Etat des lieux de l'homéopathie en Belgique - KCE

KCE Reports 154 Homeopathy 41
“Mon aîné a eu une pneumonie, et mon homéopathe a dit que c’était trop loin, qu’un
remède ne suffira pas, et il a prescrit un antibiotique. Je peux parfaitement comprendre que
pour un cas extrême, un cas d’extrême urgence, qu’il faille en arriver là, mais je pense que
pour tous les petits bobos, toutes les petites maladies des enfants, je pense que l’on pourrait se
satisfaire de moins d’antibiotiques…” (User 4)
In no way do users want their homeopath to stick strictly to prescribing homeopathy
but want the homeopath to use it to its limits. Thus they are delegating to the
homeopath the responsibility for judging the boundary between homeopathy and
allopathy. Moreover, users’ trust in the homeopath is based on this ability to judge.
“J’ai plus confiance en quelqu’un qui va avoir une vision globale des choses que dans
une analyse locale du problème” (User 5)
Obviously this is a strong argument against the practice of homeopathy by nonphysicians,
given that users consulting a homeopathic doctor are first and foremost
consulting a physician who can prescribe either homeopathy or allopathy, depending on
the circumstances.
The quality of the relationship and the way in which a homeopathic consultation takes
place is a crucial element for users, with some going so far as to say that, in certain
cases, they consider the consultation to be more important than the remedy.
“J’avoue que je pense parfois que la séance chez le médecin a plus d’impact que les
granules qu’il me prescrit. Mais peu importe finalement, c’est d’obtenir un résultat, que je n’ai
pas quand je consulte quelqu’un d’autre” (User 5)
• Users may perceive the homeopath as a guarantor of their health over the
seasons more than as a repairer of the body whom they consult when
problems arise.
• Users view homeopathy as a different type of medicine, but as a medicine
nonetheless. They consider it important for their practitioner to have
medical training and a good knowledge of the human body.
• Users consulting a homeopathic doctor do not expect him or her to
prescribe homeopathy at any cost but to discriminate between problems for
which homeopathy is or is not sufficient.
• Users attach just as much importance to the consultation with their
homeopath as to the remedies they receive.
2) Perception of the components of the homeopathic system
The initial consultation gave interviewed users the impression that they had been
questioned about various aspects of their lives and so had been cared for “holistically”:
“Je garde l’impression d’avoir été prise en charge de façon intégrale. Le médecin a posé
des questions à propos de mon parcours de vie, de mes sentiments, mes émotions, mon dossier
médical, ma condition physique, mon entourage familial, ma situation professionnelle, etc.”
(User 2)
What they remember most is the questions they were asked during the case-taking
consultation, some of which they felt bore little direct relationship with their complaints
or health:
“Elle posait des questions qui n’étaient pas strictement liées au symptôme ou au corps :
est-ce que je préfère manger salé ou sucré, est-ce que je me lève tôt ou tard, est-ce que je suis
frileuse, etc.” (User 1)
Food plays an important role in the aspects examined by practitioners.
“Elle insiste énormément sur les choix alimentaires, elle est très sensible à cela, avec
parfois quelque chose d’assez rigide…” (User 1)
Users generally see these questions about many aspects of their lives as intended to
identify the patient’s personality and are the first element of what users perceive as a
holistic approach.