Both doctors and Heilpraktikers are allowed to practise homeopathy (28).
Homeopathy in Germany is regulated by law as a distinct therapeutic system (Besondere Therapierichtung) by the Medicines Act- Arzneimittelgesetz (AMG) and by the Code of Social Law (Sozialgesetzbuch V) since 1998 (106, 124, 127).
The German Medical Association (The “Bundesärztekammer”) acknowledges homeopathy as an official additional qualification “homeopathic doctor”, for medical doctors who have passed an examination in homeopathy (28).
The national medical association issues diplomas. Optional courses in CAM/homeopathy in the medical undergraduate curriculum are offered at one university and postgraduate homeopathy courses are offered at some universities in Germany (28, 106).
Homeopathy is provided by physicians at some hospitals in Germany (106). Homeopathy was in 1978 recognized as a particular therapeutic approach “Besondere Therapierichtung” in the Medical Products Act – “Arzneimittelgesetz” – section 25, sub (2)2 and section 105, sub 4f (28).
2. Fønnebø V, Kristiansen Tunby T, Falkenberg T, Hegyi G, Hök J, Roberti di Sarsina P, Wiesener S. Deliverable 9 – report No. 2 – Herbal and homopathic medicinal products. In: Wiesener S, Fønnebø V, editors. CAMbrella project FP7-HEALTH-2009, GA No.241951; Work Package 2; Deliverable 9 – Legal status and regulation of CAM in Europe, 2012.
28. ECH (European Committee for Homeopathy). ECH in European Countries. Brussels: ECH; 2011 [cited 2011 September 12]; Available from: http://www.homeopathyeurope.org/countries.
106. CAMDOC Alliance ECH ECPM ICMART and IVAA. The regulatory status of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for medical doctors in Europe. Brussels 2010 January 2010. Report No.: 2010.
124. Bundesministerium für justis Deutschland. Medicinal Products Act: Gesetz über den Verkehr mit Arzneimitteln (Arzneimittelgesetz – AMG) Ausfertigungsdatum: 24.08.1976 Vollzitat: ”Arzneimittelgesetz in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 12. Dezember 2005 (BGBl. I S. 3394), das zuletzt durch Artikel 13 des Gesetzes vom 22. Dezember 2011 (BGBl. I S. 2983) geändert worden ist”. 1976 [updated 22 December 2011; cited 2012 March 7]; Available from: http://www.gesetzeim-internet.de/englisch_amg/englisch_amg.html#AMGengl_000G1.
127. Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM). Besondere Therapierichtungen und Traditionelle Arzneimittel (Traditional drug therapy and special directions). 2012 [cited 2012 March 16]; Available from:
http://www.bfarm.de/DE/Arzneimittel/2_zulassung/zulArten/besTherap/bestherap-node.html.
