Homeopathy in Switzerland - LMHI Report 2009

LMHI Annual Report
HOMOEOPATHY IN SWITZERLAND
July 2009





1. ORGANISATIONS

1.1. SCHWEIZERISCHER VEREIN HOMÖOPATHISCHER ÄRZTINNEN UND ÄRZTE (SVHA), SOCIETE SUISSE DES MEDECINS HOMEOPATHES (SSMH), SOCIETÂ SVIZZERA DEI MEDICI OMEOPATI (SSMO), THE SWISS ASSOCIATION OF HOMEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS (SAOHP)

The Swiss Association of Homœopathic Physicians was founded in 1856 and unites the majority of Swiss homœopathic physicians. The SVHA represents officially Swiss medical Homeopathy at the LMHI. The SVHA is the main organ which deals with political issues concerning Homeopathy in Switzerland. Visit it‘s website – which has been recently renewed: www.homoeopathie-welt.ch

Membership:
Ordinary Members: doctors, dentists, veterinarians and pharmacists who live or work in Switzerland and who have completed a 2 years basic education in classical homœopathy.
Extraordinary Members: doctors, dentists, veterinarians and pharmacists and students of these faculties in homeopathic training.

Members:
347 members
317 MD, 24 pharmacists, 3 veterinarians, 3 dentists.

Certificate of Capacity (Fähigkeitsausweis der FMH - Foederatio medicorum helveticorum):
Conventional postgraduate medical training of 5 years, medical practice with mainly homoeopathic content.
Homeopathic training: 2 years basic education (150 hrs) with examination; 150 hrs practical training and min. 100 hours postgraduate homoeopathic training; written documentation of 3 homeopathical cases with follow up time of min. 1 year.
CME and yearly recertification compulsatory.

Pharmacists:
The SVHA has newly become accredited as a professional association by the Swiss Pharmacists Association (SAV) and has been mandated to create a pharmacists specialist-title FPH (Foederatio Pharmaceutica Helvetiae). The Diploma “Fachapotheker Klassische Homöopathie FPH” requires analogue training as the Certificate of Capacity with modification to strictly pharmacists situation according with the Swiss Association of Pharmacists (SAV).

Board:
President: Dr. Clemens Dietrich, Rigistr. 5, 5610 Wohlen
Vice President: Dr. Denise Bloch, Ch. Du Tirage 21, 2520 La Neuveville
Treasurer: Dr. Viktor Jenny, Länggassstrasse 36, 3012 Bern
Secretary: Cornelia Roth, Sonnacker 1, 8905 Arni
Contact FMH: Aurelio Nosetti, Mühlematt 12, 6020 Emmenbrücke
UNION delegate: Dr. Barbara Kramer, Rue de la Dent Blance 19, 1950 Sion
Dr. Heidi Lüdi, Thunstrasse 22, 3005 Bern
Delegate of education: Cornelia Roth, Sonnacker 1, 8905 Arni
LMHI and ECH delegate: Dr. Barbara Bichsel, Praxisgemeinschaft ASCHERA, 7220 Schiers

Secretariat:
Sekretariat SVHA/SSMH/SSMO, Vreni Greising, Dorfhaldenstrasse 5, CH-6052 Hergiswil
Telefon Sekretariat: 041 630 07 60, Fax: 041 280 30 36;
sekretariat@swiss-homeopathy.ch; http:// www.homoeopathie-welt.ch/

Education committee:
The education committee consists of representatives from the different SVHA related schools in Switzerland.
Members of the committee:
Dr. Jürg Mühlemann, president, Ahornweg 12c, 3110 Münsingen
Dr. Barbara Fischer, Freiestrasse 5, 8610 Uster (ZAKH)
Pharm. FPH Christa Rohrer, Bellevuestrasse 48, 3095 Spiegel (Pharmacists, SAV)
Dr. Urs Zimmermann, Schwarzenburgstrasse 148, 3097 Liebefeld (BAKH)
Pharm. FPH Cornelia Roth, Sonnacker 1, 8905 Arni (SAHP)
Dr. Pharm. Michèle Imfeld, CP 133, 1071 Chexbres
Dr. Gisela Etter, Bachtelstr. 9, 8805 Richterswil (ZAKH)

1.2 HOMEOPATHIC ASSOCIATIONS and SCHOOLS linked with the SVHA

1.2.1. LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS
Basic education in classical homœopathy in the name of the SVHA. The associations are bound by contract to maintain the standards as formulated by the SVHA.

