Ontario Homeopaths Claim Their Profession Is Being Hijacked

April, 23, 2007, Toronto

The North American Society of Homeopaths (NASH) made a presentation to the Ontario Legislature’s Standing Committee on Social Policy today objecting strongly to Bill C-171 that would regulate the Homeopathic Profession through a joint professional college with the Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors.

NASH identified a number of critical errors made by the Health Practitioners Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) in its recommendations to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-term care. In particular NASH claimed that HPRAC had not adequately consulted with the homeopathic community and was promoting a minority view that would significantly change the existing scope of practice. NASH pointed out areas of potential conflict of interest as supporters of the regulation proposal are poised to benefit significantly from an increase in students of homeopathy in their associated schools at the expense of other homeopathic schools in the Province.

NASH stressed that Homeopathy, if practiced by a qualified practitioner, can cure patients of a wide range of chronic diseases without substantial risk of harm. Homeopaths work in partnership with Doctors of Medicine and Naturopathy to ensure that patients are properly supervised by a regulated primary care practitioner. As well NASH pointed out that regulation of a profession is costly and the misapplication of regulation would provide no additional protection to the public while at the same time substantially increasing the cost of homeopathic care.

NASH advised the Committee Members that homeopaths in other jurisdictions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia were operating successfully under self-regulation regimes with the encouragement and support of government. NASH pointed out that since the government failed to present evidence that a majority of Ontario homeopaths support regulation and that their practice presents a substantial of harm to the public, Bill C-171 falls short of meeting two essential provisions of the Registered Health Professions Act.

NASH requested that the Standing Committee recommend to the Minster of Health that the proposal to regulate Homeopathy be dropped from the massive omnibus Bill and the matter referred back to HPRAC for further study.

Contact Information

Basil Ziv

Canadian Board Member

NASH

Contact via E-mail