The National Healthcare Service(NHS) will continue to fund homeopathy.  The Commons Science and Technology Committee claimed that trials in homeopathy show that they are no better than a placebo.  They claim that the NHS is funding tax payer money for a sugar pill.

The British Medical Association backed the committees report.  They say all homeopathy referrals should be removed from the NHS.  Homeopathy medicines should not be sold as medicine on pharmacy shelves. The BMA voted on the issue of homeopathy at their last conference.  Most doctors voted against in favor of supporting homeopathy.  However, some doctors thought homeopathy was a good alternative for some patients.  They said many medicines used today are unproven.  It would be unfair to prescribe unproven medicines and not prescribe homeopathic medicines.     

The UK Health minister has said patients should have the choice to choose the treatment that they feel is appropriate for them. Homeopathy does not pose a risk to patients.    

This system of medicine has been on the NHS since 1948.  There are four homeopathic hospitals in the United Kingdom.  Patient satisfaction is quite high with this form of treatment. UK spends about 4 million pounds a year on homeopathy.  This is an extremely small amount of money in the NHS budget.  The NHS budget is more than a 100 billion pounds.