WELCOME! to the web-site of ECCH, the representative professional platform for the homeopathy profession in Europe made up of 26 member professional associations in 22 EU, EEA and CEE countries. More introductory information about ECCH is available under the Public Servicessection of this site. To find a list of national professional associations throughout Europe click on ECCH Members. Latest News:
30 May 2010
ECCH celebrates 20 years of representing homeopaths in Europe
At its 19th Annual General Meeting, held in the beautiful city of Helsinki Finland, ECCH celebrated 20 years of its existence and status as the established professional platform for homeopathy practitioners in Europe. Kindly hosted by the Finnish national association of homeopaths, Suomen Homeopaatit Ry, the Council met over four days and enjoyed a programme of formal and informal meetings and celebrations. On Saturday afternoon the Council meeting was joined by Sirpa Pietikäinen, (centre photo) Member of the European Parliament representing the Finnish National Coalition Party. After listening to two short presentations, one from ECCH Chairman Petter Viksveen (far right of MEP) on the history of ECCH and one from ECCH General Secretary Stephen Gordon (right of MEP) on the place of homeopathy and complementary medicine in Europe, Sirpa Pietikäinen responded with her thoughts on the current state of health and healthcare in the EU. She congratulated the Council on its work and invited the Finnish representatives and the ECCH officers to continue to maintain contact with her for future work in developing an agenda for a more integrated and holistic healthcare agenda for EU citizens. The Chairwoman of the Finnish Association Irmeli Lehtioksa (left of MEP) thanked Sirpa Pietikäinen on behalf of everyone for having taken the time off from her busy schedule to attend the meeting and assured her of future contact. .
Note: ECCH began when a handful of national association representatives from 5 countries met for the first time in Baarn in the Netherlands in June 1990. A decision was taken at that very first meeting to form a pan-European council to represent the homeopathy profession in Europe. 20 years later, one of those original founders, Stephen Gordon, is still serving as the appointed General Secretary of ECCH. The Council itself now has a membership of 27 national associations in 24 different countries in Europe.
15 March 2010 Third EU Homeopathy Day Celebration Takes Place in the European Parliament 23 March 2010
100 million EU citizens, some 29% of the EU's population, use homeopathic medicines in their day-to-day healthcare, accessing it either through the purchase of over-the-counter medicines or through consultation with one of the tens of thousands of doctors and practitioners who provide homeopathic treatment professionally. The continuing rise in homeopathy's popularity is due to the simple fact that, for many, many patients, it works for them and their health problems. Hence the title of this year's event 'Homeopathy - because it works for me!
Joint Statement from ECCH and ICH: UK House of Commons Enquiry and its Final Report Found to be Deeply Faulted
After consideration of the UK House of Commons Science and Technology Committee's "Evidence Check' enquiry report on homeopathy the ECCH and ICH Councils reject the report published on 22 February as the product of a deeply faulted process that appears to have been driven by the coordinated efforts and opinions of a few members of the UK homeopathy sceptic cabal working inside and outside the House of Commons.
As evidence emerges of how the enquiry was carried out it would appear that the institutions and processes of the House of Commons have been used to produce a report that was never ever going to be anything but negative in its conclusions. A more detailed critique of the report and the process that has given rise to it is in preparation and will be published at a later date on this web-site.
15 February 2010
High Potency Homeopathic Medicines Affect Cancer Cells
Hard on the heels of the evidence for the effects of high dilutions published in the current volume of 'Homeopathy (see 25 January news item) comes yet more evidence for the effect of high dilution homeopathic medicines in a study published in the high impact, highly respected 'International Journal of Oncology'.
The study reveals that certain high potency homeopathic remedies have preferentially elevated cytotoxic effects on breast adenocarcinoma cells compared with cells derived from normal breast epithelium. The experiments were conducted in triplicate and repeated at least twice in each case of a remedy. The homeopathic medicines tested included: Carcinosin, 30C; Conium maculatum, 3C; Phytolacca decandra, 200C and Thuja occidentalis, 30C The strongest effects were found from Carcinosin and Phytolacca, remedies that are well documented in the homeopathic literature for their beneficial effects in patients with cancer.
