From physical bodies to astral bodies - theoretical problems in anthroposophic medicine

Abstract

Switzerland has recently adopted anthroposophic medicine into its health insurance system. This decision was partly based on the 2006 Health Technology Assessment Report on anthroposophic medicine, commissioned by the Swiss Federal Social Insurance Office, which claimed that anthroposophic treatments seem to be safe and, in terms of patient satisfaction, beneficial for the patients receiving them. The report does not, however, discuss the theoretical basis of anthroposophic medicine apart from noting that there are, according to anthroposophic thinking, formative forces acting in nature that are not acknowledged by contemporary natural science. This article discusses the theoretical fundamentals in anthroposophic theory such as astral bodies, incarnation and clairvoyance and their role in medical diagnosis and treatment. Politicians making decisions on spending public money on anthroposophic medicine should be fully aware of its theoretical basis, which is incompatible with contemporary scientific thinking.