Minutus

I'm pretty new to homeopathy, but the successes I've had with it in treating acute illnesses in my family have been so exciting. It's made me want to become a homeopath, but I'm recognizing that there is A LOT to it. It isn't for the faint of heart and seems to require constant study, etc. I'm also concerned by an apparent lack of successful treatment by a lot of homeopaths (from reading various homeopathy websites, etc). Am I wrong?

Could some of you chime in and tell me what the success rates are of treatment for most homeopaths? A general ballpark? Is there a good way to increase the success rate of treatment? Homeopathic facial analysis? And I read about some homeopaths in India (was it the Banerji's) who just have to look at someone's nails, ask a few questions and then treat them successfully.??
I'd really appreciate candid responses on this.
Thank you!

It depends on how homeopaths treat. I take all my information from David Little, Luc De Schepper and Dr Shahrdar. We're talking about serious study here. Hahnemann himself found that some of the best remedies didn't always work and he spent 12 years researching the problem, which is when he discovered the Miasms. Until you start understanding the science of homeopathy, the Laws and its principles, the periodic table (something I've still got to get my head around) - we're talking deep here - you will not always be successful. Thereagain, there's 'maintaining causes'. If a patient is ill because of poor nutrition, bad housing conditions, or environmental factors, then unless he changes, no amount of homeopathic help will cure.
Regards
Christine Wyndham-Thomas
www.homoeopathyclassical.com

Not sure what websites you refer to.
Homeopathy is very successful if practiced properly. I see the problem as one of good training.
In USA for example, there is no law that says you need a certain training level to be able to call yourself a homeopath. YOU can call yourself one right now with zero training.

SO if you look at "successes" and include all these self-styled untrained "homeopaths" the statistics will indeed look rather dismal (though there are less adverse events or deaths from this malpractice than from conventional medicine correct practice.)
Also adding to the confusion, is the tendency for drug companies to call just about anything "homeopathic" and an awful lot of things called that are neither homeopathic nor of course successful.

To be homeopathic, is the starting place then to judge any efficacy:
Homeo (Greek root meaning similar) pathic (Greek root meaning suffering) has a very specific meaning, as it invokes the "Law of Similars". It's the name of a system which specifically uses the natural law by which a substance that makes a healty person sick, can make a sick person healthy - IF it is similar enough (the homeo part) - to the symptoms of the individual who is suffering (the suffering part)
This is the basic law of nature by which homeopathy works. It can not fail to work if that law is met, any more than gravity can fail - both follow a natural law.
Knowing enough to USE taht law well, is the main issue.
Anything NOT using that law (such as any mixture of substances or anything tat has not been matched and found similar based on symptoms) is NOT "homeopathy" - by either the natural law of Similars or by ghe very definitio of the word homeopathy by its inventor.

So maybe an example will help:
A substance (let's take Ritalin as an example) which can make a healthy person ill
(and ritalin WILL make a healthy person ill, they will get all hyped up on it)
is a substance that can make an ill person with those symptoms well.
Hence Ritalin is used on children who are all hyped up etc - all the symptoms that ritalin causes in a healthy individual.

Likewise - in the smallpox epidemics - homeopaths used cowpox (it is similar in symptoms) to cure smallpox in humans. It worked.

POTENTISED remedies are safer than the unpotentized ones like the examples here, as they dilute out any chemical but enhance the medicinal effect.

But the MAIN point is that to be homeopathic - those symptoms in the suffering individual must be similar to ones that can be caused by the medicine. If they are not similar and "matched" - there is NO homeopathy involved so do not judge it as successful or not - it is not homeopathy and will not be successful however much the user or seller may want to call it homeopathy.

A homeopathic remedy has a list of KNOWN AND PROVEN symptoms it can help. SO that is used in selecting a matching remedy for a suffering situation..
A MIXture of remedies has NO known effects. It is not homeopathy, do not expect it to work, there is no natural law or other science behind the use.

Those of us who know how to use homeopathy, DO get good results.
Those who claim to use homeopathy but fail in using the Law of Similars, will get dismal results.
It's like expecting earth gravity to work without an earth present.
It depends what you are working with and how far along a chronic disease is or whether you get to the snake bite before it stops the heart etc. But used well it is very effective.

