The Medicines Act is being simplified, which is a good thing because much duplication is being removed. However, as a result there are some key elements that could adversely affect your access to homeopathic medicines if the proposals go into force.

If the current proposals by the MHRA are endorsed by government the following would occur:

• You would no longer able to get homeopathic medicines by phone or online To get any unlicensed homeopathic medicine a face-to-face consultation would be required at a registered pharmacy. Unlicensed medicines number in the thousands and make up the majority of homeopathic prescriptions, while there are only 50 licenced homeopathic medicines. This will also mean you cannot legally buy unlicensed homeopathic medicines online or over the phone as you currently do.
• Homeopaths would not be able to dispense or prescribe medicines to you Homeopathic practitioners would not be able to dispense unlicensed homeopathic medicines to their patients. This arises because homeopaths are not recognised by this law as being supplementary prescribers and it will be illegal for homeopathic pharmacies to supply them with the essential (unlicensed) medicines required for their patients
• You would have to get your homeopathic medicines personally at a handful of licenced homeopathic pharmacies in Britain Hundreds of thousands of people who currently have prescriptions filled for unlicensed homeopathic medicines will be unable to obtain their urgent medicines. The estimated 6 million users of homeopathy in Britain cannot be expected to be supplied medicines face-to-face by less than five licenced premises.

To find out more – and what you can do, please look at the Homeopathy Action Trust’s website.