Q294 Dr Harris: Do you think the NHS should spend money by homeopathic treatments?
Professor Beddington: Again, you have been reading The Independent. I find homeopathy a difficult thing. The question is: is there any scientific evidence beyond the placebo effect that homeopathy works? I know of no such evidence.
Q295 Dr Harris: I will come back to my question. Do you think the NHS should be spending money that could be spent on evidence-based treatments on homeopathy?
Professor Beddington: It depends on the extent of the placebo effect, of course, does it not? It is not just in terms of homeopathy, but, I suppose, less conventional medicines. There does seem to be some evidence that they are effective. In terms of homeopathy, as I have said, I see no evidence beyond the placebo effect that it works, but, again, the point I would answer is slightly similar, Dr Harris, to the way I answered Dr Iddon. I can make that point to government and say that there is no evidence that homeopathy works. The decision on whether you wish to fund homeopathy as part of the National Health Service has other factors which are beyond science.
Q296 Dr Harris: As you know, homeopathic remedies have no molecules of the "active" ingredient in them, yet you can pay quite a bit for this water; so why not just give people, for the placebo effect, water free, tell them its homeopathy and save the money for the NHS? It is a serious point.
Professor Beddington: It is a serious point but not a scientific one. I think this is more policy than science, Dr Harris. I am quite firm with this. I see no scientific evidence that homeopathy has an effect beyond the placebo effect. The question that you ask is a reasonable one, but I think it is possibly better posed to the Department of Health rather than me.
Q297 Dr Harris: What about the issue of the Department of Health insisting that the MHRA, which controls drugs, accepts homeopathic provings as evidence for the labelling of homeopathic medicines as medicines?
Professor Beddington: I would say again, I think there is no evidence base for homeopathy, so the implications are fairly clear, that there is no evidence base to continue to use it.
Q298 Chairman: Why is not the Departmental Scientific Adviser at the Department of Health saying that?
Professor Beddington: It is not an issue I have discussed with Sally Davis. I am not aware whether they have or have not said anything.
Q299 Dr Harris: You have got the Science Review at the Department of Health?
Professor Beddington: Yes.
Q300 Dr Harris: I expected this to be in here, and I have not found it. There are eight annexes as well, so there is lot to read, but you have written the foreword, and you must have read it. Do you recall it being in here?
Professor Beddington: Certainly homeopathy was looked at as part of the study but not as one of the case studies.
Q301 Dr Harris: I see lots of areas of good practice boxed here, but I could not find one area of bad practice boxed. Sir David King when he came to see us just before you did said, "The issue of homeopathic medicines leaves me completely puzzled. How can you have homeopathic medicines labelled by a department", the health department, "which is driven by science? I would say there is a risk to the population because people who take them may be expecting that they are dealing with a serious problem." He then says, "For example, we are currently doing the Department of Health. You may want to look at that. Of course we will look at homeopathic so-called medicine. These external advisers" - because we were talking about whether these reviews were independent of government - "I think, carry the way to objectivity that you are looking for in your idea." So I was waiting expectantly for the Chief Scientific Advisor who started that review (I know you finished it off) to raise this point. Perhaps the answer has just arrived.
Professor Beddington: I do not know. I was going to say could you give me a little time to respond to you on this? As you say, it is a large report. I can indicate that this was published in Annexe 1 of the interviews on the Go Science website, which is probably not what you want.
Q302 Chairman: This is an important issue, it is not a frivolous issue, because it goes right to the heart of the issue of whether or not you have evidence-based policy-making in a key area of health. Could we ask if you would perhaps write to us to respond to that?
Professor Beddington: Yes, I will.
Q303 Chairman: I would much prefer that than us trying to score points off you or you score points off us.
Professor Beddington: I think the matter is highly unlikely, Chairman, but I will certainly do that.
. Believe me, we get all sorts here and there is no filter for oddballs. But you are very welcome
