Homeopathy
Self-regulation is simply not good enough.
Last fall, a Senate committee released a legislative report that was highly deferential to the homeopathy industry (you can read the details here).
Here’s a snippet:
The Senate Committee on Appropriations, led by Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and Vice Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), recently issued a committee report showing extreme deference to the homeopathy industry.
The committee report (S. Rept. 118-44) is regarding a Senate funding bill for 2024 (S. 2131). In its report, the committee calls on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to work hand-in-hand with the homeopathy industry toward the regulation of its products, using “homeopathic specific standards.”
Homeopathy has been conclusively proven not to work and to be biologically implausible; nearly all medical experts agree that is not legitimate; and no homeopathic product currently has FDA approval.
(We have done tons of posts and podcast episodes on homeopathy if you need a refresher!)
A call to action:
We are looking for scientific and medical experts to join us in calling for greater federal regulation of homeopathic products and objecting to Senate recommendations to the contrary. We are working with key stakeholders to put together a letter which we would love to send to you for your signature. If you're interested, please add your information here and we will follow up with more information as we move things forward. Inputting your information here does not commit you to anything-- we are simply compiling a list of folks who are willing to receive a follow-up email with a draft of a letter communicating our concerns and will allow you to review it before deciding whether or not to sign.
Thank you!
Yours in science,
Jess & Andrea
In Switzerland we are finally putting legislation forward to remove homeopathy from being covered in our healthcare insurances for the exact reasons highlighted in your article. We should not be paying for therapies that have no quality or regulatory oversight and are implausible to treat many conditions. It’s about time, but the German speaking part especially has a strong affinity towards these sham treatments as it’s viewed from a cultural perspective with endearment because it was founded in Germany. Given how much insurance costs here, that we all must pay into the risk pool and as the resources are finite, this is the right thing to do. If people want to continue to pay out of pocket for this they are welcome too, but we should not be pooling this cost in insurance not covering it in our public healthcare systems either.