Vol. 418 No. 4
139 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Health if, in view of the recommendations concerning the use of expensive popular by-pass operations to counter heart disease, he will consider encouraging alternative treatments such as homeopathy, acupuncture, alternative food treatments, and others; and if he will make a statement on the feasibility of these methods.
The practice of homeopathic and alternative medicine including food treatments etc, is a matter for the professional judgment of individual medical practitioners.
Significant reductions in mortality and morbidity from coronary heart disease can be achieved through the adoption of healthy lifestyle practices. Such practices would include balanced nutrition, avoidance of tobacco consumption, moderate alcohol consumption and regular exercise. My Department's health promotion unit is actively involved in major national programmes on anti-smoking, nutrition, exercise and alcohol.
It is encouraging to observe that there has been a significant drop in deaths from heart disease in both men and women recorded in this country between 1980 and 1988, the latest years for which detailed figures are available.
