Britain has an ‘anti-homeopathy’ attitude, claims a Prestwich doctor after the controversial medical practice has been threatened with blacklisting.
Although a popular and historic treatment used by GPs for decades and supported by many patients, homeopathy’s medicinal value has long been disputed.
Professionals from within the NHS have claimed that there is no good quality evidence to suggest it is as effective as other treatments.
Whereas some GPs claim it has a profound effect.
Doctor David Fitton, a homeopathic physician based in Prestwich, claims that the ongoing medical controversy is ‘very frustrating’ for GP’s who are all medically qualified.
He told MM: “Every few months something like this happens and then it fades away and it goes backwards and forwards. It’s something that’s always ongoing, an ongoing battle if you like.
“They’re [GPs and consultants who use homeopathy] all medically qualified either working in conventional medicine, so it’s just a frustrating thing.
“It’s quite respectable in all Euoprean countries, and it’s well integrated at the consultant level, but for some reason in the UK there’s a big anti-homeopathy attitude, a campaign almost.”
The homeopathy treatment claims to work in a similar way to vaccinations against viruses.
Diluting a version of a substance that causes illness and combining it with water and a lactose (sugar) tablet, which possess healing properties.
The treatment is used by medical staff across Europe, but the attitude towards it within the United Kingdom is much more varied.
The total bill paid by the NHS for homeopathy, including homeopathic hospitals and GP prescriptions, is estimated at around £4m.
The consultation announcement by the legal advisors of the Department of Health resulted from The Good Thinking Society threatening to take their case of blacklisting the treatment to court.
The consultation is expected to take place in 2016.
Image courtesy of Richard Craig, with thanks.
