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Homeopathy is particularly popular in
France, England, Germany, Greece, India, Pakistan, Brazil,
Argentina, Mexico, and South Africa. Approximately 40% of the
French public have used homeopathic medicines, and 39% of the
French physicians have prescribed the medicines. About 20% of
German physicians occasionally utilize these natural
medicines, and 45% of Dutch physicians consider them
effective. According to a survey in the British Medical
Journal (June 7, 1986), 42% of British physicians survey refer
patients to homeopathic physicians, and a New York Times
article reported that visits to British homeopaths is growing
at a rate of 39% a year.
Despite these impressive statistics, homeopathy is
particularly popular in India where there are over 180
five-year homeopathic medical schools. Homeopathy is also
growing very rapidly in the United States. Market research
shows that sales of homeopathic medicines have grown at a rate
of 25-50% per year during the past ten years.
There are estimated to be over 500,000 physicians practising
homeopathy world wide, with an estimated 500 million people
receiving treatment. Over twelve thousand medical doctors and
licensed health care practitioners administer homeopathic
treatment in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. Since
2001 homeopathy is regulated in the European Union by
Directive 2001/83/EC. The latest amendments to this directive
make it compulsory for all member states to implement a
special registration procedure for homeopathic drugs.
In India, there are nearly 180 homeopathic medical colleges,
7500 government clinics, and 307 hospitals offering homeopathy
treatment. Approximately 35 are government colleges, rest are
managed by private bodies. Homeopathy is the third most
popular method of treatment in India, after Allopathy and
Ayurveda. It is estimated that there are about quarter million
homeopaths in India. Nearly 10,000 new ones add to this number
every year. The legal status of homeopathy in India is very
much at par with the conventional medicine.
In the United Kingdom, as in most
countries, homeopathic remedies may be sold over the counter.
The UK has five homeopathic hospitals where treatment, funded
by the National Health Service, is available and there are
numerous regional clinics. Homeopathy has a core of public
support, especially in Scotland and also from the English
royal family.
In the United States, homeopathic remedies are, like all
healthcare products, subject to regulation by the Food and
Drug Administration. However, the FDA accords homeopathic
remedies a treatment significantly different from that
accorded to other drugs. Homeopathic products are not required
to be approved by the FDA prior to sale, not required to be
proven either safe or effective prior to being sold, not
required to be labeled with an expiration date, and not
required to undergo finished product testing to verify
contents and strength. In the United States only homeopathic
medicines that claim to treat self-limiting conditions may be
sold over the counter, while homeopathic medicines that claim
to treat a serious disease can be sold only by prescription.
Homeopathy's popularity in the United States is growing. The
1995 retail sales of homeopathic medicines in the United
States were estimated at $201 million and growing at a rate of
20 percent a year, according to the American Homeopathic
Pharmaceutical Association. The number of homeopathic
practitioners in the United States has increased from fewer
than 200 in the 1970s to approximately 3,000 in 1996.
In Germany, about 6,000 physicians specialize in homeopathy.
In 1978 homeopathy, along with anthroposophically extended
medicine and herbalism, were recognized as "special forms of
therapy", meaning that their medications are freed from the
usual requirement of proving efficacy. Since January 1, 2004
homeopathic medications, albeit with some exceptions, are no
longer covered by the country's public health insurance. Most
private health insurers continue to cover homeopathy.
In Austria homeopathy has been a recognized part of the
medical system since 1983. In Switzerland homeopathy is one of
the five classes of complementary medicine.
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