At the International LMHI Congress in Utrecht, a powerful message echoed through the opening ceremony: patients are the driving force behind the future of homeopathy. Cristal Skaling-Klopstock and Miranda Ruchtie, Presidents of EFHPA, along with Annemieke Laan, Director of the Dutch Homeopathic Association, took the stage to represent the voice that is often unheard—the patient’s voice.
We are over 10,000 voices with one mission
With 22 member associations in 15 countries, EFHPA represents the interests of more than 10,000 patients. The presentation at the LMHI Congress aimed to demonstrate that we ensure patients have a seat at the table, whether at the World Health Organisation (WHO), European Institutions such as the European Parliament and the European Council, European Health NGOs, or within global policy initiatives like the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.
A grassroots movement
It’s not only the treatment that makes homoeopathy so powerful, but also the impact that people can make. As Annemieke Laan shared during the Congress, the success of the Dutch Homeopathic Association shows what is possible when patients are not just recipients of care but active participants in shaping healthcare policy and accessing the healthcare they choose.
Homeopathy is under pressure
Homeopathic scientific research is often sidelined, and access to homeopathic medicines and practitioners is becoming restricted in more and more countries. The patients’ choice is narrowing. This is precisely why forming patient associations is not just important—it’s essential. With this method, we can bolster homeopathy and shield it from external pressures.
Why Patients’ Associations matter
A Patient’s Association:
- Gives homeopathy patients a political and social voice.
- Enables collaboration on the national and international level.
- Creates a platform for sharing knowledge, support, and advocacy.
Patients need to be heard, not only in the consultation room but in the policy arena, in the media, and in every forum where healthcare decisions are made. The patients’ personal stories are powerful. Patients connect emotionally, influence perspectives, and frequently achieve what scientific evidence alone cannot.
The Way Forward: Collaboration
Homeopathy’s future lies in unity. When patients, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers collaborate, sustainable change becomes a reality.
All participants at the LMHI Congress were therefore encouraged to see patients not merely as clients, but as full partners in the entire process.
In many countries, patients’ rights are protected by law. As Cristal, Miranda, and Annemieke reminded the audience, Patients aren’t just clients. They are partners.
Patients = Power
During the presentation, Cristal, Miranda, and Annemieke called on the global homeopathy community to take action by:
- Starting a patient association.
- Supporting cross-border collaboration.
- Empowering patients to tell their stories.
A bold plea was made: let us collaborate to protect and broaden access to homeopathy worldwide. When patients take the lead, healthcare evolves for the better. Homeopathy transforms lives.
Let’s keep building our future together, because patients hold the power!
