Evidence Check 2: Homeopathy - Homeowatch

Evidence Check 2: Homeopathy 27It would depend to some extent on two factors. First, there has to be an agreementon the health package with a GP. Let us say, for the sake of your argument, there wasa GP who believed in homeopathy and, therefore, thought this was the right thing todo. Secondly, there would have to be a PCT who was prepared to fund that. Therewould have to be the agreement of three parties, in effect: the patient, the doctor (theGP) and the PCT. All would have to agree that that funding would be forthcomingfor homeopathy. In theory it is possible. Is it going to happen in the next few years?No. Is it possible it could happen in the long term? Theoretically yes, but you wouldhave to get the three to agree. 126104. As we understand it, to get homeopathy on the NHS today, the agreement of patient,GP and PCT is already necessary. We fail to see how this arrangement would change withthe introduction of personal health budgets: the PCT will continue to have a veto overprovision of homeopathy. In our view, the Government should prohibit access to nonevidence-basedtreatments if it introduces personal health budgets. We see no convincingreason to allow patients to spend public money on placebos such as homeopathy. We alsorecognise the problem that allowing NHS funding to be spent on non-efficacious and noncosteffective treatments means that NHS money cannot be spent on efficacious and costeffectivetreatments. We recommend that if personal health budgets proceed beyond thepilot stage the Government should not allow patients to buy non-evidence-basedtreatments such as homeopathy with public money.Risk of harm to patients105. The central aim of medicine is making people better. While placebos may be effectiveat relieving symptoms (for example, pain), they cannot treat the underlying cause ofsymptoms (for example, broken bones). There is a risk that a patient whose symptomsimprove following homeopathic treatment (because of a placebo effect or because thesymptom would have diminished unaided) may delay seeking proper medical diagnosis forfuture symptoms that may or may not be for a serious underlying condition. TraceyBrown, Managing Director of Sense About Science, pointed out that:there is the issue that even minor conditions can sometimes betray a more seriouscondition. For example, constipation. It sounds harmless to be taking sugar pills forconstipation, but actually sometimes that is a symptom of a more serious conditionand diagnosis is necessary. So there is the possibility of delayed diagnosis or peoplebelieving that they are seeking effective treatment when they are not. 127106. We are aware that large numbers of the public may not be aware what homeopathyreally is. Sense About Science, which is a charity promoting science and evidence for thepublic, has monitored public perceptions of homeopathy. In their written submission theytold us:In 2006 we reviewed discussion about homeopathy and made two observations:126 Qq 215–16127 Q 27