Homeopathic Directive

A direct action or effect on body functions cannot be demonstrated for homeopathic medicines. Therapeutic success is due to the suggestive powers of the homeopath and the expectancy of the patient When an illness is strongly influenced by emotional (psychic) factors and cannot be treated well by allopathic means, a case can be made in favor of exploiting suggestion as a therapeutic tool. Homeopathy is one of several possible methods of doing so. 

These two main review Committees had their own dedicated professional secretariat with a remit to review the evidence of safety, quality and efficacy of all 39 035 PLRs. Of these some 6000 PLRs related to homeopathic or blood products, vaccines, toxins, sera and radiopharmaceuticals that were excluded from review requirements since these were excluded from Directives EEC/65/65, 75/318 and 75/319 as they stood in 1976. Subsequently, however, the Extension Directive brought even these products within the scope of review. 

Council Directive 92/73/EEC of 22 September 1992 on homeopathic medicinal products. 

Since all the relevant and recent EC Directives have been implemented in Belgium, all classes of medicinal products mentioned in them have to be registered. Homeopathic products are approved on their analytical dossier of the undiluted ingredients and other substances that are used in their manufacture. They are marketed only on the basis of homeopathic indications and are not allowed to make any therapeutic claim. The evaluation criteria are determined by EC regulations. When necessary, the Inspectorate issues circulars for products or classes of... 

Figure 3 shows the growing homeopathic selection in Hungary. The relatively small number of complex preparations can be attributed to strict adherence to the EU Directive. 

No formal legislation (ordinances, regulations) with respect to homeopathic products exists. New directives have recently been issued by the Pharmaceutical... 

Due to European directive 92/73/EEC on homeopathic medicines, the registration of these products has been implemented by a Decree established at the end of 1995 by Dutch legislation. This Decree divides products as follows ... 

In homeopathy (see the discussion of this type of medicine in chapter 4), a dilute alcohol/water extract is used as a base for preparing other medicines. This preparation is called the mother tincture and it is made in a 1 10 dilution with the fresh ripe berries. The directions for its manufacture in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia are as follows ... 

Directive 92/73 makes similar provisions for homeopathic drugs. 

Directives 75/318/EEC and 75/319/EEC, amended at different times from the original version, state the documents and requirements for manufacture and marketing authorization. Definition of the professional profile of the qualified person responsible for the quality of medicinal products is presented, and a technical body on medicines, the Committee of Proprietary Medicinal Products (CPMP), is created. Due to technical reasons, some products such as vaccines and sera, homeopathics, hemoderivatives, and radiopharmaceuticals were excluded from the scope of this directive in its original version. 

After Directive 89/341/EEC had been issued, a block of directives, so-called extension directives, extended the scope of Directives 65/65/EEC, and 75/319/EEC to vaccines and sera, homeopathics, hemoderivatives, and radiopharmaceuticals, giving specific details for them. This means that all pharmaceutical directives must be applied to these products. 

Most homeopathic trials have been directed to treat conditions associated with cough, such as URTI inclnding colds, rather than congh itself. Few studies have reached acceptable scientific standards and, of those that have, the resnlts have been various. 

POE, added to water at homeopathic dose levels, completely transforms its hydrodynamic properties (take, for example, the experiment devised by James in Toronto). We see here another aspect of soft matter the fact that an additive, in very small quantities, can change everything. A whole practical area of science, called formulation, is based on the study of such additives, whether it be an ink, a paint, a medicine, or a product for treating vines. In this sense, soft matter physics is directly concerned with industrial problems. 

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