Would you prefer to choose, or just be told what's right for you and your family?

It’s as simple as that. This is about choice. What’s at risk is your ability to choose how you want to be treated for illnesses, ailments and medical complaints. There are people who believe that you should be told which option is right for you. Worse than that, some of them believe you should be actively blocked from choosing for yourself. And homoeopathy is in the firing line.

You see, the healthcare industry is not a level playing field. There are huge forces at play, and they can impact on everyone. Some of the most influential people in healthcare have the ability to take choice away from you (and most of us) by influencing policy, supply chains and even advice that you are given by your doctor or health care professional.

That’s because when alternatives to “conventional medicine” gain momentum, there is a great deal at stake. One shining example of this is the pharmaceutical industry. Britain’s consumption of drugs is vast and increasing. About 650 million prescriptions are written in the UK each year by GPs alone. Medicines cost the NHS in England over £7 billion each year, 80% of which is spent on branded (patented) products. The pharmaceutical industry in the UK is the third most profitable economic activity after tourism and finance. And this same industry has a huge influence over government, NHS decision makers and ultimately GPs.

So if too many people begin to seek “other” ways to improve their health, it becomes a threat to the many individuals and organisations offering “traditional” healthcare. And some of them feel the need to strike out.

Here’s what’s happening right now:

 

There is a small group of people who are campaigning to persuade Primary Care Trusts (who make decisions about NHS services) to stop funding homeopathic treatment through the NHS. We do not know who they are backed by, but these people are persuasive and tenacious. As a result, homeopathy will no longer be available at Tunbridge Wells hospital (one of five homeopathic hospitals) after April 2008. It is also likely to be made unavailable at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital in 2008.This now puts homeopathy under threat in the other homeopathic hospitals – in Liverpool, Bristol and Glasgow. At the same time, a campaign to GPs throughout the UK is telling them that they should discourage their patients from using homeopathy. One campaigner even used NHS letterhead – illegally – to give the campaign a sense of legitimacy. He was censured, but the very strong message he sent to GPs around the country was not corrected. This is of major concern, because, up until now, GPs have been willing to suggest homeopathy as a viable choice. There is also a campaign afoot – both in traditional media and online, via blogs and forums - to discredit homeopathy. Homeopaths have been labelled “quacks”, “fraudsters” and even “murderers” by these people. Attacks range from unbalanced to outright vicious.

We do not suggest that homeopathy is the only form of treatment which everyone should choose. In fact, it might not be appropriate for some people. But we are very concerned at the steps which are being taken to discredit homeopathy, malign homeopaths and to stop people getting reasonable access to homeopathic treatment. We believe that everyone should have a choice in healthcare. After all, homeopathy has been part of the NHS since it was founded.

Find out what you can do, or read more about homeopathy.

"There are people who believe that you should be actively blocked from choosing for yourself. And homeopathy is in the firing line."