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admin · Last edited by admin on Fri Jul 27, 2007 7:45 pm; edited 1 time in total

CHANDIGARH: Finally, the Punjab government has decided to take action against practitioners of unrecognised therapies.

These unrecognised systems of medicine comprise electropathy, electrohomeopathy, acupuncture, mangetotherapy, reiki, reflexology, urine therapy, autourine therapy, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy, colour therapy, pranic healing, gems and stone therapy and music therapy.

Principal secretary (department of medical education and research) J R Koundal has issued a public notice, warning all such practitioners. The notice says that deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police can take action against these practitioners under relevant law.

Koundal told TOI anyone giving training and teaching in these therapies would face action. Union ministry of health and family welfare had in the past issued instructions that the students, who had studied the system of electrohomeopathy, were not eligible to practise the system and treat patients.

In his communique to states and UTs (dated November 25, 2003), the Union health minister had directed them to ensure that the institutions under them should not grant any degree and diploma in the stream of medicine, which had not been recommended for recognition.

He had also specified that the term "doctor" was used only by practitioners of recognised system of medicine.

TOI had earlier reported that many institutions of electrohomeopathy were running in Punjab and Chandigarh, and various practitioners were treating patients by following electrohomeopathy despite the fact that the system of medicine was not recognised by the Centre

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We received a petition asking:

"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Make treatments in acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbalism, homoeopathy, hypnotherapy, naturopathy, osteopathy and reflexology freely available under the National Health Service."

Details of Petition:

"Many Natural Health Therapies will greatly benefit patients by being used as preventative medicine. Allopathic medicine - traditionally - only becomes involved when a patient feels ill and becomes sick. By including natural health treatments, in all medical centres, patients will receive healing in mind and spirit, as well as in their physical body."

Read the U.K's Government's response

The Government recognises the need for more research on the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). We are addressing this issue through the Department of Health's capacity building programme, which in April 2003, provided funding for research in CAM (£1.3million for the first round of a research capacity building scheme and £324,000 for three qualitative research projects on CAM in the care of patients with cancer). This funding will help develop the evidence base for CAM in healthcare.

Although the Department of Health provides strategic leadership to the NHS and social care organisations in England, it is for local NHS organisations to plan, develop and improve services for local people. These bodies are best placed to respond to patients' concerns and needs, so it is their responsibility to commission healthcare packages for NHS patients. The clinical and cost-effectiveness, safety and availability of suitably qualified practitioners, as well as evidence in support of specific therapies, are all issues that have to be taken into account when deciding what treatment to provide. Primary Care Trusts are best placed to inform on local policy on complementary therapies and whether there are funds available in the budget for this type of medicine.

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I am including this information which a member of "The Linksclan" sent me

Southampton University Hospital are now doing a trial with cancer patients, giving them spiritual healing after an operation and whilst they are having chemotherapy. Many of them are feeling much better and not suffering from the affects of the chemo.

Little by little we are making progress.

admin

Homeopathy, Prince Charles and an Attack from Doctors
03-07-2007
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Some of the top Doctors in the UK have sent a letter to the NHS requesting that only medicines with proof "based on solid evidence" should be used on patients and not untested complimentary medicines or alternative therapies. They particularly singled out homeopathy. The letter was sent to 476 primary and acute care trusts.

Prince Charles has for over 20 years been advocating the integration of traditional and complimentary therapies and just recently in Geneva, he said: "The proper mix of proven complementary, traditional and modern remedies, which emphasises the active participation of the patient, can help to create a powerful healing force in the world."

He further went on to say: "Many of today's complementary therapies are rooted in ancient traditions that intuitively understood the need to maintain balance and harmony with our minds, bodies and the natural world. Much of this knowledge, often based on oral traditions, is sadly being lost; yet orthodox medicine has so much to learn from it."

The doctors' letter is therefore being seen as a direct challenge to what the Prince is advocating. The letter was signed by 13 eminent Doctors including a Nobel Prize winner, Sir James Black and even the UK's first professor of complementary medicine, Edzard Ernst.

Professor Edzard Ernst said: "The wholesale integration of complementary medicine, simply because it's alternative, and people may want it, and feel satisfied with it, is not a good reason for integration. I believe we need one single standard in medicine and that is the standard of evidence based medicine."

The Chair of the British Complementary Medicine Association, Terry Cullen said: "It's very frustrating that senior responsible people dismiss complementary medicine for the sole reason that it doesn't have the definitive scientific proof that other drugs have. There is so much anecdotal evidence that thousands of people gain benefit from using complementary medicines. We shouldn't dismiss that."

The Department of Health said that the decision was up to the individual trusts and clinicians.

admin

Climate Change Concerns Of Asian Countries
02-07-2007

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A four day workshop is starting in Kuala Lumpur involving Government Officials from 12 Asian countries with the aim of working out a plan to deal with the expected health problems likely to occur as a result of global warming.

They are particularly seeing how to deal with the likelihood of mosquito and water borne illnesses as the area is prone to heat waves, floods and droughts.

Kristie Ebi, of the World Health Organisation's unit on Global Environmental Change said: "We're not going to have a magic bullet to fix climate change in the next 50 years. We need to motivate an awful lot of people to change their behavior in a lot of different ways." Her comments were published in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which has 2000 scientists connected and involved in the discussion.

Kirsti Ebi went on to say that officials from other departments are 10 years ahead of those from health departments when it comes to knowing how to deal with the expected results of climate change. The main problems are expected to involve water, food and air and the countries likely to suffer the most are in Asia and Africa.

Next month in Bangkok, Thailand, there will be a meeting with government ministers from the various countries interested and the purpose of the four day workshop is to prepare the ground for that.

admin · Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 9:10 pm Post subject: House of Lords Report (UK)

House of Lords Report (UK)

The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, sixth report On complementary medicine divided therapies into three separate groups.

Group One embraces what may be called the principal disciplines, two of which, Osteopathy and Chiropractic, are already regulated in their professional activity and education by Acts of Parliament. The others are Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine and Homeopathy. Their evidence indicated that each of these therapies claim to have an individual diagnostic approach and that these therapies are seen as the 'Big 5' by most of the CAM world.

Group Two contains therapies which are most often used to complement conventional medicine and do not purport to embrace diagnostic skills. It includes Aromatherapy, The Alexander Technique, Body Work therapies, including Massage, Counselling, Stress therapy, Hypnotherapy, Reflexology and probably Shiatsu, Meditation and Healing.

Group Three embraces those other disciplines which purport to offer diagnostic information as well as treatment and which, in general, favour a philosophical approach and are indifferent to the scientific principles of conventional medicine, and through which various and disparate frameworks of disease causation and its management are proposed.

These therapies can be split into two sub-groups: Group 3a includes long-established and traditional systems of healthcare such as Ayurvedic medicine and Traditional Chinese medicine.

Group 3b covers other alternative disciplines which lack any credible evidence base such as Crystal therapy, Iridology, Radionics, Dowsing and Kinesiology.

admin · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:55 am Post subject: UK HEALERS UPDATE 2003

UK HEALERS UPDATE 2003
Ken Wyatt

Vice-Chairman

"The last few months have seen susbstantial progress within UK Healers. We have drafted core documents, revised them, refined them and now the individual organisations collaborating in UK Healers are consulting
their memberships, under whatever arrangements are customary for them, on the content of the proposed standards so that they can command the widest possible support and acceptance.

Earlier this year The Prince of Wales's Foundation for Integrated Health indicated that UK Healers had made sufficient progress for them to suggest to the Health Sector Skills Council that there was a basis for believing that it could be worthwhile to pursue the possibility of achieving a National Occupational Standard for Spiritual Healing. The key to whether this can be progressed is funding and decisions on this rest with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The Health Sector Skills Council have proposed that work should begin on developing a National Occupational Standard for Spiritual Healing and we now wait to hear whether funding is approved.

The funding will cover the costs of specialist input, necessary meeting venues and so on. Spiritual Healers involved in the process will contribute their time but should not incur any costs as a result of being involved
in the work.

For UK Healers the National Occupational Standard issue is important because it would give public recognition to Spiritual Healing. We will want the UK Healers Standards and any National Occupational Standard for Spiritual Healing to be compatible and this may require some careful fine tuning of the UK Healers standards. Meanwhile our progress to date has been significant. That is greatly to the credit of all those who have been representing member organisations at UK Healers meetings. It has been a pleasure for me to chair the meetings. Everyone involved has been a credit to their organisations and their contributions have been consistently well expressed, thoughtful and constructive. It has been a privilege to work with all concerned."
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admin

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine?

1.1 Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) was the first synthetic chemical drug. It was manufactured by Bayer in Germany, patented and put on the market in 1899. Until then treatment in Western medicine, as in all other forms of medical practice, including Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, was very largely based on the use of herbs supplemented by preparations of metals and occasionally animal preparations. The preparations in the Herbal of Dioscorides published in 55AD remained largely unchanged in Western pharmacopeias until the twentieth century. There was very considerable variation in the range of herbs available in Eastern countries and their pharmacopeias reflected this. But apart from such differences, the aims were the same, namely to use the herbs that were available for their effects in ameliorating the symptoms of disease.

1.2 In virtually all systems of medicine the claims made for the efficacy of such preparations in treating a wide range of diseases and symptoms usually lacked any clear supporting evidence or a sound foundation. This was reinforced by the tendency, still found in the Eastern systems of medicine today, to prescribe a mixture of many different herbs rather than a single remedy. Quinine (derived from cinchona bark) for malaria, digitalis (from the foxglove) for heart failure and opium (from the poppy) for pain relief were exceptions but even their efficacy was only established after many years of empirical use. Before the introduction of the National Health Service (NHS) in 1948, the provision of primary medical care in the United Kingdom was very uneven. Nevertheless, many doctors were able to find ample time to spend with their patients. They made many house visits and came to know much about the families for whom they cared, both medically and socially. Their principal method of caring for their patients, apart from using the range of herbal remedies available, was the provision of what has been referred to commonly as "tender loving care" (TLC) to aid natural recovery, namely to supplement the "vis medicatrix naturae"[1].

1.3 The rate of development in Western countries of new synthetic chemical drugs has increased steadily since the introduction of aspirin. Western medicine now has an armamentarium of remedies that provides the means of preventing or curing many specific diseases and also of mitigating the symptoms of many more. This has not happened to any major extent in any other systems of medicine, although new and effective herbal remedies are still being discovered and are becoming available to complement the enormous variety of effective synthetic drugs which are now being used in conventional Western medicine.

1.4 In parallel with the increased availability of synthetic drugs, there have been remarkable developments in surgery. These escalated following the development of effective anaesthesia, which made complex surgery possible for the first time. The range of feasible surgical interventions has increased dramatically and offers a new prospect of radical cures or mitigation of many maladies. There has also been a dramatic increase in knowledge of the biochemical or molecular origin of many diseases so that new diagnostic tests have emerged, many dependent upon measuring the concentration of various chemical entities in the blood stream, or upon the use of DNA recombinant technology.

1.5 There are however many common diseases, mostly chronic, for which new drugs and surgical interventions have so far failed to provide outcomes that are satisfactory for many patients. Among these are the various forms of arthritis, low back pain, asthma, some forms of cancer and many more.

1.6 Modern Western medicine is both complex and expensive. Increasing pressures on an under-doctored National Health Service (NHS) are now such that the average primary care physician has very little time to spend with each patient in consultation in order to offer the attention and 'tender loving care' which were important therapeutic weapons for his predecessors. When he or she diagnoses a serious or acute condition known to be amenable to modern treatment, the patient will usually be referred to an appropriate specialist, although some such problems can increasingly be handled effectively in primary care. When a chronic complaint is diagnosed it is often treated symptomatically with a prescription drug. Furthermore in a group practice patients may sometimes see different doctors on each occasion they attend, and thus lack a close therapeutic relationship with a single doctor. Added to this is the fact that many conventional medical and surgical interventions, as well as effective synthetic drugs, and even some of herbal origin, produce in some patients troublesome and distressing side-effects which may occasionally even have fatal consequences. Such adverse reactions are usually less common with complementary and alternative therapies. The benefit-risk ratio must be taken into account.

