Homeopaths Reaccredited by Standards Body but With Conditions

The Society of Homeopaths professional registration has been renewed with conditions attached.

The practice of homeopathy, using highly diluted substances as a treatment, was called "scientifically implausible" in a 2010 House of Commons Science and Technology Committee report, and is rarely funded by the NHS, which insists on evidence-based therapies.

The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) regulates some alternative practitioners as well as mainstream healthcare. It allowed reaccreditation as long as registrants do not:

Offer CEASE (Complete Elimination of Autistic Spectrum Expression) autism therapy
Claim to cure or treat named conditions
Discourage conventional vaccination

'Unlawful'

The decision has been criticised by the Good Thinking Society, which is taking legal action against the PSA. In a statement, it said: "The Professional Standards Authority have today announced their decision to reaccredit the Society of Homeopaths for 2020, subject to a number of conditions. This follows their 2019 decision to reaccredit the Society – a decision we believe was unlawful, which is why we elected to challenge that reaccreditation via Judicial Review.

"As our legal challenge to the 2019 decision is due to be heard by the High Court on March 18th, we need to take some time to carefully examine this new reaccreditation decision, and to discuss with our legal team what implications it may have for our case."

Responding to the criticism, Emily Buttrum, chief executive of the Society of Homeopaths said: "Accreditation by the PSA ensures that patients can choose to see a homeopath belonging to a register that upholds robust standards. We therefore question the logic of recent calls for the Society not to be reaccredited, as accredited professional bodies offer greater protection for the public, ensuring consistent standards of care.

"The Society is pleased that the report and outcome issued by the PSA recognise the progressive plans we have put in place to uphold our high professional standards and those required by the accredited registers scheme."

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Cite this: Nicky Broyd. Homeopaths Reaccredited by Standards Body but With Conditions - Medscape - Feb 14, 2020.

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