Example: Compare handling of a severe cat bite:
Traditional medicine will get antibiotics involved, there will be severe pain and blood poisoning and it can take a month to come right, and may need hospitalization.
Homeopathy first aid applied right away will remove the pain in 2 minutes or less, and prevent further problems.

Example: Surgical shock risk:
A percentage of individuals die of shock during surgery.
If Arnica 20C is used before surgery, the rate of shock during surgery drops to about zero.

Example: 1918 Flu (all well recorded):
Those taking aspirin had high death rate 0 up to 98% - with non-aspiring deaths at about 30%.
Those taking homeopathy, 1% died. Read more here:


Example: Cats with illness called FIP.
Universally fatal worldwide, no vet has EVER recorded a success anywhere.
Homeopathy: See my paper on it:

Success rate with this disease is not wonderful yet but ONLY HOMEOPATHY GETS ANY SUCCESS.

Example: Illness prevention:
Conventional: Many deaths and chronic illnesses from vaccination, and it's often useless anyway.
For example TB vaccination is actually illegal (after a study in India involving 6 million children) as it kills people but does not prevent TB.
Homeopathy can prevent TB and any other illness you want to use homeopathy to prevent.
In fact it can prevent all kinds of health issues - not just the ones for which vaccines are traditionally supposed to work. As long as the symptoms you want to prevent are within the remedy picture, you can use it to build resistance to getting the symptoms. For example, cat and dog breeders use it to prevent pyometra in breeding animals.

Example: Speaking of pyometra:
Vets consider ovariohysterectomy to be the only treatment, (as antibiotics are ineffective) and often lose the animal due to the risks of major surgery on an animal whose uterus fills the abdomen and is full of pus.
Homeopathy uses a remedy and gets the animal well in three days. (The local vet here sends me his pyo cases, though not openly - they arrive at my door with words like "someone sad you know how to fix pyo and I do not want to lose my best breeding girl".)

Example: Right-Displaced Abomasum (4th stomach) in a cow: A case of misplaced organs which can be lethal.
I had a referral of a farmer whose vet said the cow was down and not operable (left displacement is easier) --- normal procedure is to let the gas out of the abomasum (which was misplaced over to the wrong side of the cow thanks to gas) and then surgically open the cow and reposition it with the cow lying on its side on the ground. Vet said this one was inoperable and recommended euthanasia in this instance.
I suggested a remedy and got an email of thanks within a day, for a cow upright and back in order, with no problems. A few remedy doses is all it took.

Example: Breast cancer.
Conventional approach involves horrible brain damaging chemicals and severe radiation burning and surgery that is disfiguring, plus nausea pain etc etc - not to mention the cost of tens of thousands of dollars.
My case involved a topical homeopathic remedy matched to symptoms of course, also taken internally, with pain gone on days, and all healed in a month or two. Cost - $250 for so or conventional diagnosis. Less than $20 for remedies.
The nice part with homeopathy is that correct homeopathy not only removes the illness but it builds resistance to recurrence - which is not something conventional approach can do. It really matters with things like cancer.
Yes. One way os to use the newly developed Fibonacci series of potencies developed y Dr. Joe Rozencwajg....and while keeping the PRINCIPLES of homeopathy always in mind, keep an open mind and read and understand the symptoms (and potential causes and influences) well, and match them well to remedy. It takes time and work to do that - you can't be good if you are lazy.

I can see a few exceptions where some common issues prevalent in an area, will nearly always need one of a few remedies (depending which symptoms need to be matched) - but for complex illness, real work is needed.
That will make homeopathy less popular as it can NOT be learned in a few weeks. ANd yo cannot run patients through for a cash benefit every 15 mins as in conventional medicine these days,
It takes time and dedication and attention to detail and "repertorizing" (analysing and finding a properly matched remedy) in EVERY case, to do it well.

But do it well - and your success rate will follow. (which is why the drug companies are so terrified of it as competition for dollars, and do all they can to misinform and discredit.)

Namaste,
Irene

REPLY TO: only
--
Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."

Irene has done a fantastic job answering your questions.

She is correct about proper training.
Different countries require different amounts of training,

To become certified in the USA (and that means passing an exam and the ability to purchase malpractice insurance) requires 500 hours of homeopathic education and 500 hours of clinical training.

I believe Australia requires 550 hours of homeopathic education and almost 1,000 hours of clinical training.

