Compiled by Liam McClintock, ND, MAcOM, DHANP
Board Regulation:
Three states have homeopathic licensing laws: Connecticut (1892), Arizona
(1982), and Nevada (1983) -- Medical Doctors practicing homeopathy in
Connecticut, and Medical or Osteopathic Doctors practicing homeopathy in
Arizona or Nevada, must be licensed by the state homeopathic licensing board.
Other health-care providers such as naturopathic doctors, nurse practitioners,
physician assistants, dentists, veterinarians, chiropractors, licensed
acupuncturists, nurse midwives, and podiatrists may be allowed to use
homeopathy within the scope of their licenses, depending on the laws of the
state in which they reside.
Board Certification:
There are many varied designations that homeopaths may use to distinguish their
training or organizational membership. The designations in the United States
that require specified hours of formal education in homeopathy, competency
testing, continuing education requirements, and confer Board Certification to
practice homeopathy are available to Medical and Osteopathic Doctors through
the American Board of Homeotherapeutics (DHt) [or a lower level Primary Care
Homeopathic Certificate (PHC) which is also available to Advanced Practice
Nurses and Physician Assistants]; to Naturopathic Doctors through the
Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians (DHANP); and to all other
professionals through the Council for Homeopathic Certification (CCH). Most
other designations either reflect foreign education in homeopathy,
certification for completion of some course in homeopathy, or
registration/membership in a homeopathic organization (eg. MDH, FFHom, HMC,
RSHom, DHom, RHom, et. al.).
Training: There are many training programs and courses in homeopathy in both the U.S. and
abroad; however, no diploma or certificate from any school or program is
recognized as a license to practice homeopathy in the U.S. Most serious homeopaths
continually engage in many hours of continuing education in homeopathy each
year in addition to their licensing requirements.
The Medicines: Homeopathic medicines have been regulated since the 1930’s separately
from pharmaceutical drugs by a Board that governs the US Homeopathic
Pharmacopea. Most homeopathic medicines are designated as over-the-counter
preparations, though many pharmacies restrict the sale of higher potencies to
homeopathic practitioners.
Homeopathic Practice: Classical Homeopathy is the practice of prescribing one remedy at a time in any
of a number of potencies based on the entire presenting symptom picture of the
patient. The method is designed to illicit a specific healing response from the
patient and is closest to the scientific approach developed by the founder
Samuel Hahnemann, MD. Other practices of homeopathy may include the use of a
combination of remedies in low potency or selection of remedies using various
non-classical methods.
Referrals: Most homeopathic practitioners are willing to collaborate with conventional
doctors who refer patients to them. In many cases, the referral will be out of
an HMO plan and may or may not be covered by the individual’s health
insurance policy. Homeopathy is applicable in a wide variety of conditions, but
is particularly well suited to complex patients who have a wide spectrum of
symptoms, patients who have complicating psycho-emotional complaints, or those
who are particularly sensitive to (or intolerant of) conventional
pharmaceutical treatment.
Liability: Homeopathic practitioners who are licensed in some manner generally carry the
appropriate liability insurance. The liability for the referring practitioner
would theoretically be the same as for a referral to any other practitioner who
maintains their own liability insurance. Consultation with specific
professional liability insurance carriers and legal consultants could provide
more accurate guidelines.
The Process:
Education of a patient as to the initial reaction to remedies and the
progression of symptoms is paramount to eliciting favorable compliance and
patience with the process. Homeopathy seeks to reverse the progression of an
illness by reversing the order in which symptoms have appeared. In most cases
it is important to allow a mild increase in the initial presenting symptoms or
a reappearance of old symptoms to occur as the patient improves. Generally,
using homeopathy along with stabilizing conventional medications until
improvement starts and then very gradually tapering off the conventional
medications is the most appropriate method by which to proceed.
Resources: National Center for Homeopathy (NCH), www.homeopathic.org
North American Society of Homeopaths (NASH), www.homeopathy.org
American Institute of Homeopathy (AIH), http://www.homeopathyusa.org
Foundation for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine (FAIM), www.faim.org
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