In Cuba, as there are, in theory, no ‘capitalist’ controls on market development, they have always developed medical products to meet their own needs and not just for profit. As part of this approach they have used homeopathic remedies pragmatically and interchangeably alongside ‘conventional’ drugs for treating various conditions.

The brand, named Vidatox, is said to have anti-tumourial, analgesic and anti-inflammatory qualities that, according to the producers, help improve the quality of life of cancer patients.Most practitioners will be aware of the successful, widespread preventative use of homeopathic remedies to treat millions of people in Cuba during the widespread leptospirosis crisis a few years ago. And now a Cuban pharmaceutical company, Labioform, has started exporting a homeopathic medicine made from the venom of blue scorpions, into Europe to meet what it says is a high demand from cancer patients.

Labiofam is marketing its homeopathic remedy in the same way that other cancer-fighting drugs are marketed and has started distribution in Belarus and is now campaigning for distribution in the UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Hungary and Turkey, amongst other European markets.

Even though demand for the product is said to be exceptional in Italy, the company – through the Cuban Embassy in Rome – has said; “for now, unfortunately, it will not be possible to respond positively to the thousands of requests pouring in to Labiofam, since its production is still very limited.”

The product is claimed to be a “natural, complementary alternative in the treatment of oncological patients.” See full report here.