NHMRC likely to declare homeopathy unethical

Reading Australian Doctor (April 29 2011 edition) I see the article 

NHMRC likely to declare homeopathy unethical by Paul Smith. Below are some excerpts.

"Health insurers will be under pressure to pull the plug on funding quack remedies, with Australia’s leading medical research council expected to declare homeopathy "unethical"."

“There is sufficient scientific evidence to conclude that homeopathy is no more efficacious than placebo. Homeopathy, while not harmful in its own right, may pose a risk to patients if safe and efficacious conventional treatments are rejected or delayed in favour of homeopathic treatments.”

"If the public statement is formally adopted by the council, the major health insurers – Medibank Private, HCF, NIB and MBF – will have to justify why it is using taxpayers’ money to fund “unethical” homeopathic treatments."*

 *All four insurers, which receive a substantial portion of the $3 billion annual private health insurance rebates paid by the Commonwealth, offer their members funding for homeopathy. MBF also pays for iridology and reflexology.

According to the confidential documents obtained by Australian Doctor, the draft says: “NHMRC’s position is that it is unethical for health practitioners to treat patients using homeopathy, for the reason that homeopathy – as a medicine or procedure – has been shown not to be efficacious.”

 Well, I for one am EXTREMELY happy about this. :) 

Anyway, for those confused about Homeopathy, here is an explanation on

How does Homeopathy work?