Russians are split over plans to ban the use of homeopathy in government hospitals, a survey by state-run pollster VTsIOM has revealed.
Russia's Academy of Sciences (RAS) labelled homeopathic medicine as "a health hazard" last week after a special commission looked into the treatments. The organization is now petitioning Russia's Ministry of Health to abandon the use of homeopathic medicine in the country's state health clinics.
According to VTsIOM data, 46 percent of Russians support the ban, with another 46 percent coming out against it.
Just under a quarter of respondents — 23 percent — said they had used homeopathy in the past, either to treat themselves or family members. Of those who used the treatment, 67 percent said it was effective “at least some of the time.”
Half of respondents did not know what homeopathy was, with 17 percent having never heard the term before.
The VTsIOM survey was carried out by telephone between Feb. 8-9, 2017 with 1,200 people across Russia. The margin of error did not exceed 3.5 percent.
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