The researchers concluded, "the ultra-diluted natural homeopathic remedies investigated in this study offer the promise of being effective preventive and/or therapeutic agents for breast cancer and worthy of further study.".
More Positive Evidence for the Effects of High Dilutions and Homeopathy's Effectiveness -
The latest double volume edition of the journal 'Homeopathy' is dedicated to the sharing of further proof that high dilution medicines have an effect. Both volumes contain a range of articles revealing the effects of high dilution medicines in in-vitro experiments as well as some trials showing the effectiveness of homeopathic treatment. The journal owner and editor have generously made the second volume free to access and download. It can be found at:
3 Year EU CAM Research Project Kicks Off in Munich
A three year EU Commission funded project to research the area of
Complementary and Alternative Medicine(CAM) in Europe kicked off with
an inaugural meeting of the project group in Munich on the 21 & 22
January 2010. The project entitled CAMbrella is led by a consortium of
16 university-based research teams working together with an Advisory
Group of stakeholder representatives from the CAM sector and from other
groups representing patients and consumers. The meeting was addressed
by a representative from the EU Commission Directorate General for
Research and Development who outlined the various responsibilities
involved in managing the project and the 1.5 million Euro grant awarded
to the successful CAMbrella consortium, one of several that bid for the
funding.
The project will extend over a period of three years and culminate in
December 2012 with a summary report being produced and a final project
conference in which the results will be presented and discussed. Areas
to be researched through 8 work package agendas include descriptions of
the various CAM modalities and and definitions of terms; patient use,
needs and expectations; provider perspectives including those of the
CAM therapeutic medicines and products industry and a roadmap of
recommendations for future research in to CAM as a springboard for
future research in the area. ECCH is represented on the CAMbrella Advisory
Board by General Secretary Stephen Gordon.
Antibiotics:
Life savers and cause of death. Alternatives needed
Antibiotic resistance has become a global health problem.
Over-use and mis-use of antibiotics has caused the development of lethal
antibiotic resistant micro-organisms. They are now also suspected of causing
cancer. Can homeopathy serve as an alternative?
International warning
18 November 2009 was the 2nd European Antibiotic
Awareness Day. The European Centre of Disease
prevention and Control (ECDC)warned about the
threat of antibiotic resistance andcalledfor antibiotics to be used far more responsibly in
the treatment of infectious diseases1. Antibiotics are of no use in
viral infections and they should not be used in uncomplicated bacterial
infections such as light ear, throat and sinus infections2.
The ECDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) warn that
infectious micro-organisms have become increasingly resistant to existing
antibiotics3.Replacementproductsare proving
difficult to find. Governments and researchers across the world are searching
for alternatives.
Antibiotics may cause cancer
A Finnish study based on three million people correlates a
higher risk of developing prostate, breast, lung, and colon cancer with
multiple use of antibiotics4. Researchers
are currently unsure as to whether antibiotics are carcinogenic and directly
cause cancer, or that cancers develop as a result ofantibiotics disturbingthe body’s protective intestinal micro-biotic
environment.
Homeopathy – effective in infectious diseases
Research shows that homeopathy can serve as an effective
alternative to antibiotics in a range of infectious conditions for which they
have been commonly used5-13.
Out of 500 patients suffering from upper respiratory
complaints, 82 % receiving homeopathy improved within 14 days, compared to 67 %
treated conventionally10. In another study with 169 children, those
receiving homeopathic treatment had significantly less symptoms and shorter
duration of disease compared to other children11. Their parents also
had less time away from work.
Homeopathy is effective in treating recurrent ear infections
in children7-8. Over 70 % had no ear infections after homeopathy,
compared to 57 % percent receiving conventional drugs8. Out of 230
children those receiving homeopathic treatment recovered 2.4 times faster than
others7.
Three surveys show that homeopathy is at least as effective
as conventional treatment in treating sinus infections5,12-13.
