Homeopathy: knowledge and use in Italy

A new survey of 1066 Italian adults, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of Boiron in October 2022, confirms that more than half of Italians have used homeopathy in their lifetime.

The survey, “Homeopathy: knowledge and use in Italy”,  measured the behaviour and attitude of Italians towards homeopathic medicines. Its aim was to measure awareness, trust and use of various treatment options, and to understand the place that homeopathy has within modern medicine.

It showed that:

• 57% of Italians have used homeopathy in their lifetime and 46% in the last twelve months
• 81% of users declare themselves to be satisfied with it
• 66% of Italians trust homeopathic medicine and 77% consider it complementary to conventional medicine
• 86% of Italians claim to know about homeopathy but only 26% would be able to explain it correctly
• 60% expect to use homeopathy in the future – they base their choice on the fact that homeopathic medicines are natural and without the risk of side effects (57%), a preference not to use chemical medicines (45%), the effectiveness of the treatment (26%) and because they believe it to a better alternative for their health (24%)
• 45% say they would first consult a homeopathic doctor or a general practitioner, while 40% would ask their pharmacist directly
• 72% of Italians recognise the pharmacy as the most suitable place for the purchase of homeopathic medicines
• 84% of Italians believe that homeopathy should to be offered by health professionals, and about 40% would like to associate homeopathy with conventional therapies.

The study results highlight the need for more information and education on homeopathy.

Source: ECHAM