There has been increasing presence of pseudoscience being marketed to physicians at the Family Medicine Forum over the past years. This has culminated with the presence of Boiron, a company that produces homeopathic remedies, as an exhibitor since 2015.

The principles of homeopathy run contrary to modern science (https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/reference/homeopathy/ and have been disproven & rejected by institutions such as the NHS (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/homeopathy/ and the NHMRC (https://nhmrc.gov.au/file/3191/download?token=gNmxHrbH. Considering their lack of benefits, the risks of these treatments are not benign, as they delay proper care which in some instances can result in injury or death. While these products are approved by Health Canada, it does not make them effective, or safe. To put it bluntly, there is nothing to gain and everything to lose to have proponents of homeopathy market their products to Canadian physicians. 

Canadian physicians gather from all corners of the country to further their knowledge at this national conference, following principles of science and evidence-based medicine. Allowing pseudoscience to market to us, without proper consideration of the negative impacts this could incur, is in direct conflict with these ideals.

We ask the College of Family Physicians of Canada to review and change their policies regarding exhibitor eligibility, considering the evidence (or lack thereof) supporting advertised products, and refrain from allowing exhibitors to market obvious pseudoscience to Canadian physicians at the Family Medicine Forum.