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pc doctors prescribe homeopathic London:
A new research has revealed that sixty per cent of doctors in Scotland
prescribe homeopathic or herbal remedies. The findings have led researchers
to call for a critical review of homeopathic and herbal prescribing
in the UK National Health Service, particularly the high levels given
to babies and children under 16. 49 per cent of practices prescribed
a total of 193 different homeopathic remedies and 32 per cent prescribed
17 different herbal remedies. Five per cent of the practices included
in the study prescribed 50 per cent of the remedies and accounted for
46 per cent of the patients receiving them. 4160 patients (2.2 per 1000
registered patients) were prescribed at least one homeopathic remedy
during the study period. 73 per cent were female and the average age
of patients was 47. Children under 12 months were most likely to be
prescribed a homeopathic or herbal remedy (9.5 per 1000 children in
that age group), followed by adults aged 81-90 (4.5 per 1000). 16 per
cent of homeopathic prescribing was to children under 16. 361 patients
were prescribed at least one herbal remedy during the study period (0.2
per 1000 registered patients) and 12 per cent of these were children
under 16 years old. 72 per cent of prescriptions were issued to females
and the average age was 61. Doctors who prescribed patients a homeopathic
remedy also prescribed them a median of four conventional medicines
during the study period. This figure went up to five for people prescribed
herbal remedies. Four per cent of patients prescribed a herbal remedy
were, at the same time, prescribed conventional medication that has
been documented to interact with herbal treatments. "Our study shows
that a substantial number of Scottish family doctors prescribe homeopathic
and herbal remedies" says co-author Dr James McLay from the University's
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics. "This level of prescribing
raises important questions about homeopathic and herbal provision in
the UK's National Health Service "The major problem with homeopathic
preparations is the lack of scientific evidence that they are effective.
"Given the rise of evidence-based medicine and the trend toward prescribing
guidance in the UK, should therapies with no convincing positive clinical
trial evidence be prescribed and funded by the health service."
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