The European Council has designated hours that fall somewhere in between the above numbers.

Hours still differ as some countries only require 100 homeopathic education hours and 100 hours of clinic.

I believe all countries who are certifying will demand the human sciences.

So, if you say results are variable, you may be correct.

Again, proper training will give you the results you are looking for.....
There are no short cuts to a good homeopathic education.

Note we are speaking of 'Hahnemannian classical and clinical homeopathy' not poly pharmacy which is putting multiple remedies together.

Homeopathic facial analysis is a great tool, but like any tool it can do good work in the hands of a craftsman who knows his trade. A homeopath must know their trade, they need to have a good foundation of knowledge, a good understanding of homeopathic history, philosophy and Organon studies along with a good deal of case management and Materia Medica studies

If you are discussing the Banerji's who may 'look like' they are just looking at someone's nails, I assure you they also have an incredible homeopathic foundation of knowledge, know their materia medica backwards, forwards and inside out and are well trained medical doctors, with 3 generations of homeopaths in their family history. Experience and Training is the key and they are using all of that along with perhaps the nail analysis - we may see them looking at fingernails but the knowledge they have already sifted through in their head took many, many years to learn.

If homeopathy doesn't work the practitioner is at fault. That said I have spoken to some really good homeopaths who tell me that there will always be a percentage of people you cannot help because we will not be able to perceive their cases,

You have asked a good question, I hope you decide to study.

Warmly, Maria bohle
________________________________

From: "suzy0005"
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2013 5:56:54 PM
Subject: [Minutus] Questions for Homeopaths
I'm pretty new to homeopathy, but the successes I've had with it in treating acute illnesses in my family have been so exciting. It's made me want to become a homeopath, but I'm recognizing that there is A LOT to it. It isn't for the faint of heart and seems to require constant study, etc. I'm also concerned by an apparent lack of successful treatment by a lot of homeopaths (from reading various homeopathy websites, etc). Am I wrong?

Could some of you chime in and tell me what the success rates are of treatment for most homeopaths? A general ballpark? Is there a good way to increase the success rate of treatment? Homeopathic facial analysis? And I read about some homeopaths in India (was it the Banerji's) who just have to look at someone's nails, ask a few questions and then treat them successfully.??

I'd really appreciate candid responses on this.
Thank you!

And others like USA have no standard of training at all.
Sorry but you cannot become certified in USA.
There is NO legal certification in USA at all for homeopaths.
Nor is there a uniform standard of training.
What Maria refers to is an independent group of a few people who have invented a business, and collect money to call you certified, if you meet certain questionable standards that they invented for SOME homeopaths, and which are not applied equally. Someone with a medical degree for example, just has to claim to have used homeopathy.....
Nor are the conditions the business invented, agreed by any significant number of practicing homeopaths.
They have no legal standing. They do not even try to address veterinary homeopaths, and they place more emphasis on memory tests and CPR tests and whether you can spew out what you memorized about a remedy - than on any efficacy in the profession. How sad is that.
It is ridiculous to even suggest that homeopaths get malpractice insurance.
This too is an invention of the business referred to. There is no such legal requirement.
For some people but not for others.
Anyone can think up a certification system and pretend to be doing certifications.
The difference is this is a business that makes money annually - and not an official body as for example doctors have, wherein the LAW recognizes their qualification level as appropriate for a license, and there is STATE Board for each State, required before any medical practice is offered.
There is no such thing for homeopathy in USA.
I consider it very misleading to suggest there is any certification in USA. It's not true no mater how much the members of the various "certification" businesses may like to pretend otherwise.
In the veterinary field (which the referred to business has forgotten exists), a few veterinarians have invented a little certification business as well. THEIR idea is to give a "certificate in veterinary homeopathy" (CVH), to any vet who attends the 4 weekend course given by someone with no homeopathy credential. They would not consider certifying a real veterinary homeopath with proper training. (Nor does the previously mentioned business.)
Where we agree is here:
Sadly the current certification businesses - none of them connected to any legal requirement or credential - do not understand tis.

Namaste,
Irene

REPLY TO: only
--
Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."

Irene,
In response to your recent post to Minutus on February 17th regarding certification and the CHC. This is not the first time you have proffered this misinformed and derogatory opinion about the CHC. In fact Irene, there were other incidents of this nature on Minutus in the past when CHC board members and our office staff attempted to contact you via phone and/or email without any response from you.

