Persons with allergy symptoms use alternative medicine more often.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study is to indicate the relation between the use of alternative medicine and the occurrence of allergic diseases in the Polish population of adults in the age of 20-44 years. Moreover the additional aim of the study is to define the relation between the sex, age and place of living and the use of alternative medicine. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data from the project Epidemiology of Allergic Diseases in Poland (ECAP) has been used for analysis. This project was a continuation of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II. The questions on alternative medicine were asked to the group of 4671 respondents in the age of 20-44 years. Additionally outpatient tests were performed in order to confirm the diagnosis of allergic diseases. RESULTS: The total of 22.2% of respondents that participated in the study have ever used alternative medicine (n = 4621). A statistically significant relation between the use of alternative medicine and declaration of allergic diseases and asthma symptoms has been demonstrated (p < 0.001). No statistically significant relation between the use of alternative medicine by persons diagnosed by a doctor with any form of asthma or seasonal allergic rhinitis (p > 0.05) has been demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of allergic diseases and asthma influences the frequency of alternative medicine use. However the frequency of alternative medicine use does not depend on allergic disease or asthma being confirmed by a doctor.

European Union directives and their effect on the registration and authorisation of anthroposophic and homeopathic medicines.

This paper discusses the question of whether anthroposophic medicinal products can be treated in the European Union as regards registration and marketing authorization, in the same way as homeopathic medicinal products. European Union legislation, European official pharmacopoeias, and bibliography in this regard have been revised. European Directives make a single reference in one of its whereas clauses to anthroposophic medicinal products "described in an official pharmacopoeia and prepared by a homeopathic method". It is referring to those which comply with these two conditions, but it happens that there is no anthroposophic medicinal product "described" in any European official pharmacopoeia. Legislators have known this and continue to be aware of it and have not agreed to extend (since 1992), the reference to anthroposophic products neither do they accept the inclusion of that peculiarity on the label of homeopathic medicinal products. Anthroposophy presents notable variations from homeopathy and it introduces philosophical and "spiritual" variables that are difficult to assess objectively. It is necessary for these products to show, using a scientific methodology, that they are truly bringing patients the therapeutic benefits they claim. In any case, their authorization and registration should not be at the expense of homeopathy, already a highly complex field in its own right.

Possible dangers for patients using homeopathy: may a homeopathic medicinal product contain active substances that are not homeopathic dilutions?

OBJECTIVE: To conclude in an objective and reasonable way whether, from an ethical and legal point of view, in homeopathic medicinal products all the active components have to be in homeopathic dilutions or if it is correct and appropriate for one, some or all of the active components to exist in homeopathic medicinal products without having been subjected to homeopathic potentisations (dilutions followed by succussion). METHODS: Collection and analysis of Spanish and European Union legislation regarding this topic. Revision of the European Pharmacopoeia. Criteria from the homeopathic bibliography. Analysis from the standpoint of ethical principles. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: "Mother tinctures", and other products containing substances that have not been subjected to homeopathic dilutions, cannot be accepted as constitutive components of homeopathic medicinal products. We consider unacceptable the existence of products under the denomination of homeopathic medicinal product if they do not meet the minimal requirements to be considered as such: manufacture by a homeopathic production procedure, which means that all its active components are present in homeopathic dilutions. We recommend that physicians should ask their patients not only if they use homeopathic pharmaceuticals in general but to specify which products they are using, bearing in mind the possibility that they may contain "mother tinctures" or products at such low dilutions that they may interfere with conventional treatment.

Unconventional medicine teaching at the Universities of the European Union.

CONTEXT: The recent rapid increase in demand for and use of unconventional medicine requires an adequate medical education. In the United States, 64% of medical schools offer undergraduate courses. No information is available about similar courses at European universities. OBJECTIVES: To document the incidence of educational courses on unconventional medicine offered by the European universities and their topic content. DESIGN: Mail survey, which consisted of two questionnaires and was conducted in 1999 (January-June). The first questionnaire was sent to the universities' Rectorats, the second one to the faculties or lecturers indicated by the replies to the first questionnaire. PARTICIPANTS: The Universities listed by the Confederation of European Union Rectors' Conference. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Courses offered at European Universities, both at medical faculties and at other faculties. RESULTS: Five hundred and fifty (550) universities were contacted. Replies were received from 326 (59%); 141 have a faculty of medicine and 107 (76%) of them replied. We also received answers from 29 faculties of health sciences. In addition we received 190 (50%) answers from 380 other miscellaneous universities. Courses on unconventional medicine were offered by 43 (40%) medical schools, 21 (72%) health sciences faculties, and by 15 (8%) other faculties. Topics covered encompassed a wide range of techniques (33), from homeopathy to shamanism. CONCLUSIONS: Unconventional medicine courses are widely represented at European universities. They cover a wide range of therapies. Many of them are used clinically. Research work is underway at several faculties.

[Homeopathy]. / L'homéopathie.

