KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry has developed a standard for homeopathic medical studies to serve as a guideline to ensure its practice is safe and effective, the Dewan Rakyat was told Tuesday.

The standard was developed by the ministry in collaboration with public institutions of higher learning, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and the Malaysian Homeopathic Medical Council, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said.

"The ministry's resolve in enhancing the quality of homeopathic medical studies has been proven when the Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences started to offer a degree in homeopathy in 2009," he said in reply to Datuk Kamarul Baharin Abbas (PKR-Telok Kemang).

Kamarul Baharin wanted to know the steps taken to promote homeopathy as well as the provision of research facilities and guidelines.

Liow said that the ministry had not provided any special allocation to homeopathy practitioners to carry out research.

Those interested to do research can download the application form from www.nih.gov.my, he said.

Liow also said that homeopathic medicine should be registered under the Control of Drugs and Cosmetic Regulations 1984 and that to date, 94 homeopathic products had been registered with the Drug Control Authority.

The procedure to register homeopathic products was similar to that of other traditional products because the guideline for the registration of homeopathic medicine was still being formulated, he added.

Liow also said that the Traditional and Complementary Medicines Bill would be table in the Dewan Rakyat in the near future to facilitate the registration process. - Bernama

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