SHOULD THE NHS FUND COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR ALL?

Many people in the UK regularly use and often pay for complementary therapies such as homeopathy, osteopathy, acupuncture and herbal medicine in addition to healthcare provided "freely" by the NHS. Some of these treatments are provided through the NHS however, this can be sporadic and subject to a postcode lottery and delays. Should people have a right to choose these treatments on the NHS if they feel that they would be beneficial? Recently some doctors wrote a letter criticising the funding of such treatments and proposing funding only for ‘evidence based medicine’.