With regard to research, the CAM advocates have been successful in ensuring that EU funding for research, including homeopathy, is allocated in the 7th Research Framework Programme.
Within the European Medicines Agency, things have also moved ahead:
In 2006 the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) organised a workshop on homeopathic medicinal products at the request of the European Commission. The aim of the workshop was to provide a forum for discussion among all stakeholders on the current legislative framework for homeopathic medicines. The workshop addressed strengths and weaknesses that have been identified, as well as potential threats and opportunities for improvement.
The EMEA Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC), one of the working commitees within the EMEA, has been carrying out activities aiming to assist the harmonisation of procedures and provisions concerning herbal medicinal products laid down in EU Member States.
As part of these objectives, the HMPC provides EU Member States and European institutions its scientific opinion on questions relating to herbal medicinal products. Other core tasks include the establishment of a draft ’Community list of herbal substances, preparations and combinations for use in traditional herbal medicinal products’, as well as the establishment of Community herbal monographs.
Legal framework
In 1997 the European Commission admitted in a report that an Internal Market for homeopathic edicinal products still did not exist. In 2001 the existing Directives were codified in one. The results are Directive 2001/83/EC (medicinal products for human use) and Directive 2001/82/EC (medicinal products for veterinary use).
Since 2003 specific provisions devoted to quality and safety of homeopathic medicinal products were added to the Annex I of Directive 2001/83 EC.
However, moves on the legislative framework for both medicines and professional recognition have been very slow.
EPHA related sites:
