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Schwabe News Volume 2 | Issue 3 | June 2011

News from the world of homoeopathy

Scientific Conference & Experts Meeting conducted by DHU, Germany

Karlsruhe, Germany, June 9-10, 2011: To discuss opportunities and challenges of homoeopathy, Deutsche Homöopathie-Union (DHU), homoeopathic division of Schwabe Group, Germany, had organized a Scientific Conference & Experts Meeting. The event, titled “Homoeopathic Medicinal Products at the Beginning of the 21^st Century:  Opportunities and Challenges”, was held at Karlsruhe, Germany on June 9-10, 2011. The General Manager of DHU, Mr. Patrick Krauth had welcomed all the speakers and delegates.

The first lecture was by Prof. Dr. Robert Jütte, from the Institute of History of Medicine, Robert Bosch Foundation, Stuttgart, Germany, who had given a wonderful lecture on History of Homoeopathy and Dr. Willmar Schwabe as a person and as a company and DHU. The second lecture titled ‘Homoeopathy Today – Contribution to Modern Medicine’ was by Dr. Harald Orth, Director of Pharmacy, DHU. He had pointed out how the OTC homoeopathic products, Dr. Schusler Salts (bio-chemics), etc. have become part in the shelves of pharmacies. He had also made a point that the approach of plurality in medicine and the citizen’s constitutional right to choose the medical system have lead to the inclusion of homoeopathy among the recognised medical systems in many countries. In another lecture by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Süß, who was from the Institute of Pharmacy, University of Leipzig, the evolvement of quality of homoeopathy from organon to the latest pharmacopoeia(s) had been discussed. Prof. Dr. Michael Keusgen, from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Marburg, Germany, spoke on Quality Aspects of Homoeopathic Medicine. Another lecture by Nand De Herdt, President and co-founder of European Coalition on Homeopathic and Anthroposophic Medicinal Products (ECHAMP), had given details about the present and future regulatory requirements for homoeopathy.

The second day sessions were started with an interesting lecture on ‘Update on Basic Research’ in homoeopathy by Dr. Stephan Baumgartner from the University of Bern, Switzerland. He had updated recent researches in homoeopathy with differentiation into low potency range (1x-6x, 1c-3c), medium potency range (6x-24x, 3c-12c) and the high potency range (>24x, >12c). This session was followed by a lecture of Rainer Lüdtke, Senior Researcher, Karl und Veronica Carstens-Foundation, Germany, on Clinical Trials in Homoeopathy. The third lecture on the day was on ‘Physician’s Interest in Data’ by Dr. Jean Pierre Jansen, Coordinator, Subcommittee for Provings of the European Committee for Homoeopathy.

All other sessions were devoted on the ‘Use of Homoeopathic Medicinal Products Worldwide’. The first presentation was by Max Daege, Chairman of Membership Assembly 2011 of ECHAMP. He had presented with facts and figures about the status of homoeopathy in the entire European region. Prof. Dr. Tatyana L. Kiseleva, Professor, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, and President, Professional Association of Naturotherapists, had given the next presentation on history and current status of homoeopathy in the Russian Federation. It was followed by Dr. R. Valavan’s presentation on homoeopathy in India. It was segmented into historical background, legal status, acceptance and demand, education and practice, homoeopathy infrastructure under Union Government, Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia and quality aspects, and the prescribing trends. Later, Prof. Dr. Ezequiel Paulo Viriato had presented on the status of homoeopathy in Brazil. Prof. Dr. Tsige Gebre Mariam from School of Pharmacy, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, had also presented on the present situation of homoeopathy in different countries within African continent. Representing the United States of America (USA), Dr. David Riley from Integrative Medical Institute, had given good number of facts and figures on homoeopathy.