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| Article - Abstract. To view full article click on the article title. | |
MJA: Komesaroff, Use of complementary medicines: scientific and ethical issues Use of complementary medicines: scientific and ethical issues We need to address questions of effectiveness, safety and regulation MJA 1998; 169: 180-181 This article has been cited in Rey JM, Walter G. Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) in depression: pest or blessing? MJA 1998; 169: 583-586. The widespread acceptance of complementary medicines in Australia raises important scientific, social and ethical issues. The expression "complementary medicines" covers a diverse range of practices, from historically well-established therapies, such as traditional Chinese medicine, to more exotic forms, such as colour therapy and psychic healing.1 Taken together, the precise extent of their use is unknown. Certainly, the industry is a very large one: in the United States and Australia about one-fifth of the population visit alternative practitioners each year, and in Australia up to half the population have visited them at some stage.2-4 In the United States, expenditure on complementary therapies in 1990 was about $14 billion;3 for Australia, precise data are not available, but the figure is likely to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.2,4 The use of complementary medicines is increasing. Again, data are scanty. However, over the last five years the number of raw medicinal substances imported for use in Australia has increased fourfold, and there are now about 300-400 individual medicines available.5 Since the introduction of a Medicare rebate for acupuncture in 1984, use of acupuncture by medical practitioners has increased greatly. By analysing one of the few reliable sources of data available, Health Insurance Commission records, Easthope et al,6 in this issue of the Journal, show that the number of Medicare claims for acupuncture services by general practitioners grew by nearly 50% in 12 years, to almost one million in 1996-97. Full Article: http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/aug17/komsrof/komsrof.html |
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