Regarding your statements:
There is NO legal certification in USA at all for homeopaths

There are NO legalities surrounding most certification organizations; however, certification organizations have a vehicle for voluntary accreditation through a national commission--not a governmental/state/legal agency. The CHC is in the process of preparing application for accreditation through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Certification is a voluntary process by which individuals who demonstrate mastery of the knowledge, skills, and/or competencies required are granted the credential/designation. This is an accepted industry standard within healthcare and for many other occupations. Homeopathy is considered an emerging profession within the larger health care environment; in order for professions to emerge, they must have standards and credentialing.

Credentialing supports the profession. The credential 'CCH' was designed to establish a standard that could be recognized by homeopaths and by the general public, independent of any individual training program.

2. ...an independent group of a few people who have invented a business, and collect money to call you certified,

Irene, I am offended and disconcerted by this accusation. The CHC was founded in 1991 by the then leaders of the homeopathic profession. It is an autonomous 501(c)6, governed by a Board of Directors who are responsible for the validity, reliability, integrity, and security of the certification program. We are autonomous in that we do not provide, nor accredit any specific education/training for prerequisites of certification.

The CHC has 2 paid employees who work in the office; all the rest of its work is done by teams of homeopathic volunteers who invest their time in building our profession, with the exception of a By-Laws required "public" board member. The Board of Directors has set terms and is comprised of members of the homeopathic community.
All of the organization's board members, officers and committee chairs are volunteers who contribute unpaid time.

if you meet questionable standards that they invented for SOME homeopaths, and which are not applied equally.
All applicants for certification must meet the required pre-requisites as stated on the CHC website: www.homeopathicdirectory.com. There are no exceptions. Homeopaths residing in the US and Canada are eligible to apply for the exam, regardless of immigration status, right to work, licensure etc. The exam process is a verification of skills, unrelated to legalities of practice. The school attended is not restricted to a list of acceptable schools - all homeopathic training is accepted as long as it is properly documented. Each applicant arranges proctoring locally for the exam, with a non-homeopathic proctor.

4. Someone with medical degree for example, just has to claim to have used homeopathy…
Interesting, where did this misinformation come from Irene? The ABHt certifies MD's in advanced specialty status in homeopathy through the D.Ht. designation. Physicians who wish to be certified by CHC are welcome to apply as any other applicant and must meet CHC requirements.

The CHC certifies professional homeopaths who are then accepted for full membership in NASH (if they so desire). The CHC certifies Naturopaths, who then are able to use the DHANP and the CCH designations.
5. Nor are the conditions the business invented, agreed by any significant number of practicing homeopaths.

The three phase certification process is based on predetermined standards and related competencies of professional homeopathic practice as set out by the Standards and Competencies for the Professional Practice of Homeopathy, 2001 and 2010.

6. They do not even try to address veterinary homeopaths…
Several years ago the CHC began working toward certification for animal homeopathy. The project began with exploratory conversations with educators and homeopaths who worked with animals to establish a certification process similar to that used for human homeopathy certification. Sometime within the meetings, the process ceased and has not been reestablished.

7. ..and they place more emphasis on memory tests and CPR tests and whether you

Again, misinformation here, we have no current CPR requirement and have never `tested' for CPR..

We live in a society that has assigned confidence in skills based on credentials,
and the most achievable way to establish a credential for homeopathy is through
a skills based exam and review of submitted case work.
Our credential certifies homeopaths whose practice is grounded in the precepts of classical homeopathy.

500 hours of homeopathic education and 500 hours of clinical training.. For some people not for others.

Refer to number 3 above.

...this business that makes money annually-and not an official body as for example doctors have, wherein the Law recognizes their qualification level as appropriate for a license…. ...there is no such thing for homeopathy in USA...

Irene, you are confusing the distinction between licensure and certification:

Licensure is a mandatory credentialing process usually established by state governments. If a profession is licensed, for example MD's, then it is illegal for a person to practice medicine without a license. Thank goodness, homeopathy is NOT a licensed profession!

On the other hand, certification is defined as a voluntary credentialing that is offered by a private or non-governmental authority. By the very nature of being a voluntary process, a practitioner need not be certified in order to practice homeopathy.