1.7 It is not, therefore, surprising that the satisfaction expressed by many patients with conventional medicine is often not as good as it was in the past. It is probable that this is one of the principal reasons why there has been such a marked increase in the numbers of people who turn to other systems of medicine or to complementary or alternative medicine to replace or supplement their conventional medical advice. It is these complementary and alternative disciplines that we examine in this report.

1.8 Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a title used to refer to a diverse group of health-related therapies and disciplines which are not considered to be a part of mainstream medical care. Other terms sometimes used to describe them include 'natural medicine', 'non-conventional medicine' and 'holistic medicine'. However, CAM is currently the term used most often, and hence we have adopted it on our Report. CAM embraces those therapies that may either be provided alongside conventional medicine (complementary) or which may, in the view of their practitioners, act as a substitute for it. Alternative disciplines purport to provide diagnostic information as well as offering therapy.

1.9 This Inquiry was mounted because there is a widespread perception that CAM use is increasing not only in the United Kingdom but across the developed world. This appeared to raise several important questions of substantial significance in relation to public health policy.

1.10 Before assessing how CAM use could, or should, influence public health policy, a more quantitative picture of use in this area would be desirable. However, quantitative survey data in this area are somewhat patchy and are beset by questions of definition which are hard to resolve.

1.11 Several professional bodies have attempted to define CAM. The British Medical Association (BMA) report Complementary Medicine: New Approaches to Good Practice suggests that although the term 'complementary therapies' is familiar to the public, a more accurate term might be 'non-conventional therapies'. The BMA defines these as: "those forms of treatment which are not widely used by the conventional healthcare professions, and the skills of which are not taught as part of the undergraduate curriculum of conventional medical and paramedical healthcare courses"[2]. This definition is now unsatisfactory as the use of some of the therapies traditionally considered to be non-conventional is growing amongst doctors (although practice varies widely). Some medical schools are now offering CAM familiarisation courses to undergraduate medical students while some also offer modules specifically on CAM.

1.12 Professor Edzard Ernst, who holds a Chair in CAM at Exeter University, provided the following definition: "Complementary medicine is diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention which complements mainstream medicine by contributing to a common whole, by satisfying a demand not met by orthodoxy or by diversifying the conceptual frameworks of medicine"[3]. This definition helps to elucidate the aims of complementary medicine, but it does not cover alternative therapies which do not seek to contribute to a common whole but which are offered by their practitioners as an alternative to conventional medicine. A more encompassing definition of CAM is provided by the Cochrane Collaboration as: "a broad domain of healing resources that encompasses all health systems, modalities, and practices and their accompanying theories and beliefs, other than those intrinsic to the politically dominant health systems of a particular society or culture in a given historical period".

1.13 The CAM community has been struggling for fifteen years to come up with a single definition of CAM agreed by all, but with no success. Therefore, when setting up this Inquiry we decided not to begin with a precise definition of CAM. Instead we began with a list of therapies which we thought were commonly considered to fall within the field of CAM and issued this list with our Call for Evidence (see Box 1). Additional disciplines have subsequently been added in the light of evidence received (identified by an asterisk in Box 1). In making the list of therapies we have provisionally grouped the ones we regard principally as complementary separately from the ones we regard principally as alternative. While no firm distinction is possible, we regard the complementary disciplines as those which usually, if not invariably, complement conventional medical treatment, while the alternative disciplines are those which purport to offer diagnostic and therapeutic alternatives to conventional medicine.

Growing Use of CAM in the United Kingdom

1.14 We have heard much evidence to the effect that we are now experiencing a rapid increase in the use of CAM across the Western World. There are limited data on the exact levels of use and much of the information that is available does not refer to the United Kingdom. However, some surveys have been conducted and are reviewed briefly below, in an attempt to achieve a snapshot of existing CAM use. This has helped to inform subsequent conclusions about the implications this evidence may have in relation to future healthcare policy.

1.15 Caution should be exercised when making comparisons. The results of the different surveys reveal a wide range in the extent of CAM use. This may partly be due to different definitions of CAM being used, different methods being used to implement the survey, the population surveyed and the range of therapies considered. We have therefore provided a brief summary of the specific CAM disciplines being considered by each survey at the beginning of each review. It must also be noted that these surveys take no account of the increasing use by the public of self-medication through the purchase of conventional over-the-counter remedies such as analgesics, cough medicines, antacids and vitamins. We have not attempted to compare in detail the extent of such self-medication with the extent of CAM self-medication. However, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society tell us that in 1999 £2318 million was spent on non-prescription medicine. They also told us that the non-prescription market has made increasing profits over the past four years for which they had figures.

British Surveys

1.16 In 1999 Mr Simon Mills[4] and Ms Sarah Budd at the Centre for Complementary Health Studies at Exeter University were commissioned by the Department of Health to conduct a study of the professional organisation of CAM bodies in the United Kingdom[5]. This was a follow-up to a study conducted on the same subject three years earlier[6]. It looked at how many people were working as CAM practitioners. Its results suggest that there are approximately 50,000 CAM practitioners in the United Kingdom, that there are approximately 10,000 statutory registered health professionals who practise some form of CAM in the United Kingdom and that up to 5 million patients have consulted a CAM practitioner in the last year. Hence there are two considerations to consider: the number of practitioners and the number of patients. Patients can access CAM either through professional CAM practitioners, through other health professionals (e.g. doctors, nurses and physiotherapists who offer CAM services) or through the purchase of over-the-counter preparations.

1.17 A telephone survey of 1204 randomly selected British adults was conducted for the BBC in 1999[7]. This survey did not specify which therapies it classed as CAM; instead respondents were asked if they had used 'alternative or complementary medicines or therapies' within the last year. This was followed by an open-ended question asking: 'What specifically do you or have you used or done?' Therefore the definition of CAM was left up to the respondent. This survey's results are summarised in Table 1.

Table 1: Use of CAM in the United Kingdom

1999 (%)

Use of any CAM in past 12 months 20
Of which: *
Herbal medicine 34
Aromatherapy 21
Homeopathy 17
Acupuncture / acupressure 14
Massage 6
Reflexology 6
Osteopathy 4
Chiropractic 3

Source: nationally representative random telephone survey of 1204 British adults, commissioned by the BBC.

* Percentages of those who had used CAM. It must be noted that some individuals use more than one therapy and thus the numbers above do not add up to 100.

1.18 However, this survey did not expand on whether the treatment was accessed through the purchase of over-the-counter remedies or through a professional consultation. This survey also found that the average amount of money each CAM user spent on CAM was approximately £14 per month with a large proportion of users (37%) spending less than five pounds per month. The authors extrapolated this information to the whole nation and estimated that the United Kingdom has an annual expenditure of £1.6 billion on CAM.

1.19 Another survey[8] of CAM use in England (not the United Kingdom) used a questionnaire sent out as a postal survey to 5010 randomly selected adults and received 2668 usable responses (a corrected response rate of 53%). This survey asked respondents whether they had visited a practitioner of one of eight named therapies in the last twelve months. The named therapies were acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy, medical herbalism, hypnotherapy, osteopathy, aromatherapy and reflexology. The survey also asked for information on whether respondents had purchased any over-the-counter, herbal, or homeopathic remedies. Results showed that 13.6% of respondents had visited a practitioner of one of the eight named therapies in the preceding 12 months, and overall 28.3% of respondents had either visited a CAM therapist or had purchased an over-the-counter remedy. The most commonly consulted CAM therapists were osteopaths (4.3% of respondents), chiropractors (3.6%), aromatherapists (3.5%), reflexologists (2.4%), and acupuncturists (1.6%). Of the respondents, 8.6% had bought an over-the-counter homeopathic remedy and 19.8% had bought an over-the-counter herbal remedy. The NHS paid for an estimated 10% of the visits to practitioners but the authors estimate that £450 million worth of out-of-pocket expenditure was used on six of the principal therapies (excluding aromatherapy and reflexology) during the preceding year.

1.20 In their evidence to us the Royal Pharmaceutical Society discussed a report from 1999 on over-the-counter sale of CAM preparations prepared for industry by Mintel Marketing Intelligence (Q 1313). This report found that retail sales of complementary medicine (herbals, homeopathic preparations and aromatherapy essential oils) totalled £93m in 1998. A breakdown of this figure showed that £50m had come from sales of herbal medicines, £23m from homeopathic medicines and £20m from aromatherapy essential oils. The report also showed that these figures were increasing and that the total revenue was up 50% from £63m in 1994. Overall retail sales in 2000 were predicted to reach £109m and predictions for 2002 were £126m[9].

1.21 These rather limited data seem to support the idea that CAM use in the United Kingdom is high and is increasing. This conclusion is supported by anecdotal evidence received from many of our witnesses including the Foundation for Integrated Medicine (FIM),[10] the NHS Alliance and the Department of Health, confirming that the public are very interested in this area. A glance at any women's magazine will reveal pages of information dealing with dietary supplements and alternative medicine clinics. However, as mentioned earlier, a more authoritative picture is desirable. Apart from the data discussed above there is little other evidence available about usage of CAM in the United Kingdom and a comparison with the extent of usage of self-medication with conventional over-the-counter remedies would be useful. More detailed quantitative information is required on the levels of CAM use in the United Kingdom, in order to inform the public and healthcare policy-makers and we recommend that suitable national studies be commissioned to obtain this information. Information from other developed countries is also relevant.

United States Surveys

1.22 In the United States Eisenberg, David and Ettner[11] conducted two national telephone surveys of two randomly selected sets of adults, surveying levels of CAM usage in 1990 and 1997 respectively. They questioned respondents on their use of sixteen 'alternative therapies' and defined accessing alternative medicine as having used at least one of the sixteen therapies (either as an over-the-counter preparation or through a professional consultation) within the previous year. The sixteen therapies included several that we did not include in our Call for Evidence, e.g. mega-vitamins, self-help groups, imagery, and commercial and lifestyle diets. Their remit did not include osteopathy which was included in our Call for Evidence, and which is generally regarded as a mainstream medical speciality in the USA.

1.23 The results of this survey are shown in Table 2. In both the 1990 and the 1997 surveys, alternative therapies were used mainly for chronic conditions such as back pain, allergies, anxiety, depression and headaches. The authors of the survey found that extrapolation of their results to the entire population of the USA suggested a 47.3% total increase in visits to alternative practitioners, from 427 million to 629 million (which was more than the number of visits to all US primary care physicians). Out-of-pocket expenditure on alternative therapies was estimated at $27.0 billion in 1997.

Table 2: Use of CAM in the USA

1990 (%) 1997 (%)
Use of any CAM in past 12 months 33.8† 42.1†
of which‡
Relaxation techniques 13.1 16.3
Herbal medicine 2.5 12.1
Massage 6.9 11.1
Chiropractic 10.1 11.0
Spiritual healing 4.2 7.0
Homeopathy 0.7 3.4
Acupuncture 0.4 1.0

Source: two nationally representative random household telephone surveys.
† Percentages of the total sample population (1539 for the 1990 data; 2055 in 1997).
‡ Table shows selected figures relating to the top five therapies based on the 1997 survey, plus (for comparison with United Kingdom statistics) figures for homeopathy and acupuncture.

Reasons for Accessing CAM

Survey Data

1.24 A national postal survey of 1035 adults which was designed specifically to find out why patients use CAM was conducted in the USA in 1998[12]. The survey asked about respondents' need for control over their own health; their philosophical orientation towards religion, spirituality, mind and body; their belief in the efficacy of conventional medicine and their general health and demographic statistics. A multiple regression analysis was then used to identify predictors of alternative healthcare use. The most significant predictor was higher educational status, followed by overall health status. Chronic health problems such as anxiety, back problems, urinary tract problems and chronic pain were each also significant predictors of CAM use. Apart from health and social status the only other three significant predictors of CAM use were: being 'culturally creative'; having a holistic philosophical approach to life; and having had a 'transformational experience'. The author takes the view that dissatisfaction with conventional care was not the major factor leading to the use of CAM. He suggests that as well as being better educated and in poorer health, most users of CAM access these therapies because they find them to be 'more congruent with their own values, beliefs and philosophical orientations towards health and life'. However, it is worth noting that Astin never asked the critical question: " Has conventional medicine worked for you?" in his survey, even though he was assessing why people turned to CAM. The cost of conventional medical treatment in the USA may also have been another factor.