The European Union and the European Council are interested in the phenomenon "Homoeopathy". At the initiative of a member of the European Parliament, Mr. Paul LANNOYE, the European Commission created a study group with the aim to answer the question: "Is Homoeopathy researchable?" After 18 month, the group, including conventional pharmacologists and researchers using daily homoeopathy, answered affirmatively to the question. On the other side, the European Council asked the European Commission to start the COST Action B4 (1993 à 1998) with the aim to analyse unconventional medicine in Europe. The experts' group from 14 different countries produced a report on the legal situation, the sociologic and scientific aspects of these practices. Homoeopathy in Europe was deeply scrutinized during this action. The general quality of the clinical publications is acceptable and we could conclude that a specific remedy action, over the placebo effect, can be scientifically expected. The total number of publications is still too low to authorize conclusions about efficacy in one particular diagnosis. About basic research more publications are available and positive results are regular. One third of the publications were published in peer reviewed international journals. Today a sound scientific hypothesis can be drawn up about working mecanisms of homoeopathic dilutions.

Good practice in reviewing and publishing studies on herbal medicine, with special emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese materia medica.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Studies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), like those of other systems of traditional medicine (TM), are very variable in their quality, content and focus, resulting in issues around their acceptability to the global scientific community. In an attempt to address these issues, an European Union funded FP7 consortium, composed of both Chinese and European scientists and named "Good practice in traditional Chinese medicine" (GP-TCM), has devised a series of guidelines and technical notes to facilitate good practice in collecting, assessing and publishing TCM literature as well as highlighting the scope of information that should be in future publications on TMs. This paper summarises these guidelines, together with what has been learned through GP-TCM collaborations, focusing on some common problems and proposing solutions. The recommendations also provide a template for the evaluation of other types of traditional medicine such as Ayurveda, Kampo and Unani. MATERIALS AND METHODS: GP-TCM provided a means by which experts in different areas relating to TCM were able to collaborate in forming a literature review good practice panel which operated through e-mail exchanges, teleconferences and focused discussions at annual meetings. The panel involved coordinators and representatives of each GP-TCM work package (WP) with the latter managing the testing and refining of such guidelines within the context of their respective WPs and providing feedback. RESULTS: A Good Practice Handbook for Scientific Publications on TCM was drafted during the three years of the consortium, showing the value of such networks. A "deliverable - central questions - labour division" model had been established to guide the literature evaluation studies of each WP. The model investigated various scoring systems and their ability to provide consistent and reliable semi-quantitative assessments of the literature, notably in respect of the botanical ingredients involved and the scientific quality of the work described. This resulted in the compilation of (i) a robust scoring system and (ii) a set of minimum standards for publishing in the herbal medicines field, based on an analysis of the main problems identified in published TCM literature. CONCLUSION: Good quality, peer-reviewed literature is crucial in maintaining the integrity and the reputation of the herbal scientific community and promoting good research in TCM. These guidelines provide a clear starting point for this important endeavour. They also provide a platform for adaptation, as appropriate, to other systems of traditional medicine.

[The regulatory framework for complementary and alternative medicines in Europe]. / Europäische Gesetzgebung zu besonderen Therapierichtungen.

Medicinal products from complementary and alternative medicine are in Germany a regular part of the health care system. Herbal, homeopathic, anthroposophic and traditional medicinal products are highly accepted by the population. The German Medicines Act obliged the competent authorities to consider the particular characteristics of complementary and alternative medicines. The European regulatory framework defined the status of herbal medicinal products, traditional herbal medicinal products and homeopathic medicinal products within the directive 2001/83/EC. The committee for herbal medicinal products (HMPC) was established at the European Medicines Agency in London (EMEA); for homeopathic medicinal products there is a specific working group established by the Heads of Medicines Agencies. Harmonisation of medicinal products from complementary and alternative and traditional medicine in Europe was enforced by implementation of directive 2001/83/EC in national legislations of member states. The provisions of this directive will substantially influence the development of the European market during the forthcoming years.

[Homeopathy in veterinary medicine and its pharmacologic/toxicologic and drug regulatory evaluation]. / Homöopathika in der Veterinärmedizin und ihre pharmakologisch/toxikologische und arzneimittelrechtliche Bewertung.

This review gives a summary of the definitions, delimitations and principles of homeopathy and its potential mechanisms of action, which is followed by an overview and critical evaluation of the most important homeopathic drugs registered for treatment of animals. It is shown that several of the marketed homeopathic drugs for treatment of animals violate current drug laws and represent a risk for both the animals and the consumer of food produced from animals. Based on these potential risks of homeopathic treatments, new EC regulations were recently published, which will markedly affect (and hopefully improve) the current situation of veterinary homeopathic drugs.

Algunos aspectos de la reglamentación de la homeopatía en el mundo / Some aspects of the regulation of homeopathy throughout the world

Se presentan algunos aspectos de la Reglamentación Internacional vigente relativa a los medicamentos homeopáticos. Se comparan la reglamentación Europea, en especial, la de Francia y Alemania con la la implantación de una regulación bien definida en beneficio de la Salud Pública