ZÜRCHER ÄRZTINNEN UND ÄRZTE FÜR KLASSISCHE HOMÖOPATHIE (ZAKH)
ZURICH PHYSICIANS FOR CLASSICAL HOMŒOPATHY
The association has been founded in 1991 and offers a two years basic education program (4 semesters), initiated by Jost Künzli in 1977, and ongoing programs afterwards.
Membership: Physicians, Veterinarian, Dentists, Pharmacists.
Members: 40 ordinary, 8 extraordinary
Board: Dres Michael Eicke (Winterthur), Marco Righetti, Rodolfo Roth and Gianna Olivier (all in Zürich)
Secretary: Dr. Michael Eicke, Tösstalstrasse 163, 8400 Winterthur; michael.eicke@into.ch
Education program: During university semester weekly lectures held at the University of Zürich. New program starts in September 2009. (Students 2008: 54). After the basic education it offers case supervision courses (for medical and veterinary doctors) and postgraduate seminars and courses.
Lecturers: Dr. Marco Righetti, Leonhardshalde 2, 8001 Zürich
Dr. vet. Marc Bär, Streulistr. 32, 8032 Zürich
Dr. Gisela Etter, Bachtelstr. 9, 8805 Richterswil
Dr. Hansjörg Hee, Waldgutstr. 7, 9010 St. Gallen
Dr. Clemens Dietrich, Rigistr. 5, 5610 Wohlen
and other lecturers
Secretary: Kurssekretariat ZAKH, Vreni Greising, Dorfhaldenstrasse 5, CH-6052 Hergiswil
zakh@bluewin.ch; http://www.zakh.ch

ECOLE SUISSE ROMANDE D'HOMŒOPATHIE UNICISTE (ESRHU)
The homœopathic school of Geneva (from Dr. René Casez) and Lausanne (Grehem) united and founded 1992 the new school 'Ecole Suisse Romande d'Homœopathie Uniciste'.
Open for physicians, dentists, pharmacists, veterinary doctors and midwifes.
30 Students
Board: President: Dr. Pierre Robert, Ch de la Culturaz 27, 1095 Lutry
Vicepresident: Dr. François Choffat, 1531 Grandcour
Secretary: Mme Nadine Fleury, Jonquilles 95, 1807 Palézieux-Gare
Education program: 4 days of introduction, seminars of 1 or 2 saturdays per month for two years (150 hrs).
Lecturers: 10 members of the Association.
Secretary: ESRHU/CRH, Mme Nadine Fleury, Jonquilles 95, 1807 Palézieux-Gare
Phone 079 572 76 43; Fax 021 791 47 38,
esrhu.secretariat@crh-homeopathie.ch; http://www.crh-homeopathie.ch

BERNER AERZTEVEREIN FÜR KLASSISCHE HOMŒOPATHIE (BAKH)
The association has been founded in 1990 and offers a four years basic education and organises postgraduate training, and supervision.
Membership: Physicians with a basic education and own practice.
Members: 45
Board: President: Dr. Martin Zingg, Mattenhofstrasse. 22, 3007 Bern
Vice President: Dr. Martin Frei, Aarestrasse. 34, 3600 Thun
Secretary: Dr. Dagmar Kaufmann, Thunstrasse 22, 3005 Bern
Adress: bakhom@gmail.com
Education program: Four years basic course of eight one-day seminars and one weekend a year. Seperate educational activities: Once a month supervision-groups. The last course started Sept 2008.
Lecturers: 8 members of the Association
Secretary: Dr. Martin Frei, Aarestrasse. 34, 3600 Thun, E-mail: vorlesung_bakh@mac.com

