The Hindu : National : Big growth seen for homoeopathy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 10, 2007
ePaper

National

National

Big growth seen for homoeopathy

Special Correspondent

4-5 crore patients chose this system during 2006-07

NEW DELHI: Homoeopathy appears set to grow at 25-30 per cent over the next three years to become a Rs. 2,600-crore industry, driven largely by increasing interest and the inclination of the people towards this alternative system of medicine.

Making these projections, Assocham on Sunday said the current size of the homoeopathy market in the country was estimated to be Rs. 1,250 crore. While the pharma industry would grow at 13-15 per cent, homoeopathy would register a growth rate of 25-30 per cent on the back of growing number of alternative medicine users.

“Homoeopathy has been effective in treating chronic aliments like arthritis, diabetes, obesity and respiratory, hair and skin problems,” the chamber said and pointed out that during 2006-07, 4-5 crore patients resorted to homoeopathic treatments and this was likely to grow to 10 crore in the next two to three years in view of its growing acceptability among the masses.

Though homoeopathic treatment lasted longer than allopathic medication, an increasing number of people, Assocham president Venugopal Dhoot said, preferred the former since they did not have to worry about side effects.

Another reason for homoeopathy’s popularity cited by Mr. Venugopal was the growing disillusionment with allopathic medicine, which had been the first line of treatment for most patients, who felt that homoeopathy was a personalised treatment. There were said to be over 4 lakh registered homoeopaths in the country, with approximately 13,000 being added every year.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National