Some states have begun incorporating CAM national certifications into their licensure requirements/programs; some as prerequisites for licensure. This allows for the state to be provide information to consumers about the competency of the licensed individual.

Finally, as Karen Allen, CHC's Past President wrote in her response to you several years ago: It is easier to comment on a list serve about a discontent than to actually address it with those who could do something about it, and attempt to improve the profession and its accrediting bodies. Our words posted here are tools, for good or ill. Instead of disparaging the size or shape or content of the shovel the CHC is using as it digs in to build homeopathy, I encourage each of you to pick up a shovel - find a way to proactively contribute to the building of our profession. The CHC,ACHENA, NCH, NASH, HANP, HNA all could use more volunteers. Find a place to make a difference.

Irene, I welcome a conversation with you, as has our previous administration. Please contact me directly so that I can clarify requirements and policies with you, rather than continuing to spread misinformation.
If anyone has further questions, feel free to contact me directly and I will be glad to speak with you personally.
Ann McKay, RN-BC, HN-BC, CCH
President, Council for Homeopathic Certification
866-490-4728
chcexec@homeopathicdirectory.com
--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, Irene de Villiers wrote:

Ann, thank you for clarifying! LuAnn Weis

Is malpractice insurance available for lay homeopaths?
Only for homeopaths who become certified through CHC?
If so, it must be very expensive, since for allopathic MDs the cost keeps going higher.
What types of malpractice would it include?
Since you legally, in the USA, can't say you are treating medical conditions or diseases, if through homeopathy you aggravate a patient's medical condition, a possibility, which can be perceived by allopathy as malpractice, what would this insurance offer?
Since you can't say you are practicing medicine without a license, what is the malpractice covered for a lay homeopath?
I see many lay homeopaths call themselves "consultants". Can you be accused of malpractice for consulting?
Susan

Ann thank you for answering Irene's letter and airing out the truth.

As the director of the British Institute of Homeopathy, I have spent a lot of time and effort to be sure the British Institute educates our students to the European and the CHC standards of what is considered necessary for a person to become a competent, capable and efficient homeopath. I welcome such educational standards because I know that BIH is doing the best job it possibly can to give our students what they need to become successful. I applaud the CHC's efforts as well as that of ACHENA (Accreditation Commission for Homeopathic Education in North America), and the other organizations you mentioned for the work they are doing to help me take the 'guess work' out of what our students require. It can be a heavy burden being responsible for training tomorrow's healers and your efforts make my job a lot lighter so I thank you for what you do.

It is very difficult without a credentialing organizations as many people have different opinions on how much education is needed to successfully be able to practice. I had one student give me a very difficult time regarding having to study anatomy and physiology, this person said s/he was a homeopath and just needed to know what symptoms the patient was experiencing and didn't think s/he needed to know about the body itself.
If a person never took a pathology course, they would never understand why they needed to study pathology to be a homeopath, and as Dr. Roz aptly indicated in his email regarding that tubercular menningitis case that died when given Bell - knowing what a homeopath is dealing with is essential.

And, from a personal note, I am very proud of my CHC certification, I am recognized by other homeopaths as being a professional - does that make me a better homeopath than a 'non certified' homeopath?, no not necessarily but it does show that I completed the necessary education, that I was properly trained and that I have enough respect for the profession and that I think enough of the profession to want to see achievable standards of practice.

Again, I will state publicly, thank you Ann and the CHC (Nash, NCH, etc) officers and members of all of our organizations for the literally hundreds and hundreds of hours you have given our profession, hundreds of hours you could have used playing, making money, and resting, but you freely have given of yourself to further our beautiful healing modality of Homeopathy.

Sincerely,

Maria T. Bohle, CCH, RSHom (NA), ACACN
Director
The British Institute of Homeopathy International
________________________________

From: "Ann McKay"
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 9:27:57 AM
Subject: [Minutus] Re: Questions for Homeopaths
Irene,
In response to your recent post to Minutus on February 17th regarding certification and the CHC. This is not the first time you have proffered this misinformed and derogatory opinion about the CHC. In fact Irene, there were other incidents of this nature on Minutus in the past when CHC board members and our office staff attempted to contact you via phone and/or email without any response from you.

