestion is that this amount could be given directly to the National Vice President so that he/she could have more autonomy. By doing this, both editions - Portuguese and English - could be distributed simultaneously. The Brazilian Homeopathy is expanding in its different activity areas (medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and veterinary), as we will hear in the reports by the representatives of these areas. The Fundación Costarricense de Medicina Homeopática (FUCOMH) is a homeopathic medical organization recognized by the Board of Physicians and Surgeons. The latter regulates the practice of medicine and the specialties. Homeopathy is recognized as a medical specialty. In 1988, the Health Ministry, determined that 27% of the population used homeopathy to treat common illness. FUCOMH has undertaken the adapting of a homeopathic teaching model, according to the academic legal status. FUCOMH is developing a project with the objective to make homeopathy accessible to the population in the Social Security System. FUCOMH is working on the design of the first pilot protocol on efficacy of a homeopathic remedy. It includes a practical teaching training, for primary care medical doctors, in order to integrate them in the study. Health authorities stimulated FUCOMH in the research project, and for the first time, the Science and Technology Minister partially sponsored the participation of a homeopathic doctor in the II International Homeopathic Conference, London, April, 1999. The National Health Institute, a unique insurance company of Costa Rica, includes homeopathy as a medical specialty in the list of providers of the volunteers Medical Insurance. The total reimbursement for the homeopathic doctors is similar to that of the other medical specialties. The main event of this year was the Second Homeopathic Congress which took placed in Prague 15-17 October 1999. The activity of the Committee of our Society has been targeted to word the organization and promotion of this event. During the summer months, we also organized two interesting courses - the Summer School of Homeopathy with Dr. Corrie Hiwat in Skasl´y Dv°ur and The Course of Homeopathy in Kromeriz in cooperation with the Austrian Homeopathic Society and Dr. Susan. Additionally, in the fall semester we are about to start the first year of medical homeopathic education according to the EU standards. Our Society is preparing to participate in the so-called “Pan European Well-being Study” organized by The European Union in all European countries and scheduled for the year 2000. The general position of homeopathy in the Czech Republic, from the official point of view, is rather weak. Despite being recognized as a medical method, homeopathy is not accepted by official medical bodies and is almost “illegal”. The promotion of homeopathy in mass media is not possible, because there is an unofficial ban on all reports and discussions on homeopathy and other non-conventional methods. An unfavorable state registering policy for homeopathic drugs also limits the availability of homeopathic drugs. On the other hand, the new generation of homeopathic doctors and patients is slowly growing. Our society also has noticed decrease in the number of its members, but is hoping that this will be balanced by increase in quality of remaining ones. The number of patients looking for non-conventional methods is still high. We hope that real picture will be clear after the Congress, when the discussion on the current situation and further development of homeopathy in the Czech Republic is expected. The members of the Estonian Society of Homeopathy (ESH) are very thankful to Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis for the Liga Letter issues and for the interesting collection of World Homeopathy 1998 which we received entirely gratis. We are grateful, too, to the European Committee for Homeopathy for the amiable compliance about the subscription rate for an association affiliated to the ECH. Our gratitude for the consideration of the ECH prompted a positive vote to join the ECH. The troubled economy of Estonia and the ignorance of the public regarding homeopathic medicine do not allow the typical Estonian homeopathic doctor to have a very large income. Despite efforts by Dr. Kangur democratically to organize statutes and program for the ESH, consensus has not yet been achieved among the members. The content of the meetings include case discussions, materia medica matters, or sharing of lectures heard elsewhere. Dr. Kangur will accept the invitation of the ECH to participate in the Pan-European Well-being Study on Homeopathy and encourage his colleagues to do so as well. The ESH members attentively watch the events of the 54th Congress in Salvador-Bahia (Brazil) and regret that finances preclude their participation. Whereas the policy of European unification of homeopathic practices continues, thanks to the efforts of the European Committee for Homeopathy, in particular, France will stand out this year following a decision of the National Agency of Medicine. The fallout of that decision occupied the homeopathic scene all of this year and had for consequence that other problems stayed in the background. This is what it is all about: for political reasons and in the name of caution, about fifteen homeopathic remedies were prohibited for manufacture, sale, import and even simple possession. The products involved are those prepared from biological stocks of human origin (nosodes): Medorrhinum, Psorinum, Luesinum, Morbillinum, Pertussinum. The products of animal origin are all prohibited below 4Ch (including Calcarea carbonica, Sepia, etc.)