Save Homeopathy in the UK

We write this post as academicians and homoeopathic practitioners. We have been in the field of homoeopathic education and practice for 25 years in Mumbai (Bombay), India.

It is disheartening to learn about the chaos and furore over homoeopathy in the UK. Questions have been raised in the British Parliament whether homoeopathy is scientific and whether it should be supported and funded by the government.

Govt. patronage In India, homoeopathy has progressed considerably because of the patronage received by it from the Indian government. It was recognized as a system of medicine by an Act of Parliament, and with the formation of the Central Council of Homoeopathy (CCH), homoeopathic education and practice was regulated.

Regulations The CCH has regulations in place that prescribe the minimum standards of education and training in homoeopathic colleges in India. No person is allowed to practice homoeopathy unless he/she has graduated from a homoeopathic college that is recognized by the CCH. Correspondence courses are not recognized.

Training of homoeopaths The training of a homoeopathic student in India is similar to that of a student being trained in conventional (allopathic) medicine. This means that a student has to enroll in a college for a full-time course of 4 ½ years (plus a 1 year compulsory internship) in homeopathy. He is taught the same subjects as his contemporary in the allopathic course- anatomy, physiology, pathology, medicine, surgery, OB-GYN and community medicine. He also has to attend practicals (e.g. dissections in anatomy, biochemistry in physiology, etc.) as well as clinics in clinical subjects with demonstrations on real patients, and observing as well as assisting in surgeries as well as deliveries in the operation rooms.

Use the Indian model This is lacking in most of the countries in the world where homoeopathy is being practiced. The onus is on the British government to regulate the training and practice of homoeopathy in UK. The MPs should study the rules and regulations of the CCH, India, and make use of the experience of this organization to help streamline the practice of homoeopathy in UK and also prove to the world (and themselves!) that it has a scientific basis.

Research in homoeopathy The Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), India encourages research and development of homoeopathy in India. It has piloted many research projects to prove the efficacy of homoeopathy. Many new drugs have been proved by the CCRH and lots of scientific papers have been published by it including clinical research done on HIV/AIDS, Bronchial Asthma, Cancers, etc.

The CCH and the CCRH are under the Department of AYUSH (Ayurved, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India. The Dept. of AYUSH encourages the Central Councils of the various alternative systems of medicines to organize CMEs for practitioners and ROTPs (Re-Orientation Training Programmes) for teachers. It also sanctions funds for research at recognized institutions.

Evidence based homoeopathy We have had success in treating cases with organic lesions and we have published them in various homoeopathic journals. We have also published many of these cases on our web site www.drvaishnav.com. Theses cases with documented evidence in the form of X rays, Ultrasounds, Colour Doppler studies, etc., both before and after treatment, prove that homoeopathy really works. We have published an article in a journal for allopathic doctors on the role of ultrasounds in homoeopathic practice. The article underscores the awareness of a modern homoeopath and the scientific approach to the treatment of his patients.

We request you to forward this link to all the homoeopaths in your address book. It is our mission to save homoeopathy.

Dr. Vijay Vaishnav, MD (Hom),

Professor and ex-Head, Dept. of Materia Medica, CMP Homoeopathic Medical College, India

Dr. Daxa Vaishnav, MD (Hom),

Professor and Head, Dept. of OB-GYN, CMP Homoeopathic Medical College, India

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