1.25 The BBC survey of CAM use in the United Kingdom also asked respondents who had used CAM what their main reason was for accessing CAM medicines or therapies[13]. Results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3 : Reasons for Using CAM

Reason Percentage of those who use CAM
Helps or relieves injury / condition 25
Just like it 21
Find it relaxing 19
Good health / well-being generally 14
Preventative measure 12
Do not believe conventional medicine works 11
Doctor's recommendations / referral 11
To find out about other ways of life / new things 11
Way of life / part of lifestyle 8
Cannot get treatment on NHS / under conventional medicine 7

Source: nationally representative random telephone survey of 1204 British adults, commissioned by the BBC.

Other Possible Explanations

1.26 Some evidence we have received has suggested reasons for CAM use that are neither to do with patient satisfaction with CAM, nor dissatisfaction with conventional medicine. Dr Thurstan Brewin (P 244) suggested that the current popularity of CAM is dictated by fashion, as is evidenced by the many articles and advertisements in the lay press. He also suggested that another reason for the rising trend in CAM utilisation relates to a cultural change with a renewed interest in the paranormal (e.g. astrology) which remains popular no matter how much evidence refutes it. He postulated that another factor in CAM's popularity is the increased anxiety about health across society, despite the longer and safer lives which people now lead. He therefore suggested that much of CAM's popularity lies with the 'worried well', a suggestion others have also made.

1.27 In their oral evidence to us the General Medical Council (GMC) put forward that one other reason for CAM's popularity may be the general attitude of society towards science (Q 1036). They suggested that in some areas of society there is a flight from science, fuelled by unbalanced and inaccurate articles in the media and by the unsubstantiated claims from some environmental groups. The subject of society's flight from science was tackled by this Committee last year and is discussed in our previous report Science and Society[14].

1.28 It would be useful to have more research on why the public are increasingly using CAM in their healthcare regimes. At the moment the reasons are unclear, but the answer to this question is important as it may have implications for the NHS, conventional healthcare practitioners and CAM practitioners, who wish to meet their patients' needs more comprehensively.

Approach of This Report

1.29 This report does not consider the clinical efficacy of particular products or therapies except insofar as evidence is available to inform policy. We shall return to our reasons for this later in the report.

1.30 Whatever the reasons behind the popularity of CAM it is clear that there is an increasing number of patients and practitioners who are each involved in this area of healthcare. It is this high level of public interest that has prompted our Inquiry, raising important public policy questions that we have been charged with considering:

(i) In an age where conventional medical research is advancing rapidly with major benefits for patient care and increasing life expectancy, why are people using CAM and for what are they using it?

(ii) Since most statutory controls pertain to conventional medical and other healthcare practitioners and their relevant organisations, are current regulations adequate to provide a safe service for patients using CAM?

(iii) Does current medical training prepare doctors, nurses and others to answer patients' questions about CAM? Do they have enough information? Should their training include familiarisation with CAM?

(iv) How well developed is the training of CAM practitioners? Are appropriate structures in place to support high-quality training? Are proper codes of practice being developed? Are appropriate accreditation processes in place to protect the patient? Are issues of Continued Professional Development being considered?

(v) Is the state of CAM research adequate? Is appropriate research being carried out to investigate efficacy and to ensure that patients are receiving safe, effective treatments? Are current research methods appropriate for CAM research? Is research funding available and is the research infrastructure there to support work in this area?

(vi) Should CAM's popularity among the public result in an increase in NHS CAM provision? If so, how should CAM be delivered? Should it invariably be complementary, perhaps by reference to CAM practitioners by doctors in primary care, or is there any case for the provision of alternative medicine on the NHS? Will NHS reforms change how CAM is provided on the NHS?

CONDUCT OF THIS INQUIRY

1.31 This report was prepared by Sub-Committee I, whose members are listed in Appendix 7, with their declarations of interest. We received evidence from a wide range of individuals and organisations, to all of whom we are grateful; they are listed in Appendix 8. The written evidence received up until 1st February 2000 is printed in HL Paper 48. The oral evidence received at 21 public hearings, and the written evidence received after 1st February is published in HL Paper 118.

1.32 We record our gratitude to our specialist advisers: Professor Stephen Holgate, MRC Professor of Immunopharmacology, University of Southampton and a member of the Board of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine; and Mr Simon Mills, Director of the Centre for Complementary Health Studies, University of Exeter, and a member of the Council of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine. We also wish to express particular gratitude to those who met us at the University of Exeter, the University of Southampton, the Centre for Complementary Health Studies at Southampton, the Marylebone Health Centre, London, and the Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital.

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1 The body's natural healing power. Back

2 British Medical Association Complementary Medicine: New Approaches to Good Practice (Oxford University Press, 1993). Back

3 Ernst, E. et al. 'Complementary Medicine - A Definition' [letter] in The British Journal of General Practice (1995; 5:506). Back

4 Simon Mills, Director of the Centre for Complementary Health Studies at Exeter University, was one of the specialist advisers to the Sub-Committee who prepared this report. Back

5 Mills, S. & Peacock, W. Professional Organisation of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the UK 1997: A Report to the Department of Health (University of Exeter, 1997). Back

6 Budd, S. & Mills, S. Professional Organisation of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United Kingdom 2000: A Second Report to the Department of Health (University of Exeter, 2000). Back

7 Ernst, E. & White, A. 'The BBC Survey of Complementary Medicine Use in the UK' in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 8 (2000), 32-36. Back

8 Thomas, K.J., Nicholl, J.P. & Coleman, P. 'Use of and Expenditure on Complementary Medicine in England - A Population-Based Survey'. Complementary Therapies in Medicine (In Press). Back

9 The fastest growing sales figures were for essential oils, which had almost doubled in sales volume in real terms since 1993. Sales of homeopathic products had grown at a steady rate of around 4% per annum and those of herbal medicines were growing at a steady rate of about 10% per annum. Back

10 The Foundation for Integrated Medicine was formed at the personal initiative of HRH The Prince of Wales, who is now its President. The aim of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine is to promote the development and integrated delivery of safe, effective and efficient forms of healthcare to patients and their families through encouraging greater collaboration between all forms of healthcare. The Foundation operates as a forum, actively promoting and supporting discussion, and as a centre to facilitate development and action. Its objective is to "enable individuals to promote, restore and maintain health and well-being through integrating the approaches of orthodox, complementary and alternative therapies".

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Info. about healing regulations in countries world-wide

Foreword

National policies are the basis for defining the role of traditional and
complementary/alternative medicine in national health care programmes, ensuring that the necessary regulatory and legal mechanisms are created for promoting and maintaining good practice; assuring authenticity, safety and efficacy of traditional and complementary/alternative therapies; and
providing equitable access to health care resources and information about those resources.

As seen in this review, national recognition and regulation of traditional
and complementary/alternative medicine vary considerably. The World Health Organization works with countries to develop policies most appropriate for their situations. This document provides information on the legal status of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine in a number of countries. It is intended to facilitate the development of legal frameworks and the sharing of experiences between countries by introducing what some countries have done in terms of regulating
traditional and complementary/alternative medicine. This information will be beneficial not only to policy-makers, but also to researchers, universities, the public, insurance companies and pharmaceutical industries.

The preparation of this document took almost 10 years, largely because of a lack of financial resources. Not only was it difficult to obtain accurate, precise information on the policies of all of the World Health Organization’s 191 Member States, but because of the constant work of policy-makers on health-related issues, it was impossible for us to collect current data and keep it current throughout the preparation and
publication process. Although we have worked tirelessly to collect data and keep it as up to date as possible, new policies have made some information included here obsolete and basic information for many countries is still lacking. Regrettably, we were only able to include 123 countries in this review. Some countries are not included as we were unable to find sufficient information and, for some countries that are
included, we may have mistakenly provided inaccurate or misleading information.

We deeply apologize for any omissions or errors.

In this regard, we would sincerely appreciate countries and organizations providing necessary corrections and keeping us updated as their policies change, so that our next edition of this important document will be as accurate and complete as possible.
Thank you!
Dr Xiaorui Zhang
Acting Coordinator
Traditional Medicine
World Health Organization
Geneva, Switzerland

Introduction1

Terminology

In this document, medical providers and practices are generally described as traditional, complementary/alternative, or allopathic. “Provider” and “practitioner” are used interchangeably. In a few cases, particularly in the European section, the cumbersome term “non-allopathic physician” is used to refer to medical practitioners who are either not allopathic practitioners or who are allopathic providers but not physicians.

Allopathic medicine

Allopathic medicine, in this document, refers to the broad category of medical practice that is sometimes called Western medicine, biomedicine, modern medicine. This term has been used solely for convenience and does not refer to the treatment principles of any form of medicine described in this document.

Complementary/Alternative medicine

The terms “complementary medicine” and “alternative medicine” are used interchangeably with “traditional medicine” in some countries. Complementary/alternative medicine often refers to traditional medicine that is practised in a country but is not part of the country’s own traditions. As the terms “complementary” and “alternative” suggest, they are sometimes used to refer to health care that is considered supplementary to allopathic medicine. However, this can be misleading. In
some countries, the legal standing of complementary/alternative medicine is equivalent to that of allopathic medicine, many practitioners are certified in both complementary/alternative medicine and allopathic medicine, and the primary care provider for many patients is complementary/alternative practitioner.

Herbal preparations and products

Herbal preparations are produced by subjecting herbal materials to extraction, fractionation, purification, concentration, or other physical or biological processes.

They may be produced for immediate consumption or as the basis for herbal products. Herbal products may contain excipients, or inert ingredients, in addition to the active ingredients. They are generally produced in larger quantities for the purpose of retail sale (1).

Traditional medicine

Traditional medicine includes a diversity of health practices, approaches, knowledge, and beliefs incorporating plant, animal, and/or mineral-based medicines; spiritual Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and

Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review therapies; manual techniques; and exercises, applied singly or in combination to
maintain well-being, as well as to treat, diagnose, or prevent illness.
The comprehensiveness of the term “traditional medicine” and the wide range of practices it encompasses make it difficult to define or describe, especially in a global context. Traditional medical knowledge may be passed on orally from generation to generation, in some cases with families specializing in specific treatments, or it may be taught in officially recognized universities. Sometimes its practice is quite restricted geographically, and it may also be found in diverse regions of the world (see the section on complementary/alternative medicine, above). However, in most cases, a medical system is called “traditional” when it is practised within the country of origin.

Widespread systems of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine Ayurveda

Ayurveda originated in the 10th century BC, but its current form took shape between the 5th century BC and the 5th century AD. In Sanskrit, ayurveda means “science of life”.
Ayurvedic philosophy is attached to sacred texts, the Vedas, and based on the theory of Panchmahabhutas — all objects and living bodies are composed of the five basic elements: earth, water, fire, air, and sky (2). Similarly, there is a fundamental harmony between the environment and individuals, which is perceived as a macrocosm and microcosm relationship. As such, acting on one influences the other. Ayurveda is not
only a system of medicine, but also a way of living. It is used to both prevent and cure diseases. Ayurvedic medicine includes herbal medicines and medicinal baths. It is widely practised in South Asia, especially in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Chinese traditional medicine

The earliest records of traditional Chinese medicine date back to the 8th century BC. Diagnosis and treatment are based on a holistic view of the patient and the patient’s symptoms, expressed in terms of the balance of yin and yang. Yin represents the earth, cold, and femininity. Yang represents the sky, heat, and masculinity. The actions of yin and yang influence the interactions of the five elements composing the universe: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Practitioners of Chinese traditional medicine seek to control the levels of yin and yang through 12 meridians, which bring energy to the body. Chinese traditional medicine can be used for promoting health as well as preventing and curing diseases. Chinese traditional medicine encompasses a range of practices, including acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicines, manual therapies, exercises, breathing techniques, and diets. Surgery is rarely used. Chinese medicine, particularly acupuncture, is the most widely used traditional medicine. It is ractised in every region of the world.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic was founded at the end of the 19th century by Daniel David Palmer, a magnetic therapist practising in Iowa, USA. Chiropractic is based on an association between the spine and the nervous system and on the self-healing properties of the human body. It is practised in every region of the world. Chiropractic training programmes are recognized by the World Federation of Chiropractic if they adopt international standards of education and require a minimum of four years of full-time
university-level education following entrance requirements.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy was first mentioned by Hippocrates (462–377 BC), but it was a German physician, Hahnemann (1755–1843), who established homeopathy’s basic principles: law of similarity, direction of cure, principle of single remedy, the theory of minimum diluted dose, and the theory of chronic disease (2). In homeopathy, diseases are treated with remedies that in a healthy person would produce symptoms similar to those of the disease. Rather than fighting the disease directly, medicines are intended to stimulate the body to fight the disease. By the latter half of the 19th century, homeopathy was practised throughout Europe as well as in Asia and North America.
Homeopathy has been integrated into the national health care systems of many countries, including India, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the

United Kingdom.