! It should be noted that the VAB (dilution of the anti tuberculosis vaccine) is also prohibited, while the vaccine itself is, of course, allowed! The major concern is the prohibition of manufacture, sale, import, or even possession of nosodes (human biologicals) and the prohibition below the 4Ch of animal sourced remedies, including Calcarea carbonica and Sepia. These interdictions will last until their harmlessness is proved, even the absence of the posited prion. Another concern for the long term is the prohibition of sales in a pharmacy of any substance lacking statistical scientific proof of efficacy. Contaminated food and blood scandals have caused the French government to take utmost precautions even though they consider homeopathic medicines placebo. I think that it is essential that the other countries are informed of what occurs in France since these decisions are fashionable and consistent with the scientific and economic logic of the Western World. In France, a Coordinating Committee of homeopaths was created, with the support of the National Trade Union, to defend us as doctors and to contribute as much as possible to the defense of Homeopathy. Apart from that, the effort towards the unification of homeopathic teaching in France continues with a certain success. However, the schools are still refusing to subscribe to the International League and this partly explains the enormous difficulty that I did not measure at first, of increasing the number of members. I mailed, three times, a major consignment of about one thousand letters and this resulted in about thirty new members! The problem in France remains the power of certain laboratories and organizations which control the greatest part of the homeopathic circle, including the two National Trade Unions that are rather hostile to the International League. I do not despair to succeed, but I think that a French member of the League will have to be found who will take his pilgrim stick as his unique task! Four journals are published in France. Homeopathy in Georgia in this period was developed very slowly. 1999 year was very important and very fruitful for Georgian Homeopaths. In this period activity of the members of LMHI was not high. The homeopathic situation in Georgia is like the total situation in the country. Everything is changing. The old legislative norms should be changed and new European standards established. It takes a lot of time and is very difficult. The Expert-Consulting Council of Health Ministry in Georgia with 8 members (including the NVP LMHI) continued working on documents about Homeopathy. Much bureaucracy and lots of other problems remain. After summer holidays, we faced the period before election in the Parliament and that is complicating the finishing of our work. NVP Nikoloz Gujabidze continued study at International Academy of Classical Homeopathy. He was granted free of charge education for four years by George Vithoulkas. More than that, Mr. George Vithoulkas transferred money to Georgian Church, where his first student from Georgia and the head of Expert-Consulting Council, Tinathin Topuria, are trying to establish the production of homeopathic remedies. We postponed recommending new members in LMHI before ending the work on the official homeopathic documents. Afterwards, I think our membership will increase. On the base of the Georgian Homeopathic Association, in cooperation with Peter Chappell, George Vithoulkas, Georgian League of Traditional Medicine, and other homeopaths, initiated the establishment of the Homeopathic Academy. Therefore that our work (norms) is not ready, we cannot really control that situation. It will be unmoral for us, to forbid our colleagues use homeopathy to survive in our poor life. At present we have two registered homeopathic organizations: 1) Georgian Homeopathic Center, Taktakishvili str. 3/43 Tbilisi. Georgia. Tel. 995 32 294365. There are 4 full and 4 associate members. 2) Georgian Liga of Traditional Medicine, Al. Cavchavadze av. 2a/22. Tbilisi. Georgia. In the homeopathic department of this organization there are about 10 homeopaths. There is an organization of non-medically qualified persons studying and teaching about homeopathy although non-medically qualified practice is not legally permitted in Georgia. I have no information about veterinarians in Georgia. There is one dentist, Jikidze Jano, member of LMHI. We have no homeopathic pharmacists, most homeopaths making remedies themselves. One homeopathic library is available, located in the office of NVP LMHI, which was founded with the great support of the Hahnemann Institute, Director Reinhard Rose. At present there are no Homeopathic Laboratories/Manufacturers, but financial support has been received from George Vithoulkas for it. There are no homeopathic magazines in Georgia. Some of the homeopaths are in research