Regarding your statements:
There is NO legal certification in USA at all for homeopaths

There are NO legalities surrounding most certification organizations; however, certification organizations have a vehicle for voluntary accreditation through a national commission--not a governmental/state/legal agency. The CHC is in the process of preparing application for accreditation through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Certification is a voluntary process by which individuals who demonstrate mastery of the knowledge, skills, and/or competencies required are granted the credential/designation. This is an accepted industry standard within healthcare and for many other occupations. Homeopathy is considered an emerging profession within the larger health care environment; in order for professions to emerge, they must have standards and credentialing.

Credentialing supports the profession. The credential 'CCH' was designed to establish a standard that could be recognized by homeopaths and by the general public, independent of any individual training program.

2. ...an independent group of a few people who have invented a business, and collect money to call you certified,

Irene, I am offended and disconcerted by this accusation. The CHC was founded in 1991 by the then leaders of the homeopathic profession. It is an autonomous 501(c)6, governed by a Board of Directors who are responsible for the validity, reliability, integrity, and security of the certification program. We are autonomous in that we do not provide, nor accredit any specific education/training for prerequisites of certification.

The CHC has 2 paid employees who work in the office; all the rest of its work is done by teams of homeopathic volunteers who invest their time in building our profession, with the exception of a By-Laws required "public" board member. The Board of Directors has set terms and is comprised of members of the homeopathic community.
All of the organization's board members, officers and committee chairs are volunteers who contribute unpaid time.

if you meet questionable standards that they invented for SOME homeopaths, and which are not applied equally.
All applicants for certification must meet the required pre-requisites as stated on the CHC website: www.homeopathicdirectory.com. There are no exceptions. Homeopaths residing in the US and Canada are eligible to apply for the exam, regardless of immigration status, right to work, licensure etc. The exam process is a verification of skills, unrelated to legalities of practice. The school attended is not restricted to a list of acceptable schools - all homeopathic training is accepted as long as it is properly documented. Each applicant arranges proctoring locally for the exam, with a non-homeopathic proctor.

4. Someone with medical degree for example, just has to claim to have used homeopathy…
Interesting, where did this misinformation come from Irene? The ABHt certifies MD's in advanced specialty status in homeopathy through the D.Ht. designation. Physicians who wish to be certified by CHC are welcome to apply as any other applicant and must meet CHC requirements.

The CHC certifies professional homeopaths who are then accepted for full membership in NASH (if they so desire). The CHC certifies Naturopaths, who then are able to use the DHANP and the CCH designations.

5. Nor are the conditions the business invented, agreed by any significant number of practicing homeopaths.

The three phase certification process is based on predetermined standards and related competencies of professional homeopathic practice as set out by the Standards and Competencies for the Professional Practice of Homeopathy, 2001 and 2010.

6. They do not even try to address veterinary homeopaths…
Several years ago the CHC began working toward certification for animal homeopathy. The project began with exploratory conversations with educators and homeopaths who worked with animals to establish a certification process similar to that used for human homeopathy certification. Sometime within the meetings, the process ceased and has not been reestablished.

7. ..and they place more emphasis on memory tests and CPR tests and whether you

Again, misinformation here, we have no current CPR requirement and have never `tested' for CPR..

We live in a society that has assigned confidence in skills based on credentials,
and the most achievable way to establish a credential for homeopathy is through
a skills based exam and review of submitted case work.
Our credential certifies homeopaths whose practice is grounded in the precepts of classical homeopathy.

500 hours of homeopathic education and 500 hours of clinical training.. For some people not for others.

Refer to number 3 above.

...this business that makes money annually-and not an official body as for example doctors have, wherein the Law recognizes their qualification level as appropriate for a license…. ...there is no such thing for homeopathy in USA...

Irene, you are confusing the distinction between licensure and certification:

Licensure is a mandatory credentialing process usually established by state governments. If a profession is licensed, for example MD's, then it is illegal for a person to practice medicine without a license. Thank goodness, homeopathy is NOT a licensed profession!

On the other hand, certification is defined as a voluntary credentialing that is offered by a private or non-governmental authority. By the very nature of being a voluntary process, a practitioner need not be certified in order to practice homeopathy.

Some states have begun incorporating CAM national certifications into their licensure requirements/programs; some as prerequisites for licensure. This allows for the state to be provide information to consumers about the competency of the licensed individual.

