Memorandum submitted by Irish Health Trade Association HO 47

If I may, I would like to refer you to the website of the South African Faculty of Homeopathy. The faculty provides training in homeopathy for medical doctors.

In particular, I would like to refer you to a page of the website titled: Research in Homeopathy.
http://www.homeopathysouthafrica.co.za/homeopathy_research_evidence.htm

There you will find the following:

1. A debunking of the myth that homeopathy 'works' by a placebo effect

2. A highlighting of some randomized clinical trials and the meta-analyses of these trials that show homeopathy has a positive clinical effect.

3. A presentation of outcome studies, large case series and research that demonstrates high rates of patient satisfaction with homeopathic treatment.

4. A look at the laboratory research and a meta-analysis of these trials that all show that homeopathy has a multitude of effects in laboratory conditions.

There follows a demonstration of how research has shown that homeopathy is:

• Safe
• Cost-effective and offers an opportunity for resource-conscious health authorities to provide additional health benefits for their populations.

Homeopathy and funding is then examined in a South African context as follows:

• Increasing numbers of patients and medical doctors are using homeopathy
• More medical doctors are being trained in homeopathy.
• Funders are prepared to pay for homeopathy

Research that gives encouraging indications as to how homeopathy works is also presented.

Dr. Alan G. Ruth
Chief Executive Officer
Irish Health Trade Association

November 2009