activities at a local level. In this year we have no national publications in homeopathy, but I have idea in cooperation with other Georgian Homeopaths to write Manual Book of Homeopathy in the Georgian Language. I am sorry that nobody from Georgia will be present at the LMHI Congress in Bahia, but I hope to be with you at next year’s meeting in Budapest. The Deutsche Zentralverein Homöopathischer Ärzte e.V. (DZVHÄ), the German Central Association of Homeopathic Physicians (est. 1829) is the oldest German medical association with 3,542 doctors registered in 1999. The national General Medical Council has 4,009 homeopaths registered. The aims of the DZVHÄ are as follows: to educate medical doctors and students in homeopathy, to establish homeopathy at the university, to support the research in homeopathy, to stabilize the position of homeopathy in public health, to observe and represent the professional interests of the homeopathic doctors. Members receive the Allgemeine Homöopathische Zeitung (AHZ), the General Homeopathic Newspaper, (est. 1832), published bi-monthly. Under the DZVHÄ, members are organized in regions. Once a year we hold a general meeting, regional as well as central. The general national meeting is our “parliament”; 70 delegates select the political aims of the DZVHÄ. This year we elected a new executive committee. Homeopathic treatment in Germany is legalized in Social Legislation since 1883, since the beginning of the Social health Insurance System. Therefore, homeopathic treatment is part of the gesetzlichen Krankenkassen, the Social Health Insurance (N.H.I.). In general we differentiate between two major insurance systems: the private insurance companies and the social insurance companies. However, the latter do not adequately cover the costs of homeopathic care. The private insurance companies take over all the time-intensive homeopathic care costs, not only for medical doctors, but also for non-medical homeopaths. Many German homeopathic doctors work only in private practice, so they are registered by the Ärztekammer, the General Medical Council, where all the German doctors must be registered. Meanwhile, we have several social insurance companies which reimburse the homeopathic treatment adequately and separate from the quarterly payment, these are the so called “Modellprojekte”. These projects are accompanied by scientific research into cost-effectiveness-analysis and life-quality which are very encouraging. Student workshops of homeopathy are constituting themselves in all German universities. The preparations for the EXPO 2000 in Hannover are in full swing. We hope to present Homeopathy in an appropriate forum to the world. For further Information, please contact KeimCelle Zukunft, Markt 14-16, 29221 Celle, Tel.: 05141/12289 or 0043-5141/12289 Fax: 05141/12174. Information about homeopathy in Germany is available at the Press agency DZVHÄ, Christoph Trapp, Römerstr. 73, 53111 Bonn, Tel.: 0228/639230, Fax: 0228/639270, email: DZVHAE , www.homeopathy.de. The defunct, Ghana Homeopathic Medical Council, Ministry of Health, which was established by the former PNDC Secretary for Health Dr. Charles Buadu and former Director of Medical Services, Dr. Aboagye Attah on the 13th July, 1983 has been revived by the Hon. Mr. Samuel Nuamah Donkor, Minister Responsible for Health. The Minister of Health will introduce this year the Alternative Medicine Act in which Homeopathic medicine is included as one of the modalities in the Act. This has been confirmed by the Institutional Care Division of the Ministry of Health. Mr. T. C. Corguaye, Chief Executive of the Food and Drug Board of the Ministry of Health has now lifted the ban on importation of homeopathic drugs into the country. The Ghana Homeopathic Medical Council is non-political organization whose main objective is to assist the government of Ghana to achieve the WHO mandate HEALTH FOR ALL FOR THE 3rd MILLENNIUM 2000 AD MOST CONSPICUOUSLY. At present our Association has the following: medical doctors 194 members (ms); dentists 29 ms; pharmacists 53 ms; veterinary surgeons 23 ms; total 299 paying members. Education: Courses are organized monthly. While lecturers are invited mostly from abroad, the number of local lecturers - members of the Association - is growing every year. Approximately 120 doctors go through our courses annually. At the beginning of April 1999, the seventh consecutive course for beginners was launched with Hungarian lecturers exclusively. For the first time in our history, two beginner courses have been organized within a year, because of the growing interest. According to our plan after the base-courses - 4X5 days intensive drill at each seminar - an examination was to follow. Most regrettably, the Hungarian authorities still have not made decision about the exam. Similar to veterinary surgeons, the dental surgeons have set up their section under the Association and beside the basic courses they have organized additional activities for the dentists. For the homeopathic veterinary surgeons, courses were continued in the University for Veterinary Medicine and after the completion of this course the participants received the diploma signed and acknowledged by the International Association of Veterinary Homeopaths. Examination: In spite of the fact that the Association worked out the conditions of the examination two years ago, neither the medical universities have made any step nor the Hungarian Academy of Sciences has changed its viewpoint that the homeopathy is not scientifically verifiable. Publishing: “SIMILI”, the journal of the Association is regularly published four times a year. We devoted a separate issue for publishing the latest results of the research about homeopathy. The first book on homeopathy as a collective work by a homeopathic doctor and a writer, both Hungarians, was edited and published, which hopefully will contribute to popularization of homeopathy in Hungary. Besides these, Hungarian lecturers have prepared auxiliary publications for the education of both medical doctors and lay listeners. Furthermore, numerous articles were published by our members in the Hungarian newspapers, magazines, as well as in medical journals. Official acceptance: Legislation regulating alternative medicine, including homeopathy, has been passed. It definitely states that homeopathy is a medical method practicable by medical doctors only. However, the official examination for homeopathic doctors is still not regulated. Up until now not any progress has occurred. Laymen Society: Our Association provided the necessary assistance to the operation of the Society for Laymen established in March, 1998. The aim of this society is to make Homeopathy more popular in Hungary, in the circle of the families and the patients. The Congress in 2000: The arrangements made in connection with 55th Liga Congress to be held in Budapest show nice results. The Minister of Health agreed to be the main patron of the events and the Mayor of Budapest also will be the patron of the Congress. Health Insurance: Since the official state insurance does not cover Homeopathy and Homeopathic medicines, we started to build a connection with private Hungarian insurance companies. For the time being, we have promising connections with two companies, but up to this date, we have not been able to increase the number of the supportive companies. On April 10, 1999 many homeopaths in the city of Delhi converged on the Hahnemann monument to celebrate the Master’s 244th birthday. This monument had been unveiled on April 10th last year in the presence of several homeopathic doctors, government officials, dignitaries and the public with a deep rooted faith in the medical value and human service which our system of medicine provides. Several meetings, seminars and conferences have been organized in the interim, at the regional and national levels. In August 1999 a two day seminar on the skills required for effective case taking was organized in the Holy city of Bodhgaya, the place where the Buddha got enlightenment. As in the last some years, the Kent Memorial Lectures were organized in New Delhi in September and, concurrently, in the city of Jamshedpur in east India another meeting was held to discuss the role of Homeopathy on the aspects of Human Sexuality and Sexual Diseases. In October a homeopathic conference was held in the Deccan city of Mangalore to elaborate on allergic disorders, and Hepatobiliary and Genitourinary disorders. In November, a clinical workshop is being held in the Punjab, and early in the next millennium, a National Homeopathic Conference will be held in Karnetaka in January 2000. The National Association of Medical Doctors and Dental Surgeons has appointed a Committee for Non-Conventional Medical Disciplines, including homeopathy. The Medical Associations of some Italian towns (Rome, Palermo, Macerata, Milan, Genoa) have appointed or are appointing Provincial Committees and Registers of Homeopathic Medical Doctors, and have passed resolutions for recognizing the professional figure of the homeopathic medical doctor. There is the possibility of including the homeopathic discipline in Universities even if there are some problems relevant to the fact that some would like to include also other non-conventional medical disciplines. The Italian Parliament has approved the reform of the Health System in which the integration of the National Health Service with non-conventional therapies is possible. The Ministry of Health has appointed a committee for the homeopathic medical product. In some hospitals in Rome, Naples and Catania homeopathic departments are working. S.I.M.O. - Society Italiana di Medicina Omeopatica - has been set up in Catania, it is born as a Scientific Medical Homeopathic Association. The number of offers received by Latvian Homeopathic Association (LHA) is stunning during the last half of the year. One of the most important offers was to join the European Committee for Homeopathy. While looking through and estimating the advantages presented to the LHA by the membership in the ECH the majority of our doctors reclined to accept this inspiring suggestion. This year we got acquainted with state of affairs on homeopathy in the world due to the information sent us from the LMHI and the ECH. This data were published in Latvijas Arsts (Latvian Doctor) magazine. In Latvia there is no national homeopathic journal yet. The atmosphere of cooperation, respect and mutual understanding set up among the members of the LHA let us