Finally, as Karen Allen, CHC's Past President wrote in her response to you several years ago: It is easier to comment on a list serve about a discontent than to actually address it with those who could do something about it, and attempt to improve the profession and its accrediting bodies. Our words posted here are tools, for good or ill. Instead of disparaging the size or shape or content of the shovel the CHC is using as it digs in to build homeopathy, I encourage each of you to pick up a shovel - find a way to proactively contribute to the building of our profession. The CHC,ACHENA, NCH, NASH, HANP, HNA all could use more volunteers. Find a place to make a difference.

Irene, I welcome a conversation with you, as has our previous administration. Please contact me directly so that I can clarify requirements and policies with you, rather than continuing to spread misinformation.

If anyone has further questions, feel free to contact me directly and I will be glad to speak with you personally.
Ann McKay, RN-BC, HN-BC, CCH
President, Council for Homeopathic Certification
866-490-4728
chcexec@homeopathicdirectory.com

--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com , Irene de Villiers wrote:

Hi Susan,

I believer the Insurance I purchase cost me @ $500.00 a year. It is for 3 occurrences at 1 Million Dollars Each Occurrence.
I think that is pretty reasonable since two new patients will cover that for me.

In the USA we call ourselves 'professional homeopaths', I am NOT an MD.

I am a homeopathic consultant, I do NOT diagnose, I do NOT take people off their allopathic medications, I do NOT practice 'medicine'!

Homeopaths do NOT treat diseases, we treat people (or animals) that may or may not have a diagnosis for a diseases, but as Hahnemann said he really didn't care what the diagnosis (although I think it is helpful) we do not 'ever' rely on a diagnosis as many of them are wrong, and they do not characterize the patient anyway.

People come to me who are not 'comfortable' or have problems, we talk, we talk about what is bothering them, we talk about what hurts - how - when - where - why, etc. I try to draw a connection between how their mind is working and their discomforts (mental and physical) and I try to find a remedy that addresses those issues. I am in the USA and I totally discuss my thought processes with my 'clients', I let them help me refine what I am looking at, discuss the indicated remedy and why it seems to match, etc. My clients are part of the process, I am not sitting in a chair making decisions for them, they make decisions for themselves. If i suggest a remedy that seems to have a great deal of similarity to their state and they want to try the remedy, I assist them in dose, potency, etc.

Note i have been practicing since 1997 and have never been sued or threatened, clients still refer their friends and relatives to me and I am satisfied that I have done the best I can for them. Yes, there are times I wish I could have done more, we never stop learning and trying to do better.

Insurance offers me a cushion.

Did I once give a reactive skin patient (when I started practicing) a remedy that made her erupt from head to toe? Yes, she was a bloody oozy mess - I learned the hard way to start a skin problem with LOW POTENCIES - she ended up at the ER and on steroids and yes, I lost the patient. (It was a shame too as it was a good remedy - similar to the pathology.)

Did a MD student of mine give a too high potency to a 'mental case' ( he was in my office) that almost caused her to commit suicide? Yes, took me 3 months and all the skills I had to get her back to functionality, and that was working with her weekly. That one worried me a lot.

Why malpractice insurance? Because we are all human and can make mistakes! Fortunately for me I was not sued by those two clients, but I might have been.

A good clinical training will circumvent some of the problems I learned about the hard way, 20 years ago those clinics were not available so someone like me, I had very little money, couldn't travel and there was no place to get that experience, but today we have access to the kinds of clinics and the the clinical requirements that will reduce the possibility of that happening to you, if you have been properly trained.

This is why BIH now hold LIVE, REAL CLINICS with Real Patients, in real time. Because it is needed by our students.

Hope this answers your questions,

Warmly, Maria
________________________________

From: healthyinfo6@aol.com
To: minutus@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2013 11:45:03 AM
Subject: Re: [Minutus] Questions for Homeopaths
Is malpractice insurance available for lay homeopaths?
Only for homeopaths who become certified through CHC?
If so, it must be very expensive, since for allopathic MDs the cost keeps going higher.
What types of malpractice would it include?
Since you legally, in the USA, can't say you are treating medical conditions or diseases, if through homeopathy you aggravate a patient's medical condition, a possibility, which can be perceived by allopathy as malpractice, what would this insurance offer?
Since you can't say you are practicing medicine without a license, what is the malpractice covered for a lay homeopath?
I see many lay homeopaths call themselves "consultants". Can you be accused of malpractice for consulting?
Susan