Abstract submission deadline extended to Thursday, 10 May 2012

The 67th Congress of the Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis (LMHI) will be held from 14-17 September 2012 in Japan's ancient capital Nara. The theme of the Congress is "Harmony", the harmony of a medical treatment adopting homeopathy all over the world. The Congress is organized by the Japanese Physicians Society for Homeopathy (JPSH). "We believe that...spreading homeopathic medicine within healthcare in Japan is a shortcut to obtaining warmhearted healthcare", states JPSH President and Congress Chairperson Dr. Ryoichi Obitsu, M.D., Ph.D. in his invitation address.

The LIGA LETTER is the traditional annual publication of the Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis (LMHI) for its members. The new issue Liga Letter Vol. 17 offers you an impressive review of the past LMHI Congress in New Delhi, India, and an insight into important LMHI developements and decisions. It is published in English, Spanish and, for the first time, in Russian.

LMHI President of Honour since 1995

The international homeopathic medical society Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis (LMHI) mourns the death of its long time friend, respected collaborator, and distinguished homeopathic colleague Dr. Diwan Harish Chand, who died on 13 December 2011 at the age of 87, only a few days after the 66th LMHI Congress was held in New Delhi, India. Dr. Chand received the title of "President of Honour of the LMHI" in 1995.

The Topics (English): Liga Congress 2011: Congress Update • Travelling Exhibition in India "The History of Homoeopathy" • India as a Role Model in "Medical Pluralism and Homoeopathy" • LMHI Governance: International Council Meeting 2011 in New Delhi (Changed Venue) • LMHI Research: Draft Guidelines for a Homeopathic Drug Proving (HDP) and for a Clinical Verification of Homeopathic Symptoms • In Memoriam Patricia Le Roux (1958-2011) • Good News from Sweden: Supreme Administrative Court Rules that "Doctors can recommend homeopathy" • Homeopathic Symposium in Warsaw / Poland "Homeopathy in Europe: Practice - Idea - Research" • International Cooperation: Joint Executive Board Meeting of LMHI / ECH

Los Temas (Español): Congreso de la Liga 2011: Actualización del Congreso • Exhibición itinerante en India "La Evolución de la Homeopatía" • India como modelo a seguir en "El Pluralismo Médico y la Homeopatía" • Consejo de la LMHI: Reunión Internacional del Consejo 2011 en Nueva Delhi (Cambio del lugar de reunión) • In Memoriam Patricia Le Roux (1958-2011) • Buenas noticias desde Suecia: La Corte Suprema Administrativa dictaminó que "Los doctores pueden recomendar la homeopatía" • Simposio Homeopático en Varsovia / Polonia "Homeopatía en Europa: Práctica - Idea - Investigación" • Investigación de la LMHI: Borrador de pautas para la Experimentación Homeopática de Drogas y para la Verificación Clínica de Síntomas Homeopáticos • Cooperación Internacional: Reunión Conjunta de Consejos Ejecutivos de LMHI / ECH

 Liga News No. 6, November 2011 (English)

 Noticias de la Liga No. 6, Noviembre 2011 (Español)

This LMHI Research Working Group report has been requested by the LMHI's National Vice-President for Belgium, Dr. Léon Scheepers. He asked for scientific advice about an official Belgian report published by the Federal Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE) on 24 May 2011. The Belgian homeopathic association Unio Homeopathica Belgica (UHB) expresses some doubts about the scientific relevancy of certain parts of the KCE report, especially the part evaluating clinical efficacy concluding that "no convincing proof of efficacy exists for any condition for which a systematic review was available". The Research Working Group (RWG) agreed to scrutinize and comment on this report using the normal scientific perspective for evaluation of efficacy in medicine.

International Symposium on Homeopathic Medicine

Zagreb/Croatia, 24 March 2011

The Croatian Homeopathic Medical Society (CHMS), the European Committee for Homeopathy (ECH) and the Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis (LMHI) jointly organized a very successful International Symposium on Homeopathic Medicine in Zagreb/Croatia on 24 March 2011 to celebrate the International Homeopathy Day and to promote public and medical community's awareness of homeopathy in Croatia. LMHI and ECH executives gave lectures about different aspects of medical homeopathy and provided political support in meetings with Croatian Health Care officials. LMHI Past-President Dr. Fischer reported that, due to their personal presence and suppport for "younger" homeopathic associations - the respect towards the Croatian colleagues grew "wherever we showed up" and added that "in these projects, the LMHI fullfills really its purpose of developing and securing homeopathy worldwide - as described in its statutes. The International Homeopathy Day took place for the second time, in 2010 it was held in Slovenia. The LMHI plans to continue holding the International Homeopathy Day in different countries. 

 Report on the International Homeopathy Day 2011 - by Dr. Jelka Milić 

 International Symposium on Homeopathic Medicine - Invitation and Program

 Global Homeopathy - Speech by LMHI Past President Dr Ulrich D. Fischer

 Homeopathy in Austria - Speech by LMHI General Secretary Dr. Thomas Peinbauer

This joint LMHI - ECH publication "Scientific Framework Homeopathy. Evidence Based Homeopathy" is now also available in Portuguese. The booklet is aimed at considering all important aspects of the scientific framework of Homeopathic practice including ethical questions, evaluation of daily practice, looking at the level of scientific evidence of each of these aspects. The conclusions are that homeopathy has to stay in the framework of medical practice and it is even a necessity for public health. Of course more research is always necessary.

