Paris (AFP)
The Transparency Commission of the High Authority of Health (HAS) has planned on Wednesday its final opinion on the repeal or not of homeopathy, which will be made public Friday, told the HAS to AFP.
In the meantime, this opinion must be communicated to the three laboratories that manufacture homeopathic products (the French Boiron, world leader, the Swiss Weleda and the German Lehning) and to the public authorities.
A provisional opinion issued in mid-May recommended the deferral of homeopathy because its effectiveness is not scientifically proven.
Once made public, HAS 'final opinion will mark the end of the scientific evaluation process for homeopathy. On the other hand, it will not mark the debate on its derogation, since it will be up to the government to take the decision.
Health Minister Agnès Buzyn has said several times that she will follow the advice of the HAS.
But beyond the scientific arguments, pro-homeopathy wants to move the debate on the political field by trying to mobilize their troops.
Labs, homeopaths and users have launched a media campaign supported by elected officials, "My homeo, my choice", with a petition that claims for the moment more than a million signatures.
They called for demonstrations, in Paris on the Esplanade des Invalides and Lyon Place de la Comedie, Friday at 10:30, on the sidelines of the publication of the opinion of the HAS.
It had been seized by Ms. Buzyn in August 2018, to assess the validity of the reimbursement of homeopathy.
Controversial in the medical profession, this technique involves administering to the patient substances in infinitesimal quantity, diluted to the extreme in water.
Some drugs are reimbursed 30% by Social Security under a waiver regime, their effectiveness has not been evaluated scientifically so far.
Last year, the reimbursement of homeopathy accounted for 126.8 million euros out of a total of about 20 billion for all drugs reimbursed, according to the Health Insurance.
The debate on the disbursement has come back to the fore several times in recent years.
It was relaunched dramatically in March 2018, with the publication of a vehement stand against homeopathy and other "alternative medicine" signed by 124 doctors. Since then, these doctors have created a collective named Fakemed.
? 2019 AFP