Dr Kevin Smith, a bioethics expert from the University of Abertay Dundee has openly declared homeopathy as dangerous and calls for banning the practice. He has also publicly denounced funding homeopathy.
Dr Smith, who broke this news in the journal of Bioethics, stated that Homeopathy is ethically unacceptable and should be rejected by healthcare and education providers. Homeopathy has come under severe criticisms in the recent days from several quarters including the British Medical Association. "The NHS in Scotland is spending far more per person on homeopathic treatments than in the rest of the UK and now in particular, in times where finances are stretched to breaking point and funding for vital services is at risk, this is incredible," said Dr Smith.
He argues that funding of homeopathy by the government gives it credibility and this in turn jeopardizes the public. He states that legitimizing homeopathy would hint that it has a scientific basis and people may blindly believe in homeopathy and reject effective medicine.
Homeopathy supporters feel that because of homeopathy, patient feels a placebo effect and that is a benefit to the patient. For this Dr Smith retorts, "If placebo effect is the only form of benefit, then you're effectively lying to the patient and going against a core principle of medical ethics that patients must have all the information available to give fully informed consent." He further adds that homeopathic preparations are diluted to a large extent and hence there is no active ingredient in it. He states that such dilute preparations will have no positive effect on the patient. He also said that many studies have been conducted on homeopathy but none of these have been able to prove the effectiveness of homeopathy.
"Those who believe it works either do not understand the science, or are simply deluded. It is important to realise that homeopathy is not ethically neutral; it is wasteful and potentially dangerous, and conflicts with fundamental ethical principles," informs Dr Smith.
