CAM Crackdown

Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Alternative therapy 'crackdown'
Hurrah!

Finally a step in the right direction, Maggie Dunn has been appointed head of the first regulatory body of complimentary medicine and she has vowed to be a watchdog with bite, rather than just bark; ensuring she will drive out the cowboys within the industry wherever they may be found.

It is estimated that thousands of 'clinics' will be forced out of business by the new move which does not concern itself with whether or not the therapies are actually effective, that is a war that still rages on; rather Maggie is more concerned over the practitioners running a professional and safe business.

If a therapist wants to get on the Government backed register will have their work cut out. They need to show they have correct training and experience, abide by a strict code of conduct and have adequate insurance in place.

To Quote Ms Dunn, "If that means that people who are not up to scratch are driven out of business, I will not cry for them." Here Here! I strongly second that, in a business that employs 150,000 complementary therapists in the UK, people that deal with the health of other human beings and charge private rates for such 'treatments' I feel rooting out the cowboys is an absolute necessity that should have been implemented years ago!

Therapists registering with the 'the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC)' will have their business placed on the CNHC register and the therapist will also be allowed to use the CNHC official logo on all advertising and paperwork, as a standard of meeting its minimum standards.

The register is not compulsory but once word gets around that there is a register and that the more professional companies can be found there, it will not take long before customers vote with their feet and go to a regulated and more importantly, insured therapist, rather than the local quack.

The problem of does the actual therapy still work persists, but that is definately a job for the scientists to investigate further; which raises the issue of complimentary medicine being taught as science degrees in Universities.

There are now 61 complementary medicine courses of which 45 are science degrees, the Nature journal reported. However according to Professor David Colquhoun, 'complementary medicine was not based on scientific evidence'. He suggested it would be better if courses in aromatherapy, acupuncture, herbal medicine, reflexology, naturopathy and traditional Chinese medicine were taught as part of a cultural history or sociological course.

I totally agree with David's statements, science does not support complimentary medicines.

COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE - An overview.

The term complementary - or alternative - medicine covers therapies such as homeopathy, acupuncture or reflexology.

For a medicine to be used in conventional medicine, it must go through scientific trials where its effectiveness has to be proven.

But these techniques often fail to show how complementary medicine works.

Advocates say new research is beginning to prove the case, but many medics, including the British Medical Association, believe there should be tougher regulation of the practice.

Thanfully for the British consumer that regulation is starting to filter through but how University's can hold any credibility by offering a BSc in Complimentary and Alternative medicines (CAM) beggars belief. Perhaps they want to lose all credibilty, or maybe they are just cashing in on the latest medical sociology craze sweeping the nation.

To be honest if the regulator does not shut these CAM therapists down, the credit crisis will likely do the job for them.

Regards,

Den.