feel as one unit. It became apparent especially last year and encouraged us to undertake actions to promote homeopathy to a higher level of recognition. It stimulated the preparation of the documents characterizing the growing authority of homeopathy as curative method among the patients which are presented to Latvian Medical Association, together with the information about the state of homeopathy in different countries. The most acute matter still is the matter of translation of world classical homeopathic literature into Latvian. Till now this literature was not available to our doctors. Only two small brochures on homeopathy for the public use were issued in Latvian. The composition of the study book on homeopathy in Latvian unfortunately is still in project. The Latvian medical library is being replenished periodically by homeopathic literature translated into Russian. Among this publications there are only two Materiae Medica by W. Boericke and E. Farrington. This year the Russian translation of Materia Medica by J. T. Kent was published in Moscow and 10 volumes of Materia Medica by C. Herring were issued in St. Petersburg, and we hope to acquire them. From November-December of 1999 it is planned to start optional homeopathic training for students of Latvian Medical Academy by 28-hours program once a week. Next academic year that program will be expanded. The need in advanced classical homeopathic education for doctors makes us look for different sources of homeopathic education abroad. This year we received preliminary consent of the doctors from the Belgian school of classical homeopathy, Lien N'Guen and P. Gengoux, to arrange a series of seminars in Riga which homeopathic doctors from neighboring countries, Estonia and Lithuania, intend to join. Alas none member of the LHS will take part in the 54th Congress of the LMHI in Brazil due to financial challenges and scheduling conflicts. So, we are sending our love to all participants of the Congress and are looking forward to meeting in Budapest next year. Personal thanks go to Dr. Ton Nikolai, LMHI Treasurer and ECH Secretary and Political Coordinator for his patience and attention to our current working problems. League Members: The rest are independent members. Education: On the other hand, postgraduate schools give physicians the possibility to go deeper on this field. One of the best examples is Homeopatia de Mexico’s postgraduate school, founded in 1960, and officially recognized for two years now, due to its great significance and orthodox Hahnemannian education, its foundation in the miasmatic clinical concepts followed by Maestro Proceso Sanchez Ortegaís instruction. A five semester course is necessary to obtain a specialist’s degree. A homeopathic medical ethics code is been developed with the contributions of members of the Homeopatia de Mexico school and the educational authorities. At the same time, a legislation project has been made and discussed in order to provide the correct recognition and promotion according to the demands of the homeopathic medical practice, where health and education authorities take part, as well as the most representative homeopathic group leaders. XX National Homeopathic Medical Congress took place in Tepic, Mexico from October 14th to 16th 1999. In contribution for the diffusion of Homeopathy in Cuba, Dr. Fernando Dominguez created a new group with teachers and programs from our school. There are two publication, Bulletin, a patient informational pamphlet, and La Homeopatia en el Mundo, an essay magazine. The Mexican Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia was approved and published by Mexican authorities two years ago. Research is ongoing in the areas of remedy pathogenesis in several homeopathic remedies. In the Netherlands there is one organization for homeopathic medical doctors, the VHAN (Vereniging van Homeopathische Artsen in Nederland). The VHAN counts more than 400 members of which more than 200 are consultants (‘specialists’), the others are general practitioner and some of them are medical specialist. The SHO (Stichting Homeopathische Opleidingen) is the institution for homeopathic teaching to medical doctors and is closely related to the VHAN. There is a beginners course for general practitioners, veterinarians and midwives and a basic course for medical doctors and veterinarians (3 years part-time). For members of the VHAN there is a continuous schooling program (obligatory) in homeopathy and in general medicine. Homeopathy was introduced for the first time in Nigeria by H.R.N. Dr. Isu Okogeri. It has slowly but steadily been gaining ground in Nigeria. It has been duly recognized by the Government of Nigeria. In 1996 the military government promulgated a decree recognizing the practice of alternative medicine. The people in general are fully aware of its efficacy and therefore patronize it. Nigeria College of Homeopathic Medicine Afikpo is the only medical college functioning in the country. It is undertaking a 6 year M.B. (Hom.) course. It was accorded recognition by the government of East Central State and Congress of Homeopathic Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria. One big teaching hospital is attached to Nigeria College of Homeopathic Medicine, Afikpo. The