Current regulatory status
The current regulatory status of homeopathy in Europe.
Homeopathy as a distinct medical therapy is recognised by law in Belgium (1999), Bulgaria (2005), Germany (1998), Hungary (1997), Latvia (1997), Portugal (2003), Romania (1981), Slovenia (2007) and the United Kingdom (1950).
In Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, Slovenia and Spain homeopathy is recognised for medical doctors only. In Belgium and Portugal the law does not explicitly exclude non-medical practitioners, but has not yet been implemented. In Slovenia, although the law permits medical doctors to practise homeopathy, the medical association withdraws doctors’ licenses if they actually practise homeopathy.
In some countries where the government has delegated the tasks of authorisation, registration and supervision of medical practitioners to the national medical associations, statutory regulation has been introduced by the national medical associations, e.g. in Austria and Switzerland. In Lithuania it was the national institute of medico-legal affairs that regulated homeopathy. The national medical association in Italy has recognised homeopathy as a distinctive medical therapy and called on the government to provide the necessary legislation.
Regulation of the profession of homeopathic doctors by the medical association/council/chamber
In Latvia the medical council/chamber has recognised homeopathy as a medical specialty. In the following countries as an additional qualification: Austria, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania (almost subspecialty), Romania, Switzerland (subspeciality for GPs, paediatricians and internists).
Diplomas of homeopathic doctors
In Austria, Germany, Lithuania, and Switzerland the diplomas of homeopathic doctors are issued by the national medical council/chamber, in other countries usually by the national homeopathic doctors’ association. Diplomas issued by the national homeopathic doctors’ association are officially approved by the government in Latvia and Romania and are recognized by the national medical council/chamber in Romania.
Homeopathy at universities
Familiarisation courses about homeopathy are provided in the medical undergraduate curriculum as a part of a course on Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Hungary (one university), Italy and the Netherlands; as a separate subject in Bulgaria, Germany and Romania. These familiarisation courses are optional for medical students in Germany, Hungary (one university), Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland (some universities), obligatory in Latvia and Romania.
Postgraduate training courses in homeopathy for doctors are provided at universities in Bulgaria, France, Italy, Lithuania and Spain, in other countries at private teaching centres.
Homeopathy is an official part of the Continuous Education Programme for doctors in Hungary and Romania.
A lectureship specifically for homeopathy exists only in the Netherlands (Amsterdam), a professorial chair of CAM including homeopathy in Hungary (Pécs) and Switzerland (Bern).
Continuing Medical Education in general (conventional) medicine is obligatory for all medical doctors in Belgium, Italy, Lithuania, Slovakia (controlled by the government) and in Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland (control by the national medical associations/chambers/councils).
In Latvia, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland the national homeopathic doctors’ associations require a defined amount of CME from their members.
Continuing Medical Education in homeopathy is obligatory for all homeopathic doctors in Lithuania and Romania (controlled by the government), in Hungary and Romania (controlled by the national medical associations/chambers/councils), and in Belgium, Bulgaria, Latvia, Netherlands, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland (controlled by the national homeopathic doctors’ associations).
Insurance coverage
In Belgium and Romania the fees for homeopathic treatment are covered by the national health insurance system, in Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Switzerland by additional private insurance companies.
There is only partial coverage in Belgium, Latvia, and Romania.
The costs for homeopathic medicines are covered by the national health insurance system in Belgium and Switzerland, by additional private insurance companies in Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, and the Netherlands.
There is only partial coverage in Belgium and Portugal (as magistral formula).
