At its plenary sitting on 10 July 2007 in Strasbourg the European Parliament voted to adopt a final set of compromise amendments to the new EU Health Framework Programme (2008 -2013) agreed with the EU Council and Commission. The amendments package includes one which makes mention of a ‘holistic approach to public health’ and to complementary and alternative Medicine.
The adopted amendment reads: The programme should recognise the importance of a holistic approach to public health and take into account, where appropriate and where there is scientific or clinical evidence about its efficacy, complementary and alternative medicine in its actions.
EFCAM is extremely grateful to the group of MEPs who fought to have this amendment included in the new program and to the three institutions of the EU for having the wisdom to support it. 100 million + citizens in the EU use CAM as part of their healthcare daily and it is quite right that this growing use should be reflected in EU health policy.