Editorial: How the AIH Serves Homeopathy

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Many of us close to homeopathy know well the challenges this venerable system of medicine faces across the globe. I thought it would encourage you to know about the efforts AIH is making to protect and promote this grand old system.

• Since 2017, some of our members and staff have worked hard to nurture the growth of Americans for Homeopathy Choice (AFHC).

For those unfamiliar with the organization, it is a consumer-led organization now numbering over 100,000 active members nationwide. They are a force to be reckoned with. It was started and is still led by Paola Brown. Among their many accomplishments AIH members have contributed to is this historic and just-released report language from the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. Senate. This language was included in the Senate Appropriations Committee report accompanying the Senate Appropriations Bill.

Report language:

Homeopathy.–The Committee understands the importance of homeopathic medicines for millions of users. Consumers access and safety to these products are best ensured by implementing a legal pathway that includes homeopathic-specific standards for the regulation of these medicines. The Committee understands FDA is limited to enforcing pharmaceutical specific standards when taking enforcement action against products labeled as homeopathic. The FDA’s interpretation of the law that all homeopathic medicines are unapproved new drugs that are illegally marketed has created confusion both for the homeopathic community and enforcement officials. The Committee directs the FDA to work with the homeopathic community with regards to the regulation of these medicines.

• Since 2022, AIH embarked upon a formal collaborative relationship between our organization and the Faculty of Homeopathy in the U.K. (both organizations were organized on the same day in 1844). The collaboration agreement is intended to advance the interests of the homeopathic medical profession and homeopathy in general.
• AIH has organized the first large-scale homeopathy research conference in over 30 years.

AIH has partnered with the Faculty of Homeopathy and the prestigious International Research Group on Very Low Dose and High Dilution Effects on the project. Titled “Groundbreaking Science. Homeopathy and the Future of Global Health,” the event has been held at UConn Health. As you know, UConn Health is a major medical school and a teaching hospital in Connecticut. The Department of Family Medicine in the UConn School of Medicine is officially sponsoring the conference. Moreover, the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health (https://imconsortium.org/) has also expressed considerable interest in the conference. Here is a list of institutional Consortium members: https://imconsortium.org/member-listing/. Additionally, faculty members at UConn Health have closely worked with us to ensure UConn Health students and faculty are invited and encouraged to attend the event in person or virtually. Faculty and students from the University of Connecticut School of Agriculture will also be participating.

This important event features leading research scientists and physicians from around the world presenting the latest basic science, preclinical and clinical research in homeopathy. The event has been recorded for later viewing by all conference registrants. Please visit here for more information https://homeopathyusa.org/education/2023-conference.html.

• Members of the AIH Board of Directors have had and continue to have direct communications with the top FDA officials, hoping to influence policy decisions by the agency.
• AIH board members have been in direct contact with senior staff at the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health, encouraging and, in some cases, succeeding in influencing homeopathy content on their website.
• In 2020, AIH was the first homeopathic organization worldwide to launch an effort to collect and track data on the homeopathic treatment of patients with COVID-19. The database created is one of the largest collected during the pandemic. From that effort, several research papers (e.g., Generalizability of Homeopathic Prognostic Factor Research Outcome in COVID-19 Treatment: Comparison of Data [https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0041-1732307]) have been published and a mini-repertory app was created (https://hpra.co.uk/).
• With the strong encouragement of FDA attorney Jim Turner in 2020, AIH launched the National Homeopathic Product Certification Board initiative. The vision of this undertaking is to strengthen regulatory and consumer confidence in homeopathic products through rigorous product oversight and self-regulation of the homeopathic industry.

· AIH continues to be the repository of the largest homeopathic research database in the world. This fully searchable resource is updated by Iris Bell MD, Ph.D., and Peter Gold on an ongoing basis and can be found here: https://homeopathyusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Homeopathy-Research-Evidence-Base-01-10-2024.pdf

• In 2022, AIH partnered with the Academy of Homeopathy Education to provide homeopathy training to licensed medical professionals (https://academyofhomeopathyeducation.com/acute-care-homeopathy-for-medical-professionals/). A number of physicians new to homeopathy are now taking the course.
• To strengthen ties within the homeopathic community, several AIH board members and staff meet regularly with the Homeopathy Advocacy Group to share information about the FDA and other matters of importance to homeopathy. The Advocacy Group is quite large and has representatives from most of the homeopathy organizations in America.
• To reach an ever-growing number of consumers interested in homeopathy, AIH expanded its reach on social media by adding an Instagram business page this year.
• AIH is working with LMHI on educational options, including an exchange program that can be done with specific approved programs or individual doctors. LMHI is also looking to build social awareness of homeopathy through the better use of social media. LMHI would love the involvement of more AIH members and hopes members will attend LMHI webinars and the annual congress meetings.

As a final note, Lisa Amerine, ND and Peter Gold have worked with the AIH website manager and created a brand-new AIH website.

I hope you find this report encouraging. Next time you’re asked about AIH, tell them about all the things we are doing to support and protect homeopathy.