Positive Health Online

Abstract

O'BRIEN, Department of Medicine, Monash Medical School, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, VIC, Australia, has commented on the use of complementary and alternative medicine in Australia and its move into mainstream health care. Abstract: the use of CAM in Australia is extensive with over 50% of the population using a form of CAM and almost 25% visiting CAM practitioners. The range of therapies used is extremely broad. CAM practices may offer the potential for substantial public health gains and challenge the way that we view human beings, health, and illness. Some issues are emerging that need to be addressed. These include the safety of remedies used, the integration of CAM with conventional medicine and issues of professional standards. The evidence base of different therapies varies considerably. Some forms of CAM have developed systematically over thousands of years while others have developed much more recently and have a less convincing evidence base. Increasingly there are good scientific studies being performed on CAM therapies. It is important to keep an open mind about CAM and give proper scrutiny to new evidence as it emerges.

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References

O'Brien K. Complementary and alternative medicine: the move into mainstream health care. Clinical & Experimental Optometry. 87(2): 110-20, Mar 2004.