LOCARNO: FORMAZIONE DI BASE IN OMEOPATIA CLASSICA (BASIC HOMEOPATHIC EDUCATION)
Founded 1992 by Dr. Dario Spinedi, 3-years education weekly 3 hours. 20 Students.
Lecturers: Dr. Dario Spinedi
Secretary: Dr. Dario Spinedi, Via al Parco, 6644 Orselina

1.2.2 ASSOCIATIONS COLLABORATING WITH THE SVHA

SCHWEIZERISCHE AERZTEGESELLSCHAFT FÜR HOMÖOPATHIE (SAHP)
SWISS MEDICAL SOCIETY FOR HOMŒOPATHY
The SHAP is an association which offers a basic and a postgraduate training in classical homœopathy. The members usually enter the SVHA after the basic training has been completed.
Membership: Doctors, dentists, pharmacists, vetrerinarians.
Members: 157 members
Board: President: Dr. P. Minder, Hauptstrasse 7, 4102 Binningen
Vice President I: Dr. pharm. Beat Wittwer, Marktgasse 10, 3177 Laupen
Vice President II: Dr. Julia Brönnimann, Schwarzenburgstrasse 150, 3097 Liebefeld
Secretary: Dr. Christian Beer, Oberwaldstr. 8, 3465 Dürrenroth
Treasurer: Dr. Klaus von Ammon, Rebbergstrtasse 7, 8712 Stäfa
Educational program: Tree years basic programme (43 full day courses) and postgraduate seminars ('Silser-Weeks'). (Students 2007: 8).
Lecturers: Dr. Urs Steiner, Parkstrasse 1a, 6430 Goldau
Dr. P. Minder, Hauptstrasse 7, 4102 Binningen
Dr. Angelika Stahlkopf, St. Gallerstr. 215, 9202 Gossau
Dr. B. Wittwer, Marktgasse 10, 3177 Laupen
Pharm. FPH Jacqueline Ryffel, Tannackerstrasse 7, 3073 Gümligen
Secretary: OMS, Dorfhaldenstrasse 5, CH-6052 Hergiswil, Tel. 041/610 96 86, Fax 041 280 30 36,
http:// www.sahp.ch


INTERESSENGEMEINSCHAFT ERWEITERTE HAUSARZTMEIDZIN (IGEH)
This newly founded association (2007) is the result of a long continued group working on homeopathic remedy research (Interessengemeinschaft für Homöopathie und geisteswissenschaftlich erweiterte Hausarztmedizin). It offers basic and postgraduate training for medical doctors especially to show the possibilities of practising homoeopathy as a general practitioner.
The first basic course started 2007 with 14 young doctors and students; the next basic course will start in September 2009. The educational program follows the guidelines of the SVHA but has more weight on themes that are of interest for general practitioners.
Board and Lecturers: Peter Mattmann-Allamand, Jegerlehnerweg 11, 6010 Kriens
Pierre Strub, Bahnhofstr. 292, 8623 Kempten
Barbara Bichsel, Praxisgemeinschaft ASCHERA, 7220 Schiers
More information and contact via http://www.igeh.ch


1.3. OTHER ASSOCIATIONS

SWISS HOMŒOPATHIC INSTITUTE & SCHOOL (SHI)
The SHI was founded 1988 by Mohinder Singh Jus. The college is part of the SHI House of Homoeopathy which unites teaching, practice, research, production and sale of homeopathic remedies under a single roof.
The training course offered by the SHI is a full time course of four years and 4 months duration (3650 hrs). Students are taught in various medical and homoeopathic subjects from the basics up. Doctors may complete the training in two years (1900 hrs, incl. practical training). SHI offers also a broad post-graduate training program. The SHI training program gained recognition in the state Zug in 2007. The education program for doctors is recognized by the SVHA.
Director: Dr. Mohinder Sing Jus, Steinhauserstrasse 51, 6300 Zug
Address: SHI Homeopathic College, Steinhauserstrasse 51, CH-6300 Zug. Tel. 041 748 21 77;
schule@shi.ch; http://www.shi.ch