Unani

Unani is based on Hippocrates’ (462–377 BC) theory of the four bodily humours: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Galen (131–210 AD), Rhazes (850–925 AD), and Avicenna (980–1037 AD) heavily influenced unani’s foundation and formed its structure. Unani draws from the traditional systems of medicine of China, Egypt, India, Iraq, Persia, and the Syrian Arab Republic (5). It is also called Arabic medicine.
The situation in the use of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine. Traditional and complementary/alternative medicine is widely used in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of an extensive range of ailments. There are numerous factors that have led to the widespread and increasing appeal of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine throughout the world, particularly in the past 20 years. In some regions, traditional and complementary/alternative medicine is more accessible. In fact, one-third of the world’s population and over half of the populations of the poorest parts of Asia and Africa do not have regular access to essential drugs.

However, the most commonly reported reasons for using traditional and
complementary/alternative medicine are that it is more affordable, more closely corresponds to the patient’s ideology, and is less paternalistic than allopathic medicine. Regardless of why an individual uses it, traditional and complementary/ alternative medicine provides an important health care service to persons both with and without geographic or financial access to allopathic medicine.

Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and

Complementary/Alternative

Medicine: A Worldwide Review

Traditional and complementary/alternative medicine has demonstrated efficacy in areas such as mental health, disease prevention, treatment of non-communicable diseases, and improvement of the quality of life for persons living with chronic diseases as well as for the ageing population. Although further research, clinical trials, and evaluations are needed, traditional and complementary/alternative medicine has shown great potential to meet a broad spectrum of health care needs.

Recognizing the widespread use of traditionalandcomplementary/alternative medicine and the tremendous expansion of international markets for herbal products, it is all the more important to ensure that the health care provided by traditional and
complementary/alternative medicine is safe and reliable; that standards for the safety, efficacy, and quality control of herbal products and traditional and complementary/ alternative therapies are established and upheld; that practitioners have the qualifications they profess; and that the claims made for products and practices are valid. These issues have become important concerns for both health authorities and the public. National policies are a key part of addressing these concerns.

Each year the World Health Organization receives an increasing number of requests to provide standards, technical guidance, and informational support to Member States laborating national policies on traditional and complementary/alternative medicine.

The World Health Organization encourages and supports Member States to integrate traditional and complementary/alternative medicine into national health care systems and to ensure their rational use. Facilitating the exchange of information between Member States through regional meetings and the publication of documents, the World Health Organization assists countries in sharing and learning from one another’s experiences in forming national policies on traditional and complementary/ alternative medicine and developing appropriate innovative approaches to integrated health care.

In 1998, the World Health Organization Traditional Medicine Team issued thepublication Regulatory situation of Herbal Medicines: A Worldwide Review. Although it only includes information concerning the regulation of herbal medicines, this document attracted the attention of the national health authorities of World Health Organization Member States as well as of the general public. Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review is much more comprehensive. Both an update and an expansion of the 1998 document, it includes information on the regulation and registration of herbal medicines as well as of non-medication therapies and traditional and complementary/ alternative medical practitioners. It is an easy reference, providing summaries of the policies enacted in different countries and indications of the variety of models of integration adopted by national policy-makers. Through country-specific sections on Background information, Statistics, Regulatory situation, Education and training, and
Insurance coverage, it is designed to facilitate the sharing of information between nations as they elaborate policies regulating traditional medicine and complementary/ alternative medicine and as they develop integrated national health care systems.

Africa5

Angola

Regulatory situation

Although there is a registry of traditional health practitioners, there are no official legislative or regulatory texts governing the practice of traditional medicine, no licensing procedures for traditional medicine practitioners, no system for the official approval of traditional medical practices and remedies, and no local or national councils in charge of reviewing any problems concerning traditional medicine

Traditional medicine practitioners are not involved in Angola’s primary health care programme at the local or national level Education and training Angola does not have any official training facilities or programmes for traditionalmedicine

Benin

Background information

Widespread reliance on traditional medicines can be partially attributed to the high cost of allopathic pharmaceuticals, particularly after the devaluation of the Central African franc Numerous persons from other countries use Beninese traditional medicine

Statistics

Eighty per cent of the population relies on traditional medicine. In the Regular Budget 1998–1999, US$ 14 000 was allocated to traditional medicine

Regulatory situation

There is a licensing process and a registry of traditional medicine practitioners in Benin. Local officials are allowed to authorize the practice of traditional medicine In their administrative and/or health subdivisions. Some traditional medicine practitioners are involved in the primary health care programme in Benin. There are national as well as provincial intersectoral councils and groups in charge of reviewing problems concerning traditional medicine.

Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review

Section 3 of Code 3.4, Quality of Health Care and Health Technology (9), relates to traditional medicine. One objective under this section is the promotion of traditional pharmacopoeia through the following:
♦ updating and distributing a national list of traditional medicine practitioners by field of speciality—US$ 5000 is set aside for this task;
♦ developing and distributing a guide for the rational use of traditional
pharmacopoeia—US$ 9000 is allocated for this task.
The Ministry of Health perceives obstacles to the promotion of traditional medicine in Benin to include the following:

♦ lack of means to evaluate the quality, safety, and efficacy of traditional medicine products;
♦ lack of training in proper sanitation techniques for practitioners of traditional medicine, leading to unfavourable conditions in the practice of traditional medicine.
In consideration of these obstacles and in order to protect consumers, the Government has prioritized the following projects:
♦ a census of non-governmental organizations operating in the field of traditional medicine;
♦ a census of practitioners of traditional medicine;
♦ evaluation of the possibilities of integrating traditional medicine into the national health care system, particularly into health centres at the sub-prefecture level;
♦ training traditional medicine practitioners to refer serious cases of certain illnesses, such as malaria and HIV/AIDS, to allopathic health centres.
The Government envisions many opportunities for traditional medicine in Benin; these projects are just the first steps in a long process.

Botswana

Background information

Practitioners of traditional medicine provided the only health care services available in most of Botswana until the first part of the decade following independence in 1966. The recent introduction of allopathic services throughout the country appears to have reduced the influence and activities of traditional medicine practitioners, but only to a
limited extent and mainly with respect to younger and more formally educated
population groups. Traditional health practitioners are well respected and influential

Africa

In rural areas and remain central figures in the everyday lives of the majority of the rural population.

Statistics

There are about 3100 traditional health practitioners in Botswana, approximately 95% of whom reside in rural areas .

Regulatory situation

The first reference to the official acceptance of traditional medicine practitioners in Botswana appears in Section 14.86 of the National Development Plan of 1976–1981: Although not part of the modern health care system the traditional healer (ngaka) performs a significant role in Botswana, especially in the rural areas. . . . The policy of the Ministry is to evaluate further the contribution of traditional healers to the
health care system of the country and possibly then to seek ways of closer
cooperation and consultation.

Similarly, Section 13.28 of Chapter 13 of the National Development Plan of 1979–1984 reads:

There are a large number of traditional practitioners of various types who are frequently consulted on health and personal matters. The Ministry of Health will continue its policy of gradually strengthening links with traditional practitioners — both diviners, herbalists, and faith healers. The emphasis will be put on improving mutual understanding, especially about the practices and techniques of the traditional practitioners. No full-scale integration is envisaged, but referrals between modern health care services and traditional practitioners will be encouraged where appropriate.

The Medical, Dental, and Pharmacy (Amendment) Act of 1987 (12) outlines registration requirements for chiropractors, osteopaths, naturopaths, acupuncturists, and other complementary/alternative medical professionals in Botswana.

Burkina Faso

Background information

Under colonialism, traditional medical practices were outlawed as harmful anddangerous. Only after independence did the Government promote traditional medicine and begin to restore esteem to traditional medical practices. However, due toa lack of political initiative and significant mistrust between allopathic practitioners and traditional medicine practitioners, it was not until the 1980s that noticeable efforts were made. In 1983, the Government encouraged the formation of associations of
traditional medicine practitioners as well as pharmacopoeia units within decentralized sanitary structures of the health system.
Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review

According to the Burkina Faso Government, traditional medicine will always remain an important source of health care for the majority of the population since traditional medicine is part of African sociocultural foundations.

Statistics

More than 80% of the population in Burkina Faso use traditional medicine.
Regulatory situation

The Natural Substances Research Institute and a Health Ministry service were created in 1978 to promote traditional medicine and pharmacopoeia. In 1979, traditional medicine practitioners were officially recognized in Burkina Faso. Title IV of the Public Health Code of 28 December 1970 (13) pertains to traditional medicine. Section 49 states:

The practice of traditional medicine by persons of known repute shall be
provisionally tolerated; such persons shall remain responsible, under civil and penal law, for the acts which they perform.

Subsequent items of legislation shall define the practice of this form of medicine and the status of persons engaged therein.

A medical and scientific commission appointed by the Minister responsible for Public Health shall conduct a study of the practice of traditional medicine and shall undertake investigations, notably in respect to traditional therapeutics, in order to identify the mode of action and posology of the drugs involved.

The Practice and Organization of Traditional Medicine, Chapter IV of Law
23/94/ADP of 19 May 1994 (14), promulgates the Public Health Code. This chapter defines traditional medicine and traditional medicine practitioners and reiterates their official recognition in Burkina Faso.

In July 1996, the Government approved the National Pharmaceutical Policy. In 1997, the National Pharmaceutical Directive Plan was adopted to define the global objectives of the National Pharmaceutical Policy in concrete terms. One of the aims, as designated by the Ministry of Health, was the development and promotion of traditional medicine and traditional pharmacopoeia within the official Burkina Faso health care system in order to improve the health care delivered to the population.

The Plan will be taken into consideration in the development of the National Sanitary Policies, which will cover the years 2001–2010.
Decrees on the following issues are currently being elaborated: the modalities of private practice of traditional medicine, the creation of and assignments to the National Commission of Traditional Medicine and Traditional Pharmacopoeia, and an inventory of improved traditional medications. In an effort to balance conservation of natural resources and the development of traditional medicines, the Government is also in the process of developing regulations on the exploitation of traditional Foreword National policies are the basis for defining the role of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine in national health care programmes, ensuring that the necessary regulatory and legal mechanisms are created for promoting and maintaining good practice; assuring authenticity, safety and efficacy of traditional and
complementary/alternative therapies; and providing equitable access to health care resources and information about those resources.
As seen in this review, national recognition and regulation of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine vary considerably. The World Health Organization works with countries to develop policies most appropriate for their situations. This document provides information on the legal status of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine in a number of countries. It is intended to facilitate the development of legal frameworks and the sharing of experiences between countries by introducing what some countries have done in terms of regulating
traditional and complementary/alternative medicine. This information will be beneficial not only to policy-makers, but also to researchers, universities, the public, insurance companies and pharmaceutical industries.

The preparation of this document took almost 10 years, largely because of a lack of financial resources. Not only was it difficult to obtain accurate, precise information on the policies of all of the World Health Organization’s 191 Member States, but because of the constant work of policy-makers on health-related issues, it was impossible for us to collect current data and keep it current throughout the preparation and publication process. Although we have worked tirelessly to collect data and keep it as up to date as possible, new policies have made some information included here obsolete and basic information for many countries is still lacking. Regrettably, we were only able to include 123 countries in this review. Some countries are not included as we were unable to find sufficient information and, for some countries that are
included, we may have mistakenly provided inaccurate or misleading information.

We deeply apologize for any omissions or errors.

In this regard, we would sincerely appreciate countries and organizations providing necessary corrections and keeping us updated as their policies change, so that our next edition of this important document will be as accurate and complete as possible.
Thank you!
Dr Xiaorui Zhang
Acting Coordinator
Traditional Medicine
World Health Organization
Geneva, Switzerland

Introduction

Terminology

In this document, medical providers and practices are generally described as traditional, complementary/alternative, or allopathic. “Provider” and “practitioner” are used interchangeably. In a few cases, particularly in the European section, the cumbersome term “non-allopathic physician” is used to refer to medical practitioners who are either not allopathic practitioners or who are allopathic providers but not physicians.