homeopathic doctors import their drugs from abroad. Congress of Homeopathic Medicine Practitioners formerly Nigeria Council of Homeopathic Medicine is the only association recognized by the government of Federal Republic of Nigeria. It registers all qualified homeopaths in the country. There are about forty-thousand lay homeopaths practicing throughout the country. A good news for LIGA members, in particular, and homeopathic fraternity, in general, is that two homeopathic Medical Colleges presently imparting 4-years Diploma Course have been approved by the Government of Pakistan, one at Peshawar and the other at Hyderabad have also started 5 year Degree Courses in Homeopathic art of healing. These institutions have already been granted affiliation by the Peshawar University and Sindh University, respectively/ Dr. Muhammad Masood Lecture will be held on 15 November 1999, this year at Pakistan Homeopathic Medical College, Lahore. Dr. Muhammad Saleem will speak on Homeopathy and Flavonoide Phenolic Compounds. Dr. Muhammad Saleem did his Ph.D. in chemistry from University of Punjab, Lahore. He is interested in Phytochemistry and Homeopathy. He has published a number of articles in both the fields. He has selected topic of his talk on flavonoids which is being discussed in scientific circles throughout the world. A large number of LIGA members are expected to attend. The situation regarding homeopathy has not changed. The official standpoint represented by the Ethical Commission of the Ministry of Health remains in place. Accordingly, doctors are still asked to revoke their medical licenses when they desire to practice anything that is not part of the official doctrine of medicine, as dictated by the Medical Council of the Ministry of Health. That includes homeopathy. In such cases doctors are also asked not to call themselves medical doctors anymore. EU Directives 92/73/EEC and 92/74/EEC have still not been implemented in the Slovenian legislation, which means any doctor practicing homeopathy in Slovenia, has to order medicines for her/his patients abroad, as there as yet is no legal framework for their production, importation and sale in pharmacies. The Slovenian Homeopathic Society (SHS), the only homeopathic organization in Slovenia, nevertheless continues with its work. There are currently 50 members (medical doctors and pharmacists) and the first group of 13 doctors has completed the basic homeopathic education according to the ECH. The Austrian Homeopathic Association (PGHM), to which the SHS is indebted for its help in educating our members, has given this group a certificate certifying completion of the basic education. Slowly homeopathy will enter in Sweden, even if there is a great resistance by the government and the society of doctors. Homeopathic remedies are legal and are manufactured according to the law of GMP. The department of medicine has control over the pharmacies. Consequently, homeopathic remedies are accepted and approved by the government. Earlier in Scandinavia we only had the permission to prescribe homeopathic medicine from D6. This year a factory named Radiotron, Kristianstad, has license to make medicines in D4. Among the increasing number of homeopaths working in Sweden today, most of them have a good, but private education. The trend is increasing steadily, so that more and more of them have education in many ways corresponding to the conventional doctors. Unfortunately, we still have a surcharge of 25% tax of fee and medicines and prohibition that we may not yet treat all diseases and we have permission to treat children from 8 years old only. The umbrella organization Kommitten För Alternativ Medicin KAM always works with these questions. Number of LMHI-Members: 317 The Swiss Association for Homeopathic Physicians was founded in 1856 and resembles the majority of Swiss homeopathic physicians. The SVHA represents officially Swiss Homeopathy at the LMHI. The SVHA is the main organ which deals with political issues concerning Homeopathy in Switzerland. Our traditional pharmacy is the Laboratoire Schmidt-Nagel in Geneva. Manufacturers of a newer date are Spagyros which produces homeopathic medicines potentized by hand and Omida, a daughter firm of DHU, which now has a potentizing machine of Michael Quinn. All potencies are available. In the past there has been a journal published by the Swiss association of homeopathic physicians SVHA, the 'Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Homeopathie', which was published from 1955 - 1962. In this tradition in late 1996 the first issue of the SVHA bulletin was released. Two issues per year are published. Since July 1999, homeopathic doctors should be reimbursed fully (anamnesis and repertorization on time-based scale) by federal basic health insurance. Patients treated by NMQPës need an additional insurance for this. This is the decision of the national health authority. A clear statement of acknowledgment for Homeopathy. Homeopathic remedies prescribed by physicians are paid already by the official tariff. In Sept. 98 the "Aerztekammerì of the FMH ( board of the national medical association) adopted principally the formulation of a certificate of capacity for Homeopathy. This means the acknowledgment of