Tuesday 05 December, 2000
Controlling Complimentary Medicine
A British government advisory group recently called for much tighter regulation over who can practice alternative medicines such as acupuncture and aromatherapy. It is also calling for more scientific research to see whether the various remedies actually work.
The recommendations follow a 15-month investigation, prompted by a rapid rise in the number of people using complementary medicine in Britain, the United States and Europe. John Duce of BBC Science examines the effectiveness of treatments and the problems of classifying alternative therapies.
It's estimated that up to five million people a year visit a complementary medicine practitioner in Britain and the use of alternative medicines is also increasing elsewhere in the developed world. However many doctors are cautious about alternative medicine and those who practice it, with fears that the remedies effectiveness are yet to be proven and that many treatments remain untested.
What is alternative therapy?
Not all practitioners agree on what constitutes alternative therapy, with many denying that there is anything “alternative” about practices that predate modern treatments. For many it is best described as complementary medicine, as the majority of users tend to use them alongside conventional treatments.
However over the years medical bodies have sought to group and define practices. A recent European Commission report says the accepted definition in the US is:
‘A broad domain of healing resources that encompass all health systems, modalities and practices, and their accompanying theories and beliefs, other than those intrinsic to the politically dominant health system of a particular society or culture in a given historical period.’
| ‘It includes all such products and ideas self defined by their users as preventing or treating illness or promoting health and well-being.’ | |
‘Boundaries within complementary and alternative medicine and between complementary and alternative medicine and the domain of the dominant system are not always sharp or fixed.’
Grouping
To enable the Lords Science and Technology select committee to distinguish between therapies, they divided them into three groups. The first group were loosely defined as “acceptable therapies”, and included the best known therapies, such as acupuncture, chiropractic, herbal medicine, homoeopathy and osteopathy.
The second group included the Alexander technique, reflexology, shiatsu, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, flower remedies, shiatsu and meditation. So far such practices lack definitive regulation, with several bodies in operation. Whilst recognising that many of these therapies were often used to complement conventional practices, the select committee warned of their ‘lack of scientific basis’.
Speaking of the third group of practices the chairman of the inquiry, Lord Walton, claimed that if he had terminal cancer he may consider group two practices, but he would never consider group three practices. This final group included what were considered to be “unacceptable theories”, and included crystal therapy, kinesiology, iridology, Chinese herbal medicine and Ayurvedic medicine.
Regulation
The British House of Lords Science and Technology select committee says some complementary medicines such as acupuncture and chiropractic appear to genuinely benefit patients, but the group says there should be far more control and regulation over who is allowed to administer the various forms of therapy. The group singles out some therapies such as Indian Ayurvedic medicines for criticism, saying there's no scientific proof that they work and it recommends that the British government shouldn't fund their use on the national health service.
Lord Walton, conceded that one of the reasons for the increased use of complementary medicine is dissatisfaction with the level of care offered by conventional doctors. He comments:
'In the National Health Service, the average medical practitioner can only offer on average an 8-minute consultation whereas the average complementary practitioner can offer up to an hour. So the ability to offer counseling and support and what used to be called tender loving care is much greater in the complementary field.'
The committee's scientists said some forms of alternative medicine do have benefits to offer patients and conventional medical practitioners, treating people as a complex whole rather than just a set of symptoms. But it adds that the British government should fund more research into complementary medicine so patients know that the treatment they're receiving is scientifically proven to work.
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| It is estimated that people in Britain spend as much as £100 million each year on complementary medicines alone. With the additional costs of private consultations, the total annual expenditure could rise to as much as £1.8 billion. |
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| Quick glance guide |
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Acupuncture: An ancient Chinese art based on the theory that Qi energy flows along meridians in the body, and can be stimulated by inserting fine needles at specific points.
Ayurvedic medicine: Originated in India, this therapy works on the principle of a mind-body-spirit interaction and uses herbs to heal.
Herbal medicine: Many commercially produced pharmaceutical products are derived from herbs, but herbal medicine uses the whole plant rather than an extract.
Homoeopathy: Works on the principal that what makes a healthy person unwell can be used to treat the same symptoms in someone who is unwell. Using highly diluted forms like is treated with like.
Osteopathy: A widely respected therapy which also has a regulatory council. Osteopaths manipulate the muscles and spine to improve mobility and balance.
Reflexology: A type of deep foot or hand massage designed to relax the whole body through the reflex response. The thumbs are used extensively to break up crystalline deposits which have formed at the nerve endings, particularly on the bottom of the feet.
Shiatsu: Like acupuncture, shiatsu is based on the theory that meridians, or lines, of energy run through the body, and can be manipulated. Pressure may be applied by use of forearms, elbows, palms, feet and knees. |
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