Allopathic medicine

Allopathic medicine, in this document, refers to the broad category of medical practice that is sometimes called Western medicine, biomedicine, scientific medicine, or modern medicine. This term has been used solely for convenience and does not refer to the treatment principles of any form of medicine described in this document.

Complementary/Alternative medicine

The terms “complementary medicine” and “alternative medicine” are used interchangeably with “traditional medicine” in some countries. Complementary/alternative medicine often refers to traditional medicine that is practised in a country but is not part of the country’s own traditions. As the terms “complementary” and “alternative” suggest, they are sometimes used to refer to health care that is considered supplementary to allopathic medicine. However, this can be misleading. In
some countries, the legal standing of complementary/alternative medicine is equivalent to that of allopathic medicine, many practitioners are certified in both complementary/alternative medicine and allopathic medicine, and the primary care provider for many patients is a complementary/alternative practitioner.

Herbal preparations and products

Herbal preparations are produced by subjecting herbal materials to extraction, fractionation, purification, concentration, or other physical or biological processes. They may be produced for immediate consumption or as the basis for herbal products.
Herbal products may contain excipients, or inert ingredients, in addition to the active ingredients. They are generally produced in larger quantities for the purpose of retail sale.

Traditional medicine

Traditional medicine includes a diversity of health practices, approaches, knowledge, and beliefs incorporating plant, animal, and/or mineral-based medicines; spiritual Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review
therapies; manual techniques; and exercises, applied singly or in combination to maintain well-being, as well as to treat, diagnose, or prevent illness. The comprehensiveness of the term “traditional medicine” and the wide range of practices it encompasses make it difficult to define or describe, especially in a global context. Traditional medical knowledge may be passed on orally from generation to generation, in some cases with families specializing in specific treatments, or it may be
taught in officially recognized universities. Sometimes its practice is quite restricted geographically, and it may also be found in diverse regions of the world (see the section on complementary/alternative medicine, above). However, in most cases, a medical system is called “traditional” when it is practised within the country of origin.

Widespread systems of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine

Ayurveda

Ayurveda originated in the 10th century BC, but its current form took shape between the 5th century BC and the 5th century AD. In Sanskrit, ayurveda means “science of life”. Ayurvedic philosophy is attached to sacred texts, the Vedas, and based on the theory of Panchmahabhutas — all objects and living bodies are composed of the five basic
elements: earth, water, fire, air, and sky (2). Similarly, there is a fundamental harmony between the environment and individuals, which is perceived as a macrocosm and microcosm relationship. As such, acting on one influences the other. Ayurveda is not only a system of medicine, but also a way of living. It is used to both prevent and cure diseases. Ayurvedic medicine includes herbal medicines and medicinal baths. It is
widely practised in South Asia, especially in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

Chinese traditional medicine

The earliest records of traditional Chinese medicine date back to the 8th century BC. Diagnosis and treatment are based on a holistic view of the patient and the patient’s symptoms, expressed in terms of the balance of yin and yang. Yin represents the earth, cold, and femininity. Yang represents the sky, heat, and masculinity. The actions of yin and yang influence the interactions of the five elements composing the universe:
metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Practitioners of Chinese traditional medicine seek to control the levels of yin and yang through 12 meridians, which bring energy to the body. Chinese traditional medicine can be used for promoting health as well as preventing and curing diseases. Chinese traditional medicine encompasses a range of practices, including acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicines, manual therapies, exercises, breathing techniques, and diets (4). Surgery is rarely used. Chinese
medicine, particularly acupuncture, is the most widely used traditional medicine. It is practised in every region of the world.

Introduction

Chiropractic

Chiropractic was founded at the end of the 19th century by Daniel David Palmer, a magnetic therapist practising in Iowa, USA. Chiropractic is between the spine and the nervous system and on the self-healing properties of the human body. It is practised in every region of the world. Chiropractic training programmes are recognized by the World Federation of Chiropractic if they adopt international standards of education and require a minimum of four years of full-time university-level education following entrance requirements.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy was first mentioned by Hippocrates (462–377 BC), but it was a German physician, Hahnemann (1755–1843), who established homeopathy’s basic principles:
aw of similarity, direction of cure, principle of single remedy, the theory of minimum diluted dose, and the theory of chronic disease (2). In homeopathy, diseases are treated with remedies that in a healthy person would produce symptoms similar to those of the disease. Rather than fighting the disease directly, medicines are intended
to stimulate the body to fight the disease. By the latter half of the 19th
century, homeopathy was practised throughout Europe as well as in Asia and North America. Homeopathy has been integrated into the national health care systems of many countries, including India, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom.

Unani

Unani is based on Hippocrates’ (462–377 BC) theory of the four bodily humours: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Galen (131–210 AD), Rhazes (850–925 AD), and Avicenna (980–1037 AD) heavily influenced unani’s foundation and formed its structure. Unani draws from the traditional systems of medicine of China, Egypt, India, Iraq, Persia, and the Syrian Arab Republic (5). It is also called Arabic medicine. The situation in the use of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine
Traditional and complementary/alternative medicine is widely used in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of an extensive range of ailments. There are numerous factors that have led to the widespread and increasing appeal of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine throughout the world, particularly in the past 20 years. In some regions, traditional and complementary/alternative medicine is more accessible. In fact, one-third of the world’s population and over half of the populations of the poorest parts of Asia and Africa do not have regular access to essential drugs. However, the most commonly reported reasons for using traditional and complementary/alternative medicine are that it is more affordable, more closely corresponds to the patient’s ideology, and is less paternalistic than allopathic medicine. Regardless of why an individual uses it, traditional and complementary/ alternative medicine provides an important health care service to persons both with and without geographic or financial access to allopathic medicine.

Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative

Medicine: A Worldwide Review

Traditional and complementary/alternative medicine has demonstrated efficacy in areas such as mental health, disease prevention, treatment of non-communicable diseases, and improvement of the quality of life for persons living with chronic diseases as well as for the ageing population. Although further research, clinical trials, and evaluations are needed, traditional and complementary/alternative medicine has shown great potential to meet a broad spectrum of health care needs. Recognizing the widespread use of traditional and complementary/alternative medicine and the tremendous expansion of international markets for herbal products, it is all the more important to ensure that the health care provided by traditional and complementary/alternative medicine is safe and reliable; that standards for the safety, efficacy, and quality control of herbal products and traditional and complementary/ alternative therapies are established and upheld; that practitioners have the qualifications they profess; and that the claims made for products and practices are
valid. These issues have become important concerns for both health authorities and the public. National policies are a key part of addressing these concerns. Each year the World Health Organization receives an increasing number of requests to
provide standards, technical guidance, and informational support to Member States elaborating national policies on traditional and complementary/alternative medicine. The World Health Organization encourages and supports Member States to integrate
traditional and complementary/alternative medicine into national health care systems and to ensure their rational use. Facilitating the exchange of information between Member States through regional meetings and the publication of documents, the World Health Organization assists countries another’s experiences in forming national policies on traditional and complementary/ alternative medicine and developing appropriate innovative approaches to integrated health care.
In 1998, the World Health Organization Traditional Medicine Team issued the publication Regulatory situation of Herbal Medicines: A Worldwide Review. Although it only includes information concerning the regulation of herbal medicines, this document attracted the attention of the national health authorities of World Health Organization Member States as well as of the general public. Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review is much more comprehensive. Both an update and an expansion of the 1998 document, it includes information on the regulation and registration of herbal medicines as well as of non-medication therapies and traditional and complementary/ alternative medical practitioners. It is an easy reference, providing summaries of the policies enacted in different countries and indications of the variety of models of integration adopted by national policy-makers. Through country-specific sections on Background information, Statistics, Regulatory situation, Education and training, and
Insurance coverage, it is designed to facilitate the sharing of information between nations as they elaborate policies regulating traditional medicine and complementary/ alternative medicine and as they develop integrated national health care systems.

Africa

Angola

Regulatory situationAlthough there is a registry of traditional health practitioners, there are no official legislative or regulatory texts governing the practice of traditional medicine, no licensing procedures for traditional medicine practitioners, no system for the official approval of traditional medical practices and remedies, and no councils in charge of reviewing any problems concerning traditional medicine. Traditional medicine practitioners are not involved in Angola’s primary health care programme at the local or national level (6).
Education and training Angola does not have any official training facilities or programmes for traditional medicine.

Benin

Background information

Widespread reliance on traditional medicines can be partially attributed to the high cost of allopathic pharmaceuticals, particularly after the devaluation of the Central African franc. Numerous persons from other countries use Beninese traditional medicine.

Statistics

Eighty per cent of the population relies on traditional medicine.
In the Regular Budget 1998–1999, US$ 14 000 was allocated to traditional medicine.

Regulatory situation

There is a licensing process and a registry of traditional medicine practitioners in Benin. Local officials are allowed to authorize the practice of traditional medicine in their administrative and/or health subdivisions. Some traditional medicine fractitioners are involved in the primary health care programme in Benin. There are national as well as provincial intersectoral councils and groups in charge of reviewing problems concerning traditional medicine.

Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review

Section 3 of Code 3.4, Quality of Health Care and Health Technology (9), relates to traditional medicine. One objective under this section is the promotion of raditional pharmacopoeia through the following:
♦ updating and distributing a national list of traditional medicine practitioners by field of speciality—US$ 5000 is set aside for this task;
♦ developing and distributing a guide for the rational use of traditional
pharmacopoeia—US$ 9000 is allocated for this task.
The Ministry of Health perceives obstacles to the promotion of traditional medicine in Benin to include the following:
♦ lack of means to evaluate the quality, safety, and efficacy of traditional medicine products;
♦ lack of training in proper sanitation techniques for practitioners of traditional medicine, leading to unfavourable conditions in the practice of traditional medicine. In consideration of these obstacles and in order to protect consumers, the Government has prioritized the following projects:
♦ a census of non-governmental organizations operating in the field of traditional medicine;
♦ a census of practitioners of traditional medicine;
♦ evaluation of the possibilities of integrating traditional medicine into the national health care system, particularly into health centres at the sub-prefecture level;
♦ training traditional medicine practitioners to refer serious cases of certain illnesses, such as malaria and HIV/AIDS, to allopathic health centres. The Government envisions many opportunities for traditional medicine in Benin; these projects are just the first steps in a long process .

Botswana

Background information

Practitioners of traditional medicine provided the only health care services available in most of Botswana until the first part of the decade following independence in 1966. The recent introduction of allopathic services throughout the country appears to have reduced the influence and activities of traditional medicine practitioners, but only to a limited extent and mainly with respect to younger and more formally educated population groups. Traditional health practitioners are well respected and influential

Africa

In rural areas and remain central figures in the everyday lives of the majority of the rural population.

Statistics

There are about 3100 traditional health practitioners in Botswana, approximately 95% of whom reside in rural areas (10).

Regulatory situation

The first reference to the official acceptance of traditional medicine practitioners in Botswana appears in Section 14.86 of the National Development Plan of 1976–1981: Although not part of the modern health care system the traditional healer (ngaka) performs a significant role in Botswana, especially in the rural areas. . . . The policy of the Ministry is to evaluate further the contribution of traditional healers to the health care system of the country and possibly then to seek ways of closer cooperation and consultation. Similarly, Section 13.28 of Chapter 13 of the National Development Plan of 1979–1984 reads:

There are a large number of traditional practitioners of various types who are frequently consulted on health and personal matters. The Ministry of Health will continue its policy of gradually strengthening links with traditional practitioners — both diviners, herbalists, and faith healers. The emphasis will be put on improving
mutual understanding, especially about the practices and techniques of the
traditional practitioners. No full-scale integration is envisaged, but referrals between modern health care services and traditional practitioners will be encouraged where appropriate.

The Medical, Dental, and Pharmacy (Amendment) Act of 1987 (12) outlines registration requirements for chiropractors, osteopaths, naturopaths, acupuncturists, and other complementary/alternative medical professionals in Botswana.