SWISS HOMEOPATHIC ASSOCIACION HVS (Homöopathie Verband Schweiz)
founded 1991, represented at the ECCH/ICCH
Membership: Ordinary members: non-physician homeopaths, physicians, dentists, veterinarians, health practitioners
Extraordinary members: Students of homeopathy
Passive members: who support HVS
Members: 116 ordinary, 41 extraordinary, 405 passive
Board: Ursula Spring (Co-president) and Uta Knoth (Co-president, ECCH)
Beatrice Soldat-Braun (assoc.), Rita Kaiser-Bättig (assoc.), Priska Mathys (assoc., homeopathy for animals)
Adress: Maya Roithner, Sekretariat HVS, Postfach, 9501 Will Tel. 071 911 89 08 Fax. 071 911 89 09
info@hvs.ch; http://www.hvs.ch/

VERBAND KLASSISCHER HOMÖOPATHINNEN VKH
Founded 1992. 160 members
Board: Felix Morgenthaler, Morgentalstr. 3, 8038 Zürich
Adress: VKH Sekretariat, Bart Verena, Leimeren 8, CH-3210 Kerzers, Tel. 031 755 60 44, Fax 031 755 60 87 sekretariat@vkh.ch; http://www.vkh.ch/

VEREIN ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER KLASSISCHEN HOMŒOPATHIE
PATIENTS-ORGANIZATION
Vfkh's Objectives and Activities: Raising awareness of classical homeopathy and increasing knowledge about it especially through publication of a quarterly newsletter with articles for a non-expert audience: Homöonews, and by regularly updating a web site. Courses in classical homeopathy for users, with the possibility for participants of exchanging information and experience. A Vfkh homeopathic home kit is available. The kit comes with a detailed handbook in German or French.
Founded in 1990, Patients-organization since 1993
Type of members: users and homeopaths
Number of members: over 2000
Board: Ruth Steiner, Tania Blaser, Willy Bernhard, Hildegard Flück, Guido Jeker, Nicole Ritter
Adress: Geschäftsstelle VFKH Glaeser Daniela, Rennweg 62, 2504 Biel Tel. 032 353 73 45 Fax 032 353 73 46
info@vfkh.ch; http://www.vfkh.ch/

SCHWEIZERISCHE HOMEOPATHIE GESELLSCHAFT SHG/SGHK
3 years course for health-practitioners and doctors.
Address: IMF, Haus am Sportplatz, 8134 Adliswil; http://www.homeopathy.ch

NVS NATURÄRZTE-VEREINIGUNG DER SCHWEIZ NVS
NVS SWISS NATUROPATHIC ASSOCIATION
Founded 1920. Their aim is to guarantee the qualification and professional quality of their members, to increase public awareness and acceptance of natural healing as a profession.
Membership: Health practitioners with qualified education and practice
Members: 3200, 1300 of them are practicing different kinds of Homœopathy)
NVS, Schützenstrasse 42, CH-910 Herisau, Phone +41 (0)71 352 58 80 Fax +41 (0)71 352 58 81
nvs@naturaerzte.ch, http://www.naturaerzte.ch/


1.4. POLITICALLY ORIENTATED ASSOCIATIONS

UNION SCHWEIZERISCHER KOMPLEMENTÄRMEDIZINISCHER ÄRZTEORGANISATIONEN
Founded in 1996 to represent complementary medicine towards national Authorities.
All national medical associations concerned in complementary medicine are represented, about 2000 doctors, 18 different methods, 6 associations.
Address: UNION, Tribschenstrasse7, Postfach 3065, CH-6002 Luzern,
Tel. 041 368 58 05, Fax: 041 368 58 59, info@unioncomed.ch; http://www.unioncomed.ch/

