Homeopathy EPQ 2

Abstract.
For my Extended Project Qualification I chose to research into Homeopathy and its place within the NHS. I felt this was a suitable topic as I found Homeopathy very interesting as it is such a well-known and widely used alternative medical practice, and one of the few that is funded by the NHS and has had a place in medicine for hundreds of years.
At a time of budget cuts across the board, NHS horror stories and reforms for the NHS, the question of Homeopathy’s place in the NHS is at its greatest importance. The NHS’ integrity has been seen to be falling apart under recent years, so the funding of Homeopathy should be reconsidered to see whether it is just another mistake of funding from the NHS. Even though the NHS funds a tiny amount of money to Homeopathic remedies, and a larger amount to the Homeopathic Hospitals, the NHS still must consider all of their money and use it in the most cost-effective way possible.
My first aim of this project was to analyse evidence about the effectiveness of Homeopathy, to determine whether it has a physiological effect on the body past the placebo effect. I wanted to determine if homeopathy didn’t actually work did it still have a use in the NHS, as it may improve patient satisfaction and could improve their health? Is it ethical for Doctors to prescribe homeopathic remedies if they do not actually work that are purely placebos? What is the public and professional opinion on Homeopathy? Finally after finding all this evidence should Homeopathy actually be funded by the NHS?
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medical practice that involves much diluted substances being used to stimulate the body’s healing process. (Society of Homeopaths, 2013)The NHS has funded and referred patients (British Homeopathic Association, 2014) for homeopathy treatment since the start of the NHS in 1948 (NHS England, 2013) and spends approximately £ 4 million a year providing homeopathic treatments to patients (British Homeopathic

Bibliography: BBC. (2011, February 11th). Third of NHS trusts fund homeopathy. Retrieved January 4th, 2014, from BBC News : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12492742 Brady, B British Homeopathic Association . (2013). The evidence for homeopathy. Retrieved January 6, 2014, from British Homeopathic Association: http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/evidence/the-evidence-for-homeopathy/ British Homeopathic Association British Homeopathic Association. (2014). Homeopathy and the NHS. Retrieved January 4th, 2014, from British Homeopathic Association: http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/homeopathy-and-the-nhs/ Brocklehurst, S Campbell, D. (2012, September 4). Jeremy Hunt under fire for stance on NHS tribute, homeopathy and abortion. Retrieved January 20th , 2014, from Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/sep/04/jeremy-hunt-nhs-tribute-homeopathy Cucherat M, H Daniel. (2013, February 18). A Good Doctor-Patient Relationship Creates a Strong Placebo Effect. Retrieved February 1st, 2014, from The Placebo effect: http://blog.placeboeffect.com/doctor-patient-relationship/ Elliott, J Ernst, E. (2010). Homeopathy: what does the best evidence tell us? MJA VOlume 192 Number 8, 458-459. Ernst, E. (2012, April 3). Why I changed my mind about homeopathy. Retrieved January 28th, 2014, from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2012/apr/03/homeopathy-why-i-changed-my-mind European Council for Classical Homeopathy Faculty of Homeopathy. (2013). Clinical Outcome Studies. Retrieved December 20, 2013, from Faculty of Homeopathy: http://www.facultyofhomeopathy.org/research/clinical-outcomes-studies/ Faculty of Homeopathy Farlex. (2012). Meta-analysis. Retrieved January 20, 2014, from Medical Dictionary: http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/meta-analysis Frank Frederick Schroyens, K. R. (2014). Basic Fact of Unitary Homeopathy. Retrieved January 27th, 2014, from Whole health now : http://www.wholehealthnow.com/homeopathy_info/introduction.html General Medical Council Goldberg, J. (2013, June 25). How different antidepressants work. Retrieved January 10th, 2014, from Web Medical Doctor: http://www.webmd.com/depression/how-different-antidepressants-work Goldracre, B Howick J, B. F. (2013). Placebo use in the United Kingdom: results from a National Survey of Primary Care practioners. PloS One 8 (3). Jain, A. (2003 Jul; 92). Does homeopathy reduce the cost of conventional drug prescribing? A study of comparative prescribing costs in general practice. Homeopathy, 175. Linde, K., Clausius, N., Ramirez, G., Dieter, & Eitelsr, F. (1997). Are the clinical effects of homeopathy placebo effects? The Lancet vol 350 issue 9081, 834-843. Maddox, J., Randi, J., & Stewart, W. (1998). ' 'High dilution ' experiments are a dilusion. Nature Vol 334, 287-290. Milgrom, L. (2003, June 11). Icy claim that water has memory. Retrieved December 6th, 2013, from New Scientist: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3817-icy-claim-that-water-has-memory.html#.Uu0KzBB_trM Minchin, T Moberly, T. (2012, October 17). PCTs abandon funding for homeopathy. Retrieved December 22, 2013, from GP online: http://www.gponline.com/News/article/1154606 National Centre for complementary and alternative therapy NHS England. (2013, June 24). NHS history. Retrieved January 4th, 2014, from NHS : http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/thenhs/nhshistory/Pages/NHShistory1948.aspx Norland, M., & Parkinson, L Royal College of Psychiatrists. (2010, June). Antidepressants. Retrieved January 6th, 2014, from Royal College of Psychiatrsits: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/healthadvice/treatmentswellbeing/antidepressants.aspx Royal Pharmaceutical Society Science and Technology commitee. (2010). Evidence Check 2: Homeopathy. London: House of Commons. Smith, S. (2013, January 14). Homeopathic 'vaccine pills ' should be withdrawn, says regulator. Retrieved January 10, 2014, from BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-20991335 Society of Homeopaths Society of Homeopaths. (2013, December 4). Provings. Retrieved January 26th, 2014, from Society of Homeopaths: http://www.homeopathy-soh.org/research/research-and-the-society/provings/ Society of Homeopaths- Smallwood, C Stanford, C. (2011). The NHS is right to fund homeopathy. British Medical Association , 342:d2642 . Testimonials British Homeopathic Association. (2014). Testimonials . Retrieved January 7th, 2014, from British Homeopathic Association: http://www.britishhomeopathic.org/testimonials/ University of Maryland Medical Centre Whole Health Now. (2014). What is Homeopathy. Retrieved January 4th, 2014, from Whole Health Now: http://www.wholehealthnow.com/homeopathy_info/