Burkina Faso

Background information

Under colonialism, traditional medical practices were outlawed as harmful and dangerous. Only after independence did the Government promote traditional medicine and begin to restore esteem to traditional medical practices. However, due to a lack of political initiative and significant mistrust between allopathic practitioners and traditional medicine practitioners, it was not until the 1980s that noticeable efforts
were made. In 1983, the Government encouraged the formation of associations of traditional medicine practitioners as well as pharmacopoeia units within decentralized sanitary structures of the health system.

Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review

According to the Burkina Faso Government, traditional medicine will always remain an important source of health care for the majority of the population since traditional medicine is part of African sociocultural foundations.

Statistics

More than 80% of the population in Burkina Faso use traditional medicine.
Regulatory situation The Natural Substances Research Institute and a Health Ministry service were created in 1978 to promote traditional medicine and pharmacopoeia. In 1979, traditional medicine practitioners were officially recognized in Burkina Faso. Title IV of the Public Health Code of 28 December 1970 pertains to traditional medicine. Section 49 states: The practice of traditional medicine by persons of known repute shall be provisionally tolerated; such persons shall remain responsible, under civil and penal law, for the acts which they perform. Subsequent items of legislation shall define the practice of this form of medicine and the status of persons engaged therein.
A medical and scientific commission appointed by the Minister responsible for Public Health shall conduct a study of the practice of traditional medicine and shall undertake investigations, notably in respect to traditional therapeutics, in order to identify the mode of action and posology of the drugs involved.

The Practice and Organization of Traditional Medicine, Chapter IV of Law
23/94/ADP of 19 May 1994 (14), promulgates the Public Health Code. This chapter defines traditional medicine and traditional medicine practitioners and reiterates their official recognition in Burkina Faso. In July 1996, the Government approved the National Pharmaceutical Policy. In 1997, the National Pharmaceutical Directive Plan was adopted to define the global objectives of the National Pharmaceutical Policy in concrete terms. One of the aims, as designated by the Ministry of Health, was the development and promotion of traditional medicine and traditional pharmacopoeia within the official Burkina Faso health care system in order to improve the health care delivered to the population. The Plan will be taken into consideration in the development of the National Sanitary Policies, which will cover the years 2001–2010.

Decrees on the following issues are currently being elaborated: the modalities of private practice of traditional medicine, the creation of and assignments to the National Commission of Traditional Medicine and Traditional Pharmacopoeia, and an inventory of improved traditional medications. In an effort to balance conservation of natural resources and the development of traditional medicines, the Government is also in the process of developing regulations on the exploitation of traditional pharmacopoeia products with the collaboration of national and international partners, such as the World Health Organization.
Burkina Faso has local and national intersectoral councils in charge of reviewing problems related to traditional medicine. Local officials in Burkina Faso are allowed to authorize the practice of traditional medicine in their administrative and/or health subdivisions. Some practitioners of traditional medicine are involved in the primary health care programme.

Education and training

There is no official recognition for the qualifications of traditional health practitioners. However, there is a formal training programme in traditional medicine.

Burundi

Regulatory situation

There are no procedures for the official approval of traditional medical practices or remedies. Traditional health practitioners are not licensed, and local officials are not allowed to authorize the practice of traditional medicine in their administrative and/or health subdivisions, nor are traditional medicine practitioners involved in primary health care programmes at the local or national level in Burundi. Burundi
does not have any official or legislative texts regulating traditional medicine. However, in Burundi’s Public Health Code of 1982 (15), which limits medical licences to those persons with formal training in tropical medicine, it is stated that practitioners currently treating patients by means of traditional medicine may continue to practise under the conditions and in accordance with the detailed regulations laid down by the
Minister responsible for public health.

Education and training

Burundi does not have any official training facilities or programmes for traditional medicine .

Cameroon

Regulatory situation Law 81/12 of 27 November 1981 approved the Fifth Five-Year Social, Economic, and Political Development Plan (1981–1986) of Cameroon (16). Section 16-1.3.1.5 states the following:

During the Fifth Plan, measures will be taken to lay down a joint strategy and method to effectively integrate traditional medicine into the national health plan by implementing a program on traditional medicine in conjunction with some of our neighbouring countries.

Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review Under this plan, Cameroon created the Traditional Medicine Service within the Unit of
Community Medicine in the Yaounde Central Hospital and set up the Office of Traditional Medicine in the Ministry of Public Health. A number of research projects on traditional medicine and training programmes for traditional medicine practitioners have also taken place (17).
Local officials are allowed to authorize the practice of traditional medicine in their administrative and/or health subdivisions, and some traditional medicine practitioners are involved in Cameroon’s primary health care programme.

Cape Verde

Regulatory situation

Cape Verde does not have any official legislative or regulatory texts governing the practice of traditional medicine. There are no licensing procedures for traditional medicine practitioners, nor are there any procedures for the official approval of traditional medical practices and remedies. Traditional medicine practitioners are not involved in Cape Verde’s primary health care programme at either the local or national level.

Education and training

Cape Verde does not have any official training facilities or programmes for traditional
medicine.

Central African Republic

Regulatory situation

The Central African Republic has local intersectoral councils for traditional medicine and a registry of traditional health practitioners. However, there are no official legislative or regulatory texts governing the practice of traditional medicine. There are no licensing procedures for traditional medicine practitioners, nor are there any procedures for the official approval of traditional medical practices and remedies.

Traditional medicine practitioners are not involved in the Central African Republic’s primary health care programme at the local or national level.

Education and training

The Central African Republic does not have official training facilities or programmes for traditional medicine.

Africa

Chad

Regulatory situation
Although traditional medicine practitioners are involved in Chad’s primary health care programme, Chad does not have any official legislative or regulatory texts governing the practice of traditional medicine. There is no licensing process for traditional medicine practitioners, nor are there procedures for the official approval of traditional medical practices and remedies.

Education and training

Chad has no official training facilities or programmes for traditional medicine.

Comoros

Regulatory situation

Comoros does not have official legislative or regulatory texts governing the practice of traditional medicine. There is no licensing process for traditional health practitioners, nor are there procedures for the official approval of traditional medical practices and remedies. Traditional medicine practitioners are not involved in the primary health care programme in Comoros at either the local or national level.

Education and training

Comoros does not have official training facilities or programmes for traditional medicine.

Congo

Background information

In rural areas, herbalists and spiritualists are the two most common practitioners of traditional medicine. In urban areas, acupuncturists and natural medicine providers — medical practitioners who treat with mineral and animal products — are more common. Through scientific analysis, independent researchers have confirmed the efficacy of a number of Congolese traditional medical products — such as manadiar, antougine,
meyamium, and diazostimul — leading to their distribution throughout Africa.

Statistics

For the treatment of pathologies of the reproductive system, 59.9% of Congolese women use traditional medicine. Of these women, 38.2% report having experienced complications or side effects after using these medicines. Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review Regulatory situation The traditional medicine branch of the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs was created in 1974 to develop a national herbarium and determine the number of traditional medicine practitioners in the country. In 1980, the National Union of Tradi- Therapists of Congo was founded. In 1982, the traditional medicine branch was expanded, becoming the Traditional Medicine Service. The Service, led by a pharmacist, was charged with conducting research, enriching the national herbarium,
gathering medicinal formulas, popularizing traditional medicine, and integrating traditional and allopathic medicine. In 1987, the National Centre of Traditional Medicine was established to promote research, manufacture traditional medical products, exchange information with other traditional medicine institutions, train allopathic doctors and students in traditional medicine, and teach techniques for the aseptic preparation of medicines to practitioners of traditional medicine. Failure to collaborate with traditional medicine Tractitioners and a poor relationship between traditional medicine practitioners and allopathic practitioners proved to be obstacles to the Centre’s work. Congo has official legislative/regulatory texts governing the practice of traditional
medicine. It also has local and national intersectoral councils for traditional medicine.

Local officials in Congo are allowed to authorize the practice of traditional medicine in their administrative and/or health subdivisions. Some traditional medicine practitioners are also involved in the primary health care programme of Congo; however, in certain centres this integration is very weak. There is a licensing process, a national association, and a registry of traditional health practitioners. The Management of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, the National Union of Tradi-Therapists, and other professional traditional medicine associations review the qualifications of traditional medicine practitioners, although there are no set criteria for these qualifications. Traditional medicine practitioners are recognized by the Government and are well tolerated. In 1996, legislation on the recognition of traditional medicine and complementary/alternative medicine was drafted, but it has not yet been finalized because of the 1997–1999 armed conflict. Under current regulations, only herbalists are
permitted to practise in the official health care system.

Education and training

No training in traditional medicine is integrated into the university medical
curriculum.

Insurance coverage

An attempt has been made to standardize the fees of traditional medicine practitioners in Congo, although no patient reimbursement exists for such fees.

Africa

Côte d’Ivoire

Regula

Last edited by admin on Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:46 am; edited 1 time in total

admin · Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 9:18 pm Post subject: Legislative Process in the UK

Legislative Process in the UK

In England, the law that is relevant to the work that we do is either English law or UK law. However, the situation will not be the same for people living elsewhere in the UK or offshore. The narrative below attempts to give an indication of the legislative framework within which our laws have been passed over the years and it can be seen that outside of England the relevant legislation might be UK based, English based or locally based. Where possible, I will be posting to this website transcripts of the legislation relevant to England. If you do not live in England, it might be necessary for you to check whether there is any similar local law within which you need to work.

The Law in Wales

Following the defeat of Llywelyn and the conquest of Wales by King Edward 1 in 1284, English Law was introduced into Wales but Wales continued to operate its legal system separate to that of England. This situation continued even after the passing of the Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 which annexed Wales to England but came to an end with the passing of the Wales and Berwick Act 1746. The consequence of this Act was that in terms of future laws England would be deemed to include Wales and Berwick-on-Tweed. This Act was repealed in 1967. From 1967, although laws were passed as being for England and Wales, Wales did not have its own legislative assembly and its laws originated from Westminster. The Government of Wales Act 1998 gave the new National Assembly for Wales local legislative powers but with Westminster retaining legislative control over issues of UK importance. The legislation affecting healers in Wales, therefore, will be a mixture of English Law, English and Welsh Law, UK Law, and Welsh Law.

The Law in Scotland

Prior to the Union with England, Scotland had developed its own legal system with its roots based in earlier Roman Law and was different to English Law. After the Act of Union in 1707, the Parliaments of England and Scotland were abolished and replaced by the Parliament for the new Kingdom of Great Britain. This in turn was replaced by the later Parliament for the United Kingdom which included Ireland. Although there continued to be separate English and Scottish legal systems, news laws were passed for England and Scotland both together and separately by Parliament. Scottish law continued to be based in its earlier Roman roots but with English influences. The Scotland Act 1998 gave the new Scottish Parliament local legislative powers but with Westminster retaining legislative control over issues of UK importance. The legislation affecting healers in Scotland, therefore, will be a mixture of UK Law and local Scottish Law. In terms of the way in which the law affects healers in Scotland, they should check whether UK or local law applies in the same way as the laws applying to England that I am posting to this website.

The Law in the Shetland and Orkney Islands

The pawning of the Shetland and Orkney Islands by King Christian of Denmark to King James 3 of Scotland was without time limit. The issue of the legal ownership of the islands has not been clarified in the centuries since, this creating issues for the legislative framework of the islands. Broadly speaking, the legal situation for the islands is that the earlier Norse law prevails unless there is reason for Scots Feudal Law to take precedent. In terms of the way in which the law affects healers in the islands, the islands are not part of the UK and healers should check whether local law applies in the same way as the laws applying to England that I am posting to this website.

The Law in Northern Ireland

The Act of Union of 1800 created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, resulting in the abolition of the Parliament of Ireland and the creation of a new single Parliament of the United Kingdom with legislative responsibility for Ireland. Following the separation of what is now the Republic Of Ireland from British rule, the Government of Ireland Act 1920 established the Northern Ireland Parliament as the legislative assembly for Ulster. The Northern Ireland Parliament at Stormont was suspended in 1972 in connection with the political difficulties there and the passing of legislation relating to Northern Ireland reverted back to Westminster. The Northern Ireland Act 1998 created the Northern Ireland Assembly which was given substantive powers to pass legislation for Northern Ireland. Westminster currently retains rights to pass legislation for Northern Ireland on certain matters. The legislation affecting healers in Northern Ireland, therefore, will be a mixture of Irish Law and UK Law. In terms of the way in which the law affects healers in Northern Ireland, they should check whether UK or local law applies in the same way as the laws applying to England that I am posting to this website.

