INTERNAL MARKET : HOMEOPATHIC PRACTITIONERS WANT BETTER REGULATORY FRAMEWORK.

• Position: Brief article

Representatives and practitioners from the alternative medicine industry called, on 17 December, for revision of EU legislation seen as leading to a significant reduction in the number of alternative medicines on the market. The European Coalition on Homeopathic and Anthroposophic Medicinal Products (ECHAMP) argues the current framework is inhibiting industry growth rather than promoting greater free trade and European harmonisation.

"The Commission noted in a report from 1997 that European legislation does not cover the special character of homeopathic medicinal products. But the revised directive from 2004(1) does not address the major problems," said Max Daege, president of ECHAMP. In its 1997 report, the Commission already concluded that the harmonisation measures for homeopathic medicinal products were not satisfactory. ECHAMP argues "political" reasons are behind a lack of desire in the Commission to deal with the issue, also evident in the...