Homeopathic medicine is an important supplement

The President of the German Medical Association considers homeopathy to be an important help.

The President of the German Medical Association, Prof. Dr. med. med. Jörg-Dietrich Hoppe, pronounced. Opposite the Tagesspiegel Hoppe said: "The effect of homeopathic remedies is not scientifically proven, but homeopathy has become an important branch in the training of doctors." Politicians from the SPD and CDU had sparked a debate about alternative medicine. Currently, the meaning and benefits of homeopathic remedies are debated. The SPD health politician Karl Lauterbach had demanded a general ban on homeopathy as health insurance. Insured persons should in future pay for homeopathic therapies without subsidies themselves. Politicians of the CDU had agreed to Lauterbach.

The President of the German Medical Association Hoppe, however, opposes such a ban. Rather, he relies on a combination of naturopathy and conventional medicine. "Especially in the treatment of mood disorders such as travel sickness or weather sensitivity are achieved with globules success." In addition, naturopathy would provide good services in the sense of provision. This also includes a detailed anamnesis conversation between doctor and patient. "Patients feel safe and secure," argues Hoppe, "which makes the diagnosis and the healing process easier."

Also, the addressed economic aspect doctors can not understand. Because patients who are open to a naturopathic treatment, are overall healthier and cause less costs for the health insurance, so the argument of the German Central Association of homeopathic doctors. Homeopathy is not a "luxury medicine", because the funds are cheaper overall than conventional medicine. In-depth discussions avoid expensive costs such as laboratory tests. If there is a general ban on homeopathy as a cash benefit, it is especially the case of low earners. Would the health insurance benefits abolished, "it will only hit the poorer," said the President of the German Medical Association.

The current debate about the costs of health insurance in the field of homeopathy acts as a miracle debate. For the cost of homeopathic remedies and naturopathic therapies last year was just a fraction of the cost of medicines. Overall, the health insurance in 2009 spent about 28 billion euros for medicines. The share of naturopathy was just once at 32 million euros a year. In addition, only half of the health insurances grant an additional payment for homeopathy. Many of them also only as an additional benefit, in which the insured must pay a higher insured contribution. If the homeopathic treatments were to be deleted, they would have to be replaced by "expensive medicine," says Hoppe. In comparison, homeopathic remedies are much cheaper than conventional medicines.

Prof. Dr. med. Jörg-Dietrich Hoppe has been President of the German Medical Association (BÄK) since 1999. From 1982 to 2006, Hoppe worked as chief physician at the Institute of Pathology at the Düren Hospital. Since then, Hoppe has been a practicing pathologist at the institute and in the practice community for pathology at the Düren hospital. In addition, Prof. Hoppe has taught at the Institute of Legal Medicine for many years and - as honorary professor - at the Medical Faculty of the University of Cologne. (Sb)

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