The Law in the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man was purchased by the British Crown in 1765 and is a Crown Dependency. It is not part of the UK. The Queen holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Isle of Man has its own Parliament, the Tynwald, which can trace its roots back to the administrative arrangements established by the Norsemen when they settled there. The Tynwald has a two chamber Assembly and passes its own legislation. In terms of the way in which the law affects healers on the island, they should check whether local law applies in the same way as the laws applying to England that I am posting to this website

The Law in the Channel Islands

Jersey and Guernsey are Crown Dependencies and are not part of the UK. This status is a legacy from the time of William the Conqueror when England was invaded by the Norsemen of Normandy in France and when the islands were part of the Duchy of Normandy. Jersey and Guernsey have their own judicial systems. In terms of the way in which the law affects healers on the islands, they should check whether local law applies in the same way as the laws applying to England.

The Law in the Isles of Scilly

The Isles of Scilly are part of England and subject to either UK or English Law. The Council of the Isles of Scilly has the authority to consider the appropriateness of UK and English Law to the Islands. In terms of the way in which the law affects healers on the Islands, they should check any local variations to the laws applying to England.

European Union Law

The European Communities Act 1972 was passed prior to the UK joining what was then the European Economic Community, a forerunner of the present day European Union. This Act was passed to give European Law precedence over local law. The UK signed the Maastricht Treaty in 1992 which together with the ratification of the Amsterdam Treaty 1999 has resulted in a stronger law making process at the heart of the European Union in furtherance of its political agenda. Laws (or Regulations) passed by the European Union are binding in the UK but first have to be passed as legislation locally through the structure described above. Additionally, the EU may issue Directives which are not completed law but instructions to individual countries within the EU to legislate locally to achieve certain objectives in furtherance of the political agenda.

admin

Healing information about healing in New Zealand & Australia

I had the following information about healing in New Zealand & Australia from Bob & Jan Arnold, who help to run the National Federation of Spiritual Healers (NFSH) in New Zealand.

Natural healing (of all varieties) or "energy healing" is alive and well in NZ at the moment as we are still working under "common law" regulations in which all natural complimentary therapies/medicines can be offered to the public. The government is in the process of trying to organise "registration" for natural therapies/medicines and so this may change in the near future.

There is an umbrella organisation called The NZ Charter of Health Practitioners which represents many different Natural Health Modalities and the organisations who have become registered with this organisation (63 affiliates) - all have sorted out Standards of education and practice, codes of ethics, disciplinary measures, etc. in preparation for government regulation. Our own organisation, the NFSH (NZ) Inc. (National Federation of Spiritual Healers) is included in these. However, there are still many others (organisations and individual people) who are working on their own and who will find it very difficult to get legality when the legislation is changed.

The NZ Charter is, at the moment, in the process of helping to form an HTO (Health Training Organisation) to facilitate government recognition for these affiliates and other natural health modalities who come up to the required standards. This process is being blocked (by government) at this time. The natural health community work continues on this issue.

The major concern at the moment is the TGA (Trans Tasman Goods Act or Joint Agency treatyl) This involves NZ "harmonising", joining with Austsralia, Australia, in the form of two drug companies, controlling all natural remedies (herbs/medicines) sold in both countries. This is a continuation of the "Codex 2000" worldwide campaign to limit natural remedies being produced - inaugerated and supported by Drug companies. Part of the regulations include all remedies having to be tested for "safety" before being marketed - cost per remedy $25000NZ. This cannot be sustained by most natural health organisations and means NZ giving total authority to Australia for natural health care products - meaning "freedom of choice" re: what people want to take regarding their health being limited to what a couple of multi-conglomerate drug companies feel is needed in both countries. Loss of sovereignty for NZ is also an issue. The public, however, have marched in the streets against this treaty being voted into action and the government have shelved this bill saying "it will be looked at again at a more appropriate time" ...!!?? So, although it is O.K. at present, this can change any time. If this bill goes through, not only will the modalities that use herbal products be put out of business, the next step (and this has been stated by some in government) would be to ban all natural therapies from practicing unless they registered under the HPCA (Health Practitioners Competency Act) which is run by the medical profession.

What NZ wants is it's own regulation of it's own products. Moves (as stated) are being made to facilitate that and we do hope it happens in the near future.

We are not too conversant with what is happening in Australia at this time other than to say that they are already suffering under the Therapeutic Goods Act which was passed in their country a couple of years ago. It already is having an effect, many herbal preparations becoming unavailable to the public. Also it seems that the police have a right to "check" on healing places - like Spiritual Churches. We don't know if this is country-wide or only in some states, but it has been reported to us that police can attend church services and if they feel something "not right" (sorry, don't know exactly what they are looking for) they can close the church down.

The natural health community continues to fight for the right to promote natural therapies and allow people the freedom of choice in what they wish to do to maintain their health in both countries. We have a prayer request in place on our healing lists to ask that all lightworkers visualise the shops (worldwide) full of health products and that the leaders of countries see the benefit in having complimentary health therapies/medicines available alongside convential medicine - for all to use what they feel is the best way for their health and wellbeing.

admin · Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:57 pm Post subject: "New Era Medicine" in India

"New Era Medicine" in India

"New Era Medicine" Centre to be Established in India.

A new initiative is underway in India to establish several 'medical cities' in order to lower the poor ratio of hospital beds to population and to offer better and all round health care.

The tendency has been to import allopathic medicine and treatment from the West 'as is' into India, but now the aim of Dr Trehan and other eminent healthcare professionals is to incorporate the natural treatments and therapies available in India along with allopathic medicine, all under one roof.

Dr Naresh Trehan, who is a surgeon and also president of the Indian Healthcare Federation, is on course to establish the 'Medicity' in the Gurgoan region of India. His inspiration came from the Mayo Clinic in the U.S. which is the worlds most prestigious and largest medical cities, being a hospital, research and development centre and institution rolled into one.

Dr Trehan aims to provide homeopathy, Chinese medicine and Ayurveda along with modern medicine in what he calls "New Era Medicine."

By planning out research more effectively, healthcare in India could become a completely different and better experience for patients - cheaper, less traumatic and more effective.

"We don't have to copy everything that comes out of the West because their gene pool is different from ours," said Trehan, "We must develop our own therapies, our own R&D, our own devices, so that medicine can be custom made for Indians at lower costs."

Dr Trehan said about the new institution: "It is an institution of the calibre to train people from the level of a medical school right to the end… the highest level of medical education. But this needs to be done through the highest level of faculty, which is not only into practicing medicine but equally involved in teaching and research."

One person aptly compared the difference between a hospital and a medical city to that of a corner shop and a supermarket; everything is available at the supermarket.

admin

Alternative Health Products Get Government Support

One of the chief areas of concern for health care professionals and government bodies regarding the whole arena of alternative health medicines and therapies is the lack of recognised studies and trials of the available alternative treatments.

To get the ball rolling the Australian government is funding the establishment of the National Institute for Complementary Medicine (NICM) to the tune of $4 million.

With two out of every three Australians reportedly using some kind of alternative therapy or treatment the annual, spend amounts to about $1 billion. This is spent on things such as traditional Asian medicines, vitamins and homeopathic medicines.

Professor Marc Cohen who is president of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association works to increase the use of proven complimentary medicines within regular health care; he said that the founding of the new institute: "promises to provide research outcomes directly relevant to many National Health Priority areas, as well as increase Australia's capacity to contribute to the world's knowledge of many widely used medicines."

Professor Alan Bensoussan who worked hard to establish the NICM and is the interim director of the new institute said: "We have a large number of relatively strong but disconnected researchers across the country that compete for the small funding available. We need to identify national priorities in this area, where we think the opportunities exist, and to co-ordinate research."

Professor Bensoussan encouragingly added that "there are indigenous medicines available all around the world and what we need to do is look at some of the claims around these medicines, so we can see how they might be incorporated into conventional healthcare. For some of these medicines, the evidence will stack up, but for others it won't.''

He also revealed how public Chinese hospitals routinely treated many patients with serious illnesses such as kidney disease, cancers and liver disease by using a number of herbal medicines.
[/u]

admin

Legal Guidance - Infectious Diseases - 1988 Regulations

This Guidance Notice seeks to give information to healers in England on the legislation connected with the infectious diseases. This page should be read in connection with the posting to this website about the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. Please click here to go to the posting for that legislation.

The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988 are reproduced below under the terms of Crown Copyright Policy Guidance issued by HMSO (Her Majesty’s Stationery Office). Copyright is owned by the Crown and information on reproduction rights may be found on the HMSO website at

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/advice/cro...e/reproduction-of-legislation.htm .

Background

The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988 represent follow on legislation from Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.

The diseases covered specifically by The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988 are :

AIDS,
Acute Encephalitis,
Acute Poliomyelitis,
Anthrax, Diphtheria, ,
Dysentery (Amoebic or Bacillary),
Leprosy,
Leptospirosis,
Malaria,
Measles,
Meningitis,
Meningococcal Septicaemia (without Meningitis)
Mumps,
Opthalmia Neonatorum,
Paratyphoid Fever,
Plague,
Rabies,
Rubella,
Scarlet Fever,
Tetanus,
Tuberculosis,
Typhoid Fever,
Viral Haemorrahagic Fever,
Viral Hepatitis,
Whooping Cough,
Yellow Fever.

Some of the diseases listed have the potential to cause an epidemic if not isolated as soon as possible.

(Cholera, plague, relapsing fever, smallpox and typhus are defined as notifiable diseases by the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 which has sections relating to the prevention and notification of these diseases.)

If you read the legislation below, you will see that the main areas covered are the reporting of infectious diseases so that the appropriate medical officers know what is happening and the power in law for the appropriate medical officers to take action to deal with infectious diseases to prevent their spread.

It is likely that most energy healers will never come across anybody with some of the rarer diseases such as Scarlet Fever and Yellow Fever. However, the list of diseases covered by the legislation includes diseases that people in this country do suffer from such as Measles, Mumps, Meningitis, etc.. In addition, there is always the possibility here in London, and in West London in particular, where we have people of so many different nationalities living together that energy healers may be called to give help to somebody who has flown in from abroad to visit friends and relatives and who has got sick after landing in the country and who might be suffering from one of these diseases.

The best guidance for any energy healer who knows or thinks that they have been in contact with a person in circumstances covered by the legislation is to phone their local doctor immediately and to report what has happened. They should not visit the doctor’s surgery because they will cause problems there if they are carrying organisms that can cause infection. They should let the doctor know that the circumstances in which contact with the client was made was through Reiki sessions. The healer should cancel all healing appointments until either given the all clear to restart without any further actions by an appropriate medical professional or until the appropriate actions such as fumigation have been undertaken to ensure that the premises in which the Reiki sessions are given and any car that the healer has driven in are free of any organisms responsible for infections.

Reproduction of the legislation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1988 No. 1546

PUBLIC HEALTH, ENGLAND AND WALES
The Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988
Made
6th September 1988

Laid before Parliament
9th September 1988

Coming into force
1st October 1988

The Secretary of State for Health as respects England and the Secretary of State for Wales as respects Wales, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 13(1), (2) and (4) and 58(2) of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Regulations:—

Title and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988 and shall come into force on 1st October 1988.

Interpretation
2. (1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

"the Act" means the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984;

"appropriate District Health Authority" means the District Health Authority within which a district of a local authority or a port health district is wholly or partly situated;

"appropriate medical officer" means—

(a) in a case where the District Health Authority has appointed a Director of Public Health, the Director of Public Health, and

(b) in any other case, the registered medical practitioner designated by the District Health Authority for the purposes of these Regulations;

"District Health Authority" means a District Health Authority established under section 8(1) of the National Health Service Act 1977;

"certificate" means a certificate required by section 11 of the Act to be sent by a registered medical practitioner to a proper officer;

"Chief Medical Officer for England" means the Chief Medical Officer to the Department of Health;

"Chief Medical Officer for Wales" means the Chief Medical Officer to the Welsh Office;

"International Health Regulations" means the International Health Regulations (1969) as adopted by the World Health Assembly on 25th July 1969 and as amended by the 26th World Health Assembly in 1973 and by the 34th World Health Assembly in 1981;

"ophthalmia neonatorum" means a purulent discharge from the eyes of an infant, commencing within 21 days from the date of birth;

"port health authority" means a port health authority constituted by an ordermade, or having effect as if made, by the Secretary of State under section 2 of the Act, and includes the port health authority for the Port of London as constituted under section 7 of the Act;

"port health district" means the district of a port health authority;

"viral haemorrhagic fever" means Argentine haemorrhagic fever (Junin), Bolivian haemorrhagic fever (Machupo), Chikungunya haemorrhagic fever, Congo/Crimean haemorrhagic fever, Dengue fever, Ebola virus disease, haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (Hantaan), Kyasanur forest disease, Lassa fever, Marburg disease, Omsk haemorrhagic fever and Rift Valley disease.

