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HOME >>ADVOCACY Supporters of homeopathy are accustomed to challenges directed at the basis and efficacy of homeopathic medicines. However, over the last several years -- beginning with the publication of distorted information and opinion in the August 27, 2005 issue of Lancet -- there has been a growing onslaught of negative press and government reaction that has the potential of seriously damaging public access to quality homeopathic treatment in Canada and around the world. The homeopathic community needs to take a stand to stop this flood of inaccurate and inflammatory media coverage about homeopathy and the erosion of public and government confidence in homeopathic medicine. You can take action now on behalf of homeopathy by responding to current developments as they occur (see below). CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING HOMEOPATHY December 6, 2011: Healthy Canadians - A Federal Report on Comparable Health Indicators 2010 Health Canada releases a 220-page report intended to provide the “most current national information available on the health status of Canadians and the performance of our health care system … in order to follow trends and progress toward improving the health of Canadians.” Notably missing from the report are all Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) modalities -- including homeopathy -- which play an increasingly important role in the health care of many Canadians. The report includes a short survey for assessing current indicators and suggesting additional ones. If you wish to help the government improve the quality and scope of future reports, CLICK HERE. November 15, 2011: Seven out of ten support a new act A new Ipsos Reid Omnibus opinion survey reveals overwhelming public confidence in the safety and importance of natural health products. The survey also demonstrates strong public support for a modernized Food and Drug Act, as called for by the Natural Health Products Protection Association (NHPPA). Canadian Society of Homeopaths actively supports NHPPA and their proposal for new legislation that would recognize that natural health products (including homeopathic medicines) are neither food nor drugs and that they should not be regulated under the same restrictions that have been developed for prescription drugs. If you support this call to remove natural health products (including homeopathy) from the sub-set of drugs, print off copies of this media release and mail it, and a brief note explaining your position, to your local Member of Parliament in Ottawa, plus the Minister of Health and the Prime Minister. To assure credibility, be sure to include your name, address, and phone number on each note. Mail may be sent postage-free to any Member of Parliament at the following address: Name of Member of Parliament, MP House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 To find e-mail addresses for individual Members of Parliament, please consult the Current Members of Parliament directory. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING HOMEOPATHY January 14, 2011: CBC's consumer investigation programme, Marketplace, plans to air an episode entitled Homeopathy: Cure or Con? on Friday, January 14. Preliminary promotion suggests that the content of this programme may not be as balanced or accurate as we would expect from our national television network. ACTION: Watch the programme and judge for yourself. Afterwards, you can leave comments regarding its content or your personal experiences with homeopathy at any of the following blogs: CBC News Marketplace Comments CBC Health Comments CBC News Social Comments Note that CBC has posted a notice that any of these sites can be closed at any time, so it is advisable to submit comments early. RESULTS: Comments were closed one week following the initial broadcast of the Marketplace episode Homeopathy: Cure or Con? By that time, over 2,300 comments had been posted on the three CBC message boards regarding the programme. They included an overwhelming number of testimonials and positive messages about homeopathy, which are posted on the following sites: Marketplace Comments (1716) Social Comments Comments (486) Health Comments (115) STATUS OF PAST DEVELOPMENTS AFFECTING HOMEOPATHY Past action campaigns are discussed HERE. |
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