20 years ago: The British Homoeopathic Journal, October 1987

The state of homeopathy

“The state of homoeopathic medicine in Britain 1987” is the title of the opening address David Spence gave at the British Homoeopathic Congress in Liverpool. He saw the greatest concern to be the continuing attempts by Health Authorities to cut down on homeopathic services, despite ever increasing demand and relentlessly lengthening waiting times in the outpatient departments of the five hospitals.

In the field of research, he referred to the publication of David Reilly's paper in the Lancet the previous October, and to the very recent setting up of the Homoeopathic Medical Research Council, which is described in this issue.[ ¹ ] He said it was essential that this council should be able to play a vital role in the provision of sufficient substantive evidence for the 1990 Review of Medicines, and quoted Baroness Trumpington from a lecture she gave at the Royal Society of Medicine: “One possible solution is that, before the review is set in motion, we introduce a modified form of licensing for homoeopathic medicines, which deals only with the safety and quality of the ingredients and the acceptability of the method of manufacture. The fact that homoeopathic products do not fit easily into the Medicines Act pattern has to be faced and I am sure a satisfactory arrangement can be evolved.” Although these were encouraging words, the author thought that, with recent changes in ministers, we could not afford to be complacent, and had much to learn from the approach adopted by some European colleagues faced with a similar problem.

In the field of education, there had been great strides made over the past 2 years with the setting up of the Regional Tutors programme under the direction of the Executive Dean. Exciting and expansive programmes of teaching had been implemented, especially in the Scottish and Bristol Branches. There was a determined drive to improve teaching standards, to incorporate better modern techniques, and there was the recent welcome addition of video facilities for case presentation and analysis. There remained the very important need for more advanced teaching in study groups, currently only running in Bristol. The Faculty were working on the problem.

So, the author saw three main areas where our energy now needed to be concentrated. First, we needed better public relations, from the corridors of government right down to the grass roots. Again, the Faculty was taking steps in this direction. Secondly, there had to be a great pooling of energy in the field of research, requiring all Faculty members to cooperate in research projects in all areas of clinical practice. Thirdly, education must continue to expand and improve. For this to happen, more funded medical teachers would be required, which would involve considerable financial commitment; but the author believed this must be made. Finally, he stated “Perhaps above all, for each and every one of us there is the constant over-riding need to look to the excellence of our own clinical practice, for we shall be known by our fruits, and only if we are first and foremost good physicians will our colleagues sit up and take notice”. [ ² ]

• References

• 1 Fisher P. The formation of the Homoeopathic Medical Research Council. Br Hom J 1987; 76: 235-236.
• 2 Spence D.S. The state of homoeopathic medicine in Britain 1987. Br Hom J 1987; 76: 169-170.
• 3 Swayne J. Homoeopathic medicine in the UK A contemporary profile . Br Hom J 1987; 76: 179-184.
• 4 Fisher P. Research abstract-Metal excretion revisited. Br Hom J 1987; 76: 237-238.
• 5 Resch G., Gutmann V. Scientific Foundations of Homoeopathy–Book review. Br Hom J 1987; 76: 239-240.
• 6 Leary B. Cholera and homoeopathy in the nineteenth century. Br Hom J 1987; 76: 190-194.
• 7 Ford J. The Manchester Clinic. Br Hom J 1987; 76: 185-187.