Abstract
Homeopathy was introduced in Brazil with the French doctor Benoît Jules Mure's arrival
in 1840 and was officially recognised in 1980 as a medical specialty by Brazilian
regulatory authorities. Public health policies played an important role in incorporating
homeopathy into the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), emphasising homeopathy's
coherence with SUS's fundamental principles and with other national health policies.
Homeopathy is supported by the guidelines of the National Primary Health Care Policy
and the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices, and its offer
in the SUS has been recognised since 2006. Challenges persist, however, such as the
low prevalence of the use of homeopathy, lack of investment in professional training
and under-reporting of homeopathy outpatient appointments. Investments in disseminating
information on homeopathic philosophy and raising awareness among managers and health
professionals are essential to strengthen its presence in the Brazilian public health
system.
Keywords
Brazil - homeopathy - public health - Unified Health System
