Small News/Politics Graphic European Parliament to Consider Alternative Medicine
by Peter Barry Chowka
From Natural Healthline

In April, the European Parliament, which represents the fifteen nations of Western Europe that comprise the European Union (EU), is set to consider a report calling for the thorough study and integration of non-conventional, alternative medicine in those countries.

Moreover, according to an article in Pharmaceutical Business News (March 12, 1997), a draft report of the influential environmental and public health committee of the Parliament is set to blame the international pharmaceutical industry for preventing the development of non-conventional medicine in Europe.

*European Union* is the name of the organization of the member countries that have decided to co-operate on a great number of areas, ranging from a single market to foreign policy, and from mutual recognition of school diplomas to exchange of criminal records.

The EU Parliament's environmental and public health committee is likely to formulate a motion for a resolution for the Parliament claiming that "the interests of the pharmaceutical industry have prevailed over those of European citizens." "How else," the report presented to the committee asks, "can we explain the fact that we have not yet succeeded in establishing a specific methodology for clinical trials of homeopathic medical products? How else can we explain the fact that Regulation establishing a European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) does not include homeopathic, anthroposophic, or phytotherapeutic [botanical] licensing procedures?"

The report calls on the Parliament to "take steps necessary. . .that all practitioners [of unconventional medicine] should be guaranteed the right . .. . to exercise their profession." To achieve this, "it is essential that the status of non-conventional practitioners be legalized and harmonized, . .. . the appropriate products be included in the European Pharmacopoeia, and social security bodies cover the reimbursement of non-conventional health care and medical products."

The draft cites "the legitimate claims of the non-conventional medical practitioners" and "a growing demand from patients" for their services. "It is therefore a question of matching supply and demand, on the basis of a principle of double freedom: freedom for patients to choose the medical therapy of their choice ands freedom for practitioners to exercise their profession."

The author of the draft report is MEP [Member of the European Parliament] Paul Lannoye, a member of the Green Party. He calls for the setting up of expert committees in the EU to establish the efficacy of non-conventional therapies and to decide on their recognition. Training and full professional qualification for non-conventional practitioners are advocated.

On February 27, the Parliament's environment and public health committee, chaired by UK Socialist MEP Ken Collins, adopted a formal resolution on the subject, and called for a thorough study of non-conventional medicines. The full European Parliament, according to Pharmaceutical Business News, will consider the subject in April. The countries that make up the EU are: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Finland, and Sweden.

For more information,
EU Basics FAQ: Table of Contents


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