About three years ago there was considerable concern about the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) becoming associated with homeopathy.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is introducing rules to allow remedies to specify the ailments for which they can be used.
But critics argue the treatments will not be rigorously tested as they do not need to undergo the clinical trials orthodox drugs do to get a licence.
Sense about Science argued this was a move away from science, and Professor David Colquhoun was slightly more forthright.
The Pharmaceutical Journal reports that the first homoeopathic remedy has now received approval to be labelled with therapeutic indications. A homeopathy remedy called “Nelsons arnica ClikPak” is now labelled for the “symptomatic relief of sprains, muscular aches and bruising and swelling after contusions”. The MHRA told The Pharmaceutical Journal that:
“The purpose of the National Rules Scheme is to address the anomalies in regulating homoeopathic medicinal products and enable consumers to make an informed choice.
“It is not to encourage new users to make their first-time purchase, nor to give homoeopathy ‘added credibility as a safe and natural complement to conventional medicine’.”
Homeopaths don’t agree. Here’s the Chairmen of the company who obtained the approval:
“The fact that therapeutic indications may now be included on the packaging of licensed homoeopathic medicines not only opens the practice of homoeopathy up to new users but also gives it added credibility as a safe and natural complement to conventional medicine.”
The company have no scientific proof for its efficacy, nor can they provide a credible scientific basis for the whole practice of homeopathy, but they can now cite the MHRA approval as adding credibility. I find it hard to beleive that the public will not see approval of homeopathic preparations by a drug regulator as a “scientific” blessing of the product.
On the other hand, the MHRA’s move into this arena, might allow them to stamp out the worst examples of this fraudulent pseudoscience.
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“On the other hand, the MHRA’s move into this arena, might allow them to stamp out the worst examples of this fraudulent pseudoscience.”
False compromise.
The MHRA is a weasel wordy disgrace.
Sorry Anthony, I had the MHRA deal with a case of homeoprophylaxis recently, no action taken, services phrased in such a way as to avoid MHRA involvement.
They’ve messed up. There are apparently no consequences to selling and telling people your homeopathic vaccines can prevent disease.
No need to apologise to me Gimpy, I wasn’t exactly jumping up in delight about homeopathy getting licences.