Homeopathic Remedies Supplied to Affected Areas 

Homeopathic physicians are participating in the acute treatment of the affected population with homeopathic medicines. The LMHI has got feed backs from Japanese colleagues that homeopathic remedies are prescribed for mental traumatism as well as physical disorders in the affected North-Eastern areas. Homeopathic physicians reportedly have supplied goods to Fukushima and Sendai, including homeopathic remedies dealing with disasters.

The new LIGA LETTER (Vol. 16 / 2010), the traditional annual publication of the Liga Medicorum Homoeopathica Internationalis (LMHI) for its members, gives you a review of important LMHI developements in 2010. It is published in English and Spanish. 

One of the most essential functions the LMHI has is that of being the guardian and preserving institution of the timeless qualities of homeopathy. The LIGA achieves this goal by promulgating excellent Homeopathic Medical Education Standards and by encouraging all schools and homeopathic medical associations worldwide and all of their members to provide the best possible homeopathic education to their members.

Urgent Request for Proposals

The International Scientific Committee on Homeopathic Investigations (ISCHI) invites proposals to develop clinical studies investigating the potential of homeopathy in epidemiology and general medicine. Such studies could be of various designs, including but not limited to randomized controlled trials and non-randomized cohort studies.

September 2010

According to several EU directives concerning the registration procedure of homeopathic medicinal products for human and veterinary use, the homeopathic remedy definition must take into consideration two elements: the homeopathic use and the homeopathic nature of the stock/raw material. In the LMHI-ECH document about “Medical Homeopathic Education Standards”, “Homeopathy” is defined as: “a method of medical practice, aimed at improving the level of health of an organism by the administration of proven and sucussed/triturated medicines, which are individually selected in accordance with the law of similars.” In order to arrive to a more complete definition for the homeopathic medicine/remedy, three aspects must be considered.

The World Health Organization has just published "Safety issues in the preparation of homeopathic medicines".

Homeopathy is used worldwide, however, the national regulatory framework and the place of homeopathy within the health care system differ from country to country.

This technical document, published on 17 February 2010 (448 pages), is the WHO's response to requests and recommendations made by relevant World Health Assembly resolutions, by Member States, as well as international conferences of drug regulatory authorities, and is a part of the implementation of the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy and the WHO Medicines Strategy.

Response by the European Committee for Homeopathy ECH and the International Homeopathic Medical League LMHI 

In a report published 22 February 2010, the Science and Technology Committee of the United Kingdom House of Commons concludes that homeopathy is not efficacious (that is, it does not work beyond the placebo effect), that explanations for why homeopathy would work are scientifically implausible and that further clinical trials of homeopathy could not be justified. Furthermore, it concludes that the NHS should cease funding homeopathy and that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) should no longer license homeopathic medicines.

Remarkably, just 4 of the 14 members of the Science and Technology Committee voted on this report: 3 for, one against. One of its three signatories has stridently campaigned against homeopathy and continued to do so even in the period between the hearings and the publication of the report.

The European Committee for Homeopathy ECH and the International Homeopathic Medical League LMHI find the conclusions and recommendations of the Science and Technology Committee completely unfounded. The report is highly tendentious and fundamentally flawed, consistently misrepresenting the scientific evidence to the detriment of homeopathy and making unfounded and pejorative allegations against those who advocate or practise homeopathy.

A recent study published in the International Journal of Oncology has demonstrated the beneficial effects of homeopathic medicines on breast cancer cells.

In 1999 the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) evaluated a cancer treatment protocol developed at the P. Banerji Homeopathic Research Foundation (PBHRF) in Kolkata, India. The ‘Banerji protocol’ used specific ultra-diluted natural substances to treat patients with different cancers. The NCI reviewed 10 patients treated on the Banerji protocol. In four of the cases with lung and esophageal cancers, the NCI confirmed partial responses. All patients reviewed had appropriate pathology and imaging studies to confirm diagnosis and response. The patients only received the remedies prescribed at the PBHRF clinic and did not receive any additional conventional treatment, such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. After rigorous evaluation, the NCI concluded that there was sufficient evidence of efficacy to warrant further research of the Banerji protocol.

Re: "WHO warns against homeopathy use"

Letter from LMHI President Dr Ulrich D. Fischer to Dr Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), regarding the WHO's position on homeopathic medicines.

Evidence Based Homeopathy

After 65th LMHI Congress - 2010
Editor: LMHI and ECH Secretary for Research, Dr. Michel Van Wassenhoven

This booklet, a joint production of the Liga Medicorum Homeopathica Internationalis (LMHI) and the European Committee for Homeopathy (ECH), is aimed at considering all important aspects of the scientific framework of Homeopathic practice including ethical questions, evaluation of daily practice, looking at the level of scientific evidence of each of these aspects. The conclusions are that homeopathy has to stay in the framework of medical practice and it is even a necessity for public health. Of course, more research is always necessary.

LMHI Guideline for Clinical Data Collection

Historically, homeopathy always acts very well in pandemic situations. To confirm this fact nowadays, homeopaths have to collect the clinical data of their influenza patients.

The first aim is to define the "genius epidemicus", first at the office of each MD, later on in each country and finally worldwide. Taking some time for this analysis is winning time for next consultations to everybody.
The second aim will be to have the possibility to do a retrospective survey on the pandemic situation when it will be passed.