Homeopathy as a subspecialty. A big step in recognition of Homeopathy! By January 1999 this new certificate has been validated. By 1999 compulsory Continuing Medical Education (CCME), general and homeopathic in certain percentage, for the holders of the diploma SVHA (according the Program of Basic Teaching Standards) is established. Since 1995 the University of Bern established within the Medical Faculty a chair for Homeopathy under the name of "KIKOM, kollegiale Instanz fur Komplementarmedizin" 1997 Dr. Dario Spinedi opened a homeopathic clinic in the Clinica Santa Croce, 6644 Orselina, Tel. 091/735 43 72, Fax 091/735 43 74. The clinic consists of 30 beds, 4 homeopathic doctors can treat severe diseases in hospitalized patients by Homeopathy. The 3rd national Congress of the SVHA will be held in Zurich on the 28th and 29th of October 99 under the title Journeés homéopathiques de Zurich. Practical items, workshops and interdisciplinary items with conventional medicine will be the main contents. In May, 1999, the IVth Hahnemann’s readings on the problem “Homeopathy and Pharmacology in unity and contradictions” took place in Kiev. More than 100 persons from the 8 regions of Ukraine participated in these readings. In 1999 the conferences and congresses will be held in Yalta (May), Charkov (September) and Odessa (October) in Ukraine. We participated in the jubilee conference in London (April). Education: The doctors of the second level graduated the Department of Homeopathy of the Institute Protosi (Kiev) on specialty: Management in the Field of Health Protection; specialization in homeopathy. Furthermore, third class graduates of the doctors of Kiev Medical Institute of Ukrainian Folk-Medicine (UFMA) (150) peoples) received the education not only on classical medical disciplines, but also on the Homeopathy (156 hours). The courses of specialization and seminars on actual problems of the Homeopathy have been held in UFMA. Scientific Work: Scientific research has been continued on such problems as “Anti-inflammatory properties of the homeopathic drugs” and “application of the homeopathic medicines for treating of the ulcerative disease of stomach and duodenum.” American Institute of Homeopathy (AIH) represents the LIGA in the United States. The AIH has 118 active (MD, DO, DMD) and four members in the new associate category which includes advanced nurse practitioners (APN) and physician’s assistants (PA). The activity of the AIH is currently centered on the planning of a gala millennium celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Hahnemann Monument in Washington, DC, to be held June 21-24, 2000. In anticipation of the increasing interest in homeopathy, the AIH instituted an outreach program, the Quo vadis Project, contacting AIH members and AIH-eligible homeopathic practitioners to elicit their input into the future directions of the AIH, with the goal of developing a five-year plan to be instituted under the direction of President-Elect Jennifer Jacobs, MD. Initial meetings were held in Seattle, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Nineteen ninety-nine marked the publication of high quality research in American peer-reviewed journals. AIH members of the North American Homeopathic Research Network, Jennifer Jacobs, MD, MPH; Wayne Jonas, MD, DHt; Edward H. Chapman, MD, DHt were instrumental in these efforts. In addition, Dr. Jacobs was funded by the US Army to conduct a trial of the homeopathic treatment of hotflashes in women with a history of breast cancer. The preliminary phase of the International Primary Care Outcomes Study (IPCOS) study was completed with publication pending in Alternative Therapies. Dr. Chapman has submitted a proposal to the NIH-NCCAM to replicate the MTBI study in a long-term, multi-center RCCT format. Research in being planned in fibromyalgia and in otitis media at several centers in the USA. The NIH Cancer Institute reviewed a best-care series from Drs. Banerjee in India on the treatment of cancer, with the possibility of assessing and potentially testing homeopathy’s role in cancer treatment. Homeopathic teaching has benefited from activities of the North American Network of Homeopathic Educators and the Council of Homeopathic Education (CHE), which has a long term goal of gaining approval of the United States Department of Education for the accreditation of homeopathic educational programs. A major issue confronting the homeopaths in the US is the regulation or lack of regulation of homeopathic practice. Increasingly, state government or regulatory agencies are dealing with these issues on several fronts. In response homeopathic groups in several states are developing a variety of practice models. Consequently, the homeopathic community is in a position either to act proactively to define standards for the practice of homeopathy by medical and non-medically qualified professionals or to have these standards defined by others. Finally, 1999 marked the passing of several of the pioneering members of the AIH: Maesimund B. Panos, MD, DHt, author and founder of the National Center for Homeopathy; Edward Whitmont, MD, author who integrated homeopathy and Jungian analysis; and Michael Garn, MD, DHt, President of the Ohio State Homeopathic Medical Society. |