It is with great excitement I write this article! Homeopathic medicine will be fully regulated April 1st 2015, or should I say re-regulated but I will get back to that point. What this means is as of April 1st 2015 only those who are qualified and registered with the College of Homeopaths can practice homeopathic medicine. As well if you have extended health care benefits, you will likely be able to claim any visits to a homeopath. The insurance company is usually looking for a registration number which a qualified homeopath will have.

Many people are not aware that homeopathic medicine was first regulated in 1859 and was a branch of the College of Physicians and Surgeons until the 1960s. History shows that at this time many people used allopathic or pharmaceutical medicine and qualified homeopaths were less in numbers. It costs money to run a regulating body or college thus homeopathic medicine was de-regulated due to a decrease in regulated members. Fast forward to more current times. As history now shows people are returning to more natural means of health care and since it is the Ministry of Health’s responsibility to protect the public in 2007 the reregulation process began.

I realize many people don’t understand the process of how homeopathic medicine is made and thus discredits it’s curative ability but the fact of the matter is millions of people use homeopathic medicine throughout the world, including the Royal family. The Toronto Star had a great letter from a medical doctor in BC explaining how he uses homeopathic medicine in his medical practice on a daily basis, http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2015/03/16/homeopathy-an-effective-alternative.html?referrer=http://m.facebook.com.

The re-regulation of Homeopathic medicine is a step in the right direction for options for all people in Ontario. In order to qualify and be registered with the College of Homeopaths (the regulating body and not a college you go to), one has to have a college or university background, 3 year degree program in homeopathic medicine as well as medical health sciences, CPR, a police check, over 1000 hours of clinical work and a course in jurisprudence. In other words a homeopath will have no less than 5 years of post secondary school.

Homeopathic medicine is medicine. A homeopath specializes in understanding homeopathic medicine and what medicine should be used for each person’s total state. From April 1st 2015 and on only a homeopath can dispense homeopathic medicine or someone who has qualified under the College of Homeopaths.

Today’s healthy habit is pretty obvious, take advantage of your rights to have the right number of health care practitioners for your total health care.

Diane Elms D.H.M.H.S., CCI, CCII, Homeopath, Specializing in Drugless Cancer Care, 2006 Iridologist of the Year, if you have any health related questions contact diane@choicesforhealthandharmony.com or 905 768 0848.