Homeopathy and health assistance in public facilities. Homeopat -a y atenci 3n en salud en servicios p oblicos. Homeopatia e aten § ￡o sa ode em servi §os p oblicos.

Homeopathy has a long tradition of use in Latin America, particularly in Brazil, where it has been used since 1840. Prescription of homeopathic medicines by specialized medical doctors in Brazilian public health services was legally established in 1988, and has been recently confirmed with the publication of the National Policy on Integrative and Complementary Practices by the Ministry of Health. Together with long-time and well succeed 25-years experience in developing educational programs to teach medical doctors after their graduation, it is time to teach the essentials of homeopathy to primary care doctors working in public health services. This Program would enable doctors to use homeopathy in a small number of conditions and to refer patients with more complex situations to homeopathic doctors in special centers. This strategy could be an important step in reducing social exclusion of people to accessing health care and in the expansion of homeopathy for the benefit of mankind.