A top medical ethics expert today condemns a campaign to introduce homeopathy in some of the world’s poorest countries.
Dr David Shaw of the University of Basel, Switzerland, writes the British Medical Journal today (18 September) that homeopathy "has received a great deal of criticism in recent years for unethical practices". But an ongoing campaign called Homeopaths Without Borders "has gone almost entirely unmentioned".
The campaign, which has a long history, aims to expand homeopathy in countries where it has not previously been widely used. For example in Kenya there are claims that homeopathy can save lives, which Dr Shaw points out "no mainstream homeopathy organisation has claimed for several years".
In the article, Dr Shaw covers some of the activities of the campaign’s North American group, which sent homeopaths to people affected by the Haiti earthquake. One of his fears is that this it might harm patients by making them believe there is no need for ordinary medical treatment.
"Homeopaths Without Borders North America intends to exploit developing countries even more in the future," Dr Shaw warns. "Its website states that it intends not only to train Haitian homeopaths, but to have Haitians teach Haitians to become homeopaths."
He adds that another "troubling" aspect of Homeopaths Without Borders is that its website asks visitors to make financial donations. People who donate to Homeopaths Without Borders are likely to do so to help international humanitarian efforts.
"As such, Homeopaths Without Borders may well be diverting money away from genuinely humanitarian organisations," writes Dr Shaw.
"Homeopathy is neither helpful nor humanitarian, and to claim otherwise to the victims of disasters amounts to exploitation of those in need of genuine aid," he concludes.
Shaw, D. M. Personal view: Homeopaths Without Borders practise exploitation not humanitarianism. BMJ 18 September 2013; doi: 10.1136/bmj.f5448 [abstract]
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