Patients
receiving homeopathic treatment need antibiotics less often. Moreover, no
complications are found. Homeopathy is not only effective and avoids the
creation of antibiotic resistance, but is also shown to be potentially a more
cost-effective solution14-16.
In summary: Homeopathy may
be at least as effective as conventional treatment in treating infectious
diseases. It could therefore serve as an effective first line option in
treating viral and mild bacterial infectious diseases and so help preserve
antibiotics for when they are really needed.
2.Arroll B, Kenealy T. Are antibiotics
effective for acute purulent rhinitis? Systematic review and meta-analysis of
placebo controlled randomised trials. BMJ 2006, doi:10.1136/bmj.38891.681215.AE
4.Kilkkinen
A, Rissanen H, Klaukka T, Pukkala E, Heliövaara M, Huovinen P, Männistö S,
Aromaa A, Knekt P. Antibiotic use predicts an increased risk of
cancer. Int. J. Cancer 2008, 123, 2152–2155.
5.Adler
M. Efficacy, safety of a fixed-combination homeopathic therapy for sinusitis.
Adv Ther 1999; 16: 103-111.
6.De Lange de Klerk E, et al. Effects of homoeopathic medicines on
daily burden of symptoms in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract
infections. BMJ 1994; 309: 1329-1332.
7.Frei H,
Thurneysen A. Homeopathy in acute otitis media in children: treatment effect or
spontaneous resolution? Br Homeopath J 2001, 90: 180-182.
8.Friese
K-H, Kruse S, Ludtke R, Moeller H. Homeopathic treatment of otitis media in
children: comparisons with conventional therapy. Int J Clim Pharmacol Ther
1997; 35: 296-301.
9.Jacobs
J, Springer DA, Crothers D. Homeopathic treatment of acute otitis media in
children: a preliminary randomized placebo-controlled trial. Pediatr Infect Dis
J 2001; 20: 177-183.
10.Riley
D, Fischer M, Singh B, Haidvogl M, Heger M. Homeopathy and conventional
medicine: an outcojmes study comparing effectiveness in a primary care setting.
J Altern Complement Med 2001; 7: 149-159.
11.Steinsbekk
A, Fønnebø V, Lewith G, Bentzen N. Homeopathic care for the prevention of upper
respiratory tract infections in children: A pragmatic, randomised, controlled
trial comparing individualised homeopathic care and waiting-list controls.
Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2005, 13, 231-238.
12.Weber
U, Luedtke R, Friese KH, Fischer I, Moeller H. A non-randomised pilot study to
compare complementary and conventional tretaments of acute sinusitis. Forsch
Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 2002; 9: 99-104.
13.Wiesenauer
M, Gaus W, Bohnacker U, Haussler S. (Efficiency of homeopathic preparation
combinations in sinusitis. Results of a randomized double blind study with
general practitioners.) Arzneimittelforschung 1989; 39: 620-625.
14.Rossi
E, Crudeli L, Endrizzi C, Garibaldi D. Cost-benefit evaluation of homeopathic
versus conventional therapy in respiratory diseases. Homeopathy 2009, 98, 2–10.
15.Trichard
M, Chaufferin G, Dubreuil C, Nicoloyannis N, Duru G. Effectiveness,
quality of life, and cost of caring for children in France with recurrent acute
rhinopharyngitis managed by homeopathic or non-homeopathic general
practitioners. Dis Manage Health Outcomes 2004, 12(6): 419-427.
Van Wassenhoven M, Ives G. An observational study of patients receiving
homeopathic treatment. Homeopathy 2004, 93, 3–11.
Public Services
If you are a member of the public seeking brief information about homeopathy then you should go to our introductory page.
If you are seeking the services of a qualified and registered homeopath in your particular country then please see if there is a member association of ECCH in your country in the ECCH Members section.
For information about ECCH itself please click here.
For Homeopaths
As well as the introductory pages for the members of the public we have developed a number of other web-pages of interest to homeopaths in this section of the site.
and Homeopathy's Effectiveness - 