FFG-FORUM FÜR GANZHEITSMEDIZIN
This Association was founded 1996 and consists of the main associations in the field of complementary medicine. The ffg aims at connecting the different organisations and fields The association serves as a platform where information can be exchanged and offers a basis for a common appearence of the complementary medicine in order to become more popular within the society and in politics and to achieve its proper recognition within the national health system.
The FFG was in charge of the constitutional initiative „Ja zur Komplementärmedizin“. At the moment they discuss to build a new platform for Complementary Medicine, where medical and non-medical therapists, producers of complementary pharmaceutical products and patients with interest in Complementary Medicine will work together to support their common demands especially on political level.

The following organizations are connected in this association:
anthrosana - Verein für anthroposophisch erweitertes Heilwesen
Ita Wegman Klinik
Schweiz. Ärztegesellschaft für Akupunktur - Chinesische Medizin
Schweizer Kneippverband
Schweizerischer Drogisten-Verband
Schweiz. Medizinische Gesellschaft für Phytotherapie
St. Peter Apotheke
SVHA Schweizer. Verein Homöopathischer Aerztinnen und Aerzte
SVKH Schweizerischer Verband für komplementärmedizinische Heilmittel
Trägerverein Paracelsus-Spital Richterswil
UNION schweizerischer komplementärmedizinischer Ärzteorganisationen
VAOAS Vereinigung anthropos. orientierter Aertze in der Schweiz
Verein zur Förderung der Klassischen Homöopathie(VFKH)
vitaswiss (Volksgesundheit)
Lukas-Klinik
Paracelsus-Klinik
SAGEM Schweizerische Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Erfahrungsmedizin
Together they represent over 60 000 members and about 2000 medical doctors.
Address: ffg – forum für ganzheitsmedizin, Dr. Elisabeth Sulger Büel, Karl-Völker-Strasse 28, 9435 Heerbrugg
Tel: 071 722 05 75, Fax. 071 722 05 30, E-Mail: info@ffg-forum.ch, http:// www.ffg-forum.ch/


2. HOMŒOPATHIC PHARMACIES / MANUFACTURERS

Our traditional pharmacy is the Laboratoire Schmidt-Nagel in Geneva/Meyrin. Manufacturers of a newer date are Spagyros which produces high quality homœopathic medicines potentised by hand and Omida, a daughter firm of DHU, which now has a potentising machine of Michael Quinn. All potencies are available.
Also Vogel (9053 Teufen) and Weleda (4144 Arlesheim) are producing homœopathic low potency remedies, next to their phytotherapeutic resp. antroposophical assortment.

Addresses:
Homöosana , Steinhauserstrasse 51, 6300 Zug
Laboratoire Schmidt-Nagel, 27, rue Pré-Bouvier, 1217 Meyrin/Genève http://schmidt-nagel.ch/
Omida, Erlistr. 2, 6403 Küssnacht a.R. http://omida.ch/
Spagyros SA, Tannackerstrasse 7, 3037 Gümligen http://www.spagyros.ch/

Many other brands are imported: Boiron, Dolisos, Homeoden, Nelson, etc.


3. HOMŒOPATHIC PUBLICATIONS

Similia, Zeitschrift für Homöopathie, Homöosana Verlag AG, Steinhauserstrasse 51, 6300 Zug. 4 Issues a year. Linked with SHI.

Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Ganzheitsmedizin official publication of the Union für Komplementärmedizin, 8 issues per year
Address: Dr. Becker und Partner AG, Verlag für Ganzheitsmedizin, Peter Merian-Strasse 58, 4002 Basel, Tel. 061/272 90 09, Fax 061/272 90 08, Internet: http://www.ganzheitsmedizin.ch

4. OF GENERAL INTEREST

Switzerland enshrines complementary medicine in the constitution:
On 17 May 2009 the Swiss people voted in favour of a constitutional article for complementary medicine in a national vote. 67 percent of voters supported the new constitutional article proposed by the parliament. In accordance with the referendum the Swiss Federal constituion will be expanded by the following article:
Art, 118a: „The federal government and cantons shall ensure that, within the scope of their jurisdiction, complementary medicine is taken into consideration.“
On this constitutional basis the parliament and the authorities have to implement the following requirements:
• Admission of doctors of complementary medicine in the fields of anthroposophical medicine, homoeopathy, neural therapy, phytotherapy and traditional chinese medicine (TCM) into obligatory health insurance
• Creation of national diplomas for non-medical therapists
• Integration of complementary medicine into universitarian teaching and research
• Safeguarding of proven remedies

Admission of Homoeopathy to the Obligatory Health Insurance:
Some months ago we got an answer of the ELGK (eidgenössische Leistungs- und Grundsatzkommission) to our application for reentry of medical homoeopathy to the obligatory health insurance. We have to fullfill a high standard of demands, e.g. recent studies about the effectiveness etc.. Despite the positive outcome of the above mentioned vote we still are obliged to go the regular way of admission. The application will be sent back by the end of this year with the power of the positive vote in our back!

Students of homoeopathy:
For a long time the number of students was decreasing, but now there might be a change in sight. Last November two of our members were invited by medical students to hold a workshop during a medical students meeting. Also the local association of homoeopathic doctors of Berne could initiate a new course this spring. And a group of homoeopathic General Practitioners founded a new training especially suited for students who will be General Practitioners afterwards.
The need for well trained homoeopathic doctors is still growing, although over 270 physicians already have the certificate of capacity in classical homoeopathy. The corresponding programme can be seen in full details on the homepage of the Swiss association of physicians on www.fmh.ch (in french and german). At the moment we have a detailed discussion between the board and the education committee of SVHA and the homoeopathic schools to find better possiblities for the young colleagues to fullfill the there mentioned conditions especially the two years of practical experience.

WONCA Congress Basel, 16.-19. September 2009
We are happy to have the possibilities to be present with homoeopathic speeches and workshops at this congress of European General Practitioners (Hausärzte). As the subject of the congress - The Fascination of Complexity-Dealing with Individuals in a Field of Uncertainty is immanent in the homoeopathic work we are proud to hold a workshop with the title: From complexity to individuality: the homoeopathic approach. We hope to attract some GP’s to enlarge their skills by homoeopathy!
The other speeches with homoeopathic background will be listed on our homoeopathic homepage.

CME ist well established in Switzerland. 30 hrs in structured and certified education in classical homoeopathy and 20 hrs in conventional medical education (structured and certified) plus 20 hrs homoeopathic and 10 hrs conventinal medical selfstudy are required annually for recertification of the certificate of capacity in classical homoeopathy. The education committe of the SVHA evaluates und controls CME. Sanctions will be taken if in three years CME has not been fullfilled. Over 80% fullfill CME without special request, 10% need to be contacted and 10% have valid reasons for excuse (e.g. health problems).

Measles
Last winter there has been an increasing number of patients with measles. We as homoeopathic doctors have been attacked to be responsible for the vaccination rate of children in Switzerland to be only around 85%. There were discussions in the radio and television with members of our association with reasonable good results for us as homoeopathic doctors. We decided in our organisation SVHA to make a study on measles patients we treated and the –rarely observed- complications and to show how the homoeopathic treatment can help to overcome this disease without major problems even in adult patients. We couldn’t start the project till now because we need the permission of the ethical commission of each Swiss canton; some of them are still outstanding.


July 2009

Dr. med. Barbara Bichsel
Nat. Vice President LMHI and ECH
Praxisgemeinschaft ASCHERA, Hinterdorf 107A
CH-7220 Schiers
Switzerland
Tel.: ++41 81 328 24 04, Fax:: ++41 81 330 42 10 Email: bichsel.praxis@hin.ch