5.12 Complementary and alternative medicine

Complementary and alternative medical services provided in Slovakia include acupuncture, homeopathy, several eastern medicine treatments, massages and healthy nutrition counselling. These services are predominantly provided in private outpatient departments or specialized facilities and are not covered by SHI. In 2007, a total of 15 360 acupuncture procedures were performed, which is 28.44 procedures per 10 000 people in Slovakia. Homeopathic remedies are subject to registration and monitoring by the SIDC, similar to the conditions for pharmaceuticals. It is at the discretion of physicians to use homeopathy. The Centre of Classical Homeopathy in Slovakia cooperates closely with European Central Council of Homeopaths (ECCH). According to a public opinion survey on alternative medicine carried out in 2007, 55.8% of the population has expressed trust in the effectiveness of acupuncture, 49.5% in homeopathy and 27.2% in chiropractics (MVK, 2007).