(2) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

(a) any reference to a numbered regulation or Schedule is a reference to the regulation or Schedule bearing that number in these Regulations and any reference in a regulation to a numbered paragraph is to the paragraph of that regulation bearing that number; and

(b) any reference to the district or port health district of a proper officer means the district of the local authority or port health authority, as the case may be, of which he is the proper officer.

Public health enactments applied to certain diseases
3. There shall apply to the diseases listed in column (1) of Schedule 1 the enactments in the Act listed in column (2) of that Schedule with the modifications specified in column (2).

Modification of section 35 of the Act as it is applied to certain diseases
4. Where in Schedule 1 reference is made to section 35 of the Act as modified by this regulation, that section shall apply to the disease specified with the modification that in subsection (1)(a) the words

"or
(ii) though not suffering from such a disease, is carrying an organism that is capable of causing it," shall be omitted.

Modification of section 38 of the Act as it is applied to acquired immune deficiency syndrome
5. In its application to acquired immune deficiency syndrome section 38(1) of the Act shall apply so that a justice of the peace (acting if he deems it necessary ex parte) may on the application of any local authority make an order for the detention in hospital of an inmate of that hospital suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome, in addition to the circumstances specified in that section, if the justice is satisfied that on his leaving the hospital proper precautions to prevent the spread of that disease would not be taken by him—

(a) in his lodging or accommodation, or

(b) in other places to which he may be expected to go if not detained in the hospital.

Cases of infectious disease to be specially reported

6.—(1) In this regulation "a disease subject to the International Health Regulations" means cholera, including cholera due to the eltor vibrio, plague, smallpox, including variola minor (alastrim), and yellow fever.

(2) Without prejudice to paragraph (3), a proper officer shall, if his district or port health district is in England immediately inform the Chief Medical Officer for England, or, if his district or port health district is in Wales immediately inform the Chief Medical Officer for Wales of—

(a) any case or suspected case of a disease subject to the International Health Regulations and

(b) any serious outbreak of any disease (including food poisoning)

which to his knowledge has occurred in his district or port health district, and he shall similarly inform the appropriate medical officer of the appropriate District Health Authority.

(3) A proper officer who receives a certificate in respect of any case of—

(a) a disease subject to the International Health Regulations,

(b) leprosy,

(c) malaria or rabies contracted in Great Britain, or

(d) a viral haemorrhagic fever

shall immediately send a copy to the Chief Medical Officer for England if the address of the patient in the certificate is in England or to the Chief Medical Officer for Wales if such address is in Wales.

Form of certificate
7. The form set out in Schedule 2, or a form substantially to the like effect, shall be the form of certificate.

Weekly and quarterly returns
8.—(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (3), a proper officer shall, in respect of his district or port health district, send to the Registrar General by post every week in time to ensure its delivery on Monday, or the morning of Tuesday at the latest, a return, in such form as the Secretary of State may from time to time require, of the number of cases of each disease (including food poisoning and suspected food poisoning but excluding leprosy) notified to him during the week ended on the preceding Friday night; and the proper officer shall send a copy of the return to the appropriate medical officer of the appropriate District Health Authority.

(2) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (3), a proper officer shall send to the Registrar General by post every three months, not later than 21st January, 21st April, 21st July and 21st October in every year, a return, in such form as the Secretary of State may from time to time require, of the cases referred to in the preceding paragraph which have been notified to him during the preceding three months, showing separately the final number of cases after any correction of diagnosis subsequently made by the notifying registered medical practitioner or by the registered medical practitioner in charge of the patient; and the proper officer shall send a copy of the return to the appropriate medical officer of the appropriate District Health Authority.

(3) Where, pursuant to section 11(3) of the Act a copy of a certificate is sent by the proper officer of one district to the proper officer of another district, the case to which that certificate relates shall not be included in any return of the first-mentioned proper officer and shall be included in the returns of the last-mentioned proper officer.

Provisions for preventing the spread of certain diseases
9.—(1) The provisions of Schedule 3 shall have effect in relation to typhus and relapsing fever.

(2) The provisions of Schedule 4 shall have effect in relation to food poisoning and to typhoid, paratyphoid and other salmonella infections, amoebic and bacillary dysentery, and staphylococcal infections likely to cause food poisoning.

Immunisation and vaccination
10. Where a case of any notifiable disease or of any disease mentioned in Schedule 1 (other than tuberculosis) occurs in a district or port health district, the proper officer of that district or port health district and of any adjacent district or port health district may, if he considers it in the public interest, arrange for the vaccination or immunisation, without charge, of any person in his district or port health district who has come or may have come or may come in contact with the infection and is willing to be vaccinated or immunised.

Measures against infected rats
11. Where a local authority or port health authority have reason to believe that rats in their district or port health district are threatened by or infected with plague, or are dying in unusual numbers, they shall if the district or port health district is in England report the matter to the Chief Medical Officer for England or if such district is in Wales to the Chief Medical Officer for Wales and take measures for destroying all rats in the district or port health district and for preventing rats from gaining entry to buildings.

Confidentiality of documents
12. Any certificate, or copy, and any accompanying or related document, shall be sent in such a manner that its contents cannot be read during transmission; and the information contained therein shall not be divulged to any person except—

(a) so far as is necessary for compliance with the requirements of any enactment (including these Regulations), or

(b) for the purposes of such action as any proper officer considers reasonably necessary for preventing the spread of disease.

Enforcement and publication
13.—(1) These Regulations shall be enforced and executed—

(a) in the district of a local authority, by the local authority thereof; and

(b) in a port health district, by the port health authority thereof, so far as these Regulations are in terms applicable thereto.

(2) Every local authority shall send to any registered medical practitioner who after due enquiry is ascertained to be practising in their district—

(a) a copy of these Regulations and

(b) a copy of sections 10 and 11 of the Act.

Revocations
14. The regulations specified in column (1) of Schedule 5 are revoked to the extent specified in column (3) of that Schedule.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Health.

Edwina Currie

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health

6th September 1988

Peter Walker

Secretary of State for Wales

6th September 1988

admin

WE'RE TALKING: WASHINGTON IS LISTENING!

What do you think happens when you walk into a Senator's (or Representative's) office and say, "Our grassroots organization, the Natural Solutions Foundation, recently mobilized 588,000+ people to use the internet to try to tell the FDA to back off their assaults on natural medicine and 197,000+ of them actually got their message through to the FDA!" or "Our supporters have sent hundreds of thousands of emails to Congress protecting health freedom and urging action on bills that are important to us."?

What happens? Congress pays attention, very, very close attention.

For the last two days, our Legislative Consultant, Charlie Frohman and the Natural Solutions Foundation have been making the rounds of the long, long halls of Congressional office buildings. We are visiting the offices of the members of Congress on the FDA oversight committee and subcommittee.

Here's what we have been telling Congress:

1. Support Health Freedom

Representatives: Become a Co Sponsor of Ron Paul's Health Freedom Protection Act HR 2117.

Senators: Introduce Sister Legislation to HR 2117.

Click here (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=11754) or here (http://tinyurl.com/yvm8tr ) to keep the pressure up on your Members of Congress to support this legislation. And then click here (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=12189) or here (http://tinyurl.com/24mrn8 ) to send a fax to the FDA to tell them that their unreasonable and unlawful restriction of health information is totally unacceptable to you.

Don't forget, faxing is expensive. Please remember to make a generous tax deductible donation (http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?page_id=189) to cover the cost of communicating with the FDA when they have shut down all the easy routes of getting our comments to them before the public comment period ends on September 7, 2007! And if you've already made a donation to cover these costs, thank you!

A GAME OF [DEADLY] CHICKEN

The game, you see, is that the FDA pushes its deadly agenda through Codex (where it is the dominant dog and gets whatever it wants). Then, because the standard has been accepted by Codex, the FDA brings brings home these really bad regulatory strategies and introduces them here. So the FDA is using Codex to force worse and worse food standards on the US (and global) food supplies. That way, the FDA's intent to "HARMonize" with Codex is easily fulfilled, piece by piece.

If you haven't done so yet, please take a few minutes to visit the Natural Solutions Foundation website, www.HealthFreedomUSA.org and watch the Codex video there to see why this game is being played, and why the game is being played. You will want to share it with everyone else you know, I am sure.

HR 2117 must be supported because it protects consumers against the FDA's attempt to take away their constitutional right to know the truth about dietary supplements and food's relationship to health. In his speech introducing this bill, Dr. Paul said, "

"The FDA continues to frustrate consumers' efforts to learn how they can improve their health....FDA bureaucrats are so determined to frustrate consumers' access to truthful information that they are even evading their duty to comply with four Federal court decisions vindicating consumers' First Amendment rights to discover the health benefits of foods and dietary supplements....

FDA bureaucrats have even refused to abide by the DSHEA section allowing the public to have access to scientific articles and publications regarding the role of nutrients in protecting against diseases by claiming that every article concerning this topic is evidence of intent to sell a drug....

Because of the FDA's censorship of truthful health claims, millions of Americans may suffer with diseases and other health care problems they may have avoided by using dietary supplements. "

Click here to read Dr. Paul's whole May 2, 2007 speech when he introduced this urgently needed legislation (http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php/?p=408 )

2. Exercise real Congressional oversight over the FDA.

The FDA is out of control and the American people are its victims. Attacking natural medicine not only interferes with freedoms, it also means that we suffer and die from the use of dangerous phamaceuticals when simple, inexpensive, safe and effective nutrients and herbs could prevent and treat diseases. Our health costs are the highest in the world but our health is the worst among the industrialized nations. The FDA routinely uses legal and physical force to threaten, intimidate and destroy manufacturers and health practices which do not support the FDA's drug habit. Congress needs to hold hearings to investigate abuses of power routinely used by the FDA. Click here to read our Congressional One Pager:
http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php/?p=409

For a Great Handout download this PDF version, print many copies and handout to your friends!

http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/docs/OnePagerAug07.pdf

3. Separate food and drug regulation since the FDA cannot do both jobs.

Congress needs to divest the FDA of its food regulatory responsibilities and let the FDA continue to regulate drugs and drugs only.

Congress made a deadly mistake when it created a single agency to regulate both food and drugs in 1938. The impact of clean, unadulterated food on health is to help keep people healthy. That lowers drug use which, in turn, lowers drug profits. So the rich - and very powerful - pharmaceutical industry would like nothing better than a degraded food supply to make sure that as many people as possible suffer from the chronic diseases of under nutrition: cancers, cardiovascular disease and stroke, diabetes and obesity.

Since the FDA is dependent on Pharmaceutical "Users Fees" for a good part of its operating budget, and since the people who make decisions about drugs for the FDA are up to their eye bones in financial and professional conflicts of interest (which the FDA justifies as a "fact of life"), the FDA is run for the benefit of the drug companies and their sister multinational corporations, the chemical and Biotech industries. The result? The clean, unadulterated food which the FDA should be protecting is degraded by FDA regulation to serve its Big Pharma corporate clients.

Click here (http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/8/prweb504346.htm) to read the Natural Solutions Foundation press release detailing our educational efforts this week with Congress. And then click here (http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/docs/CongresionalBriefing82807.pdf) or here (http://tinyurl.com/353t5y ) to read our full Congressional Briefing document.

USE IT, YOUR WAY!

The documents in this email are available for you to use to share with your legislators when you visit them in their offices, with your local health food stores and supplement manufacturers, your local (or national) radio hosts and newspaper editors. Share this information. No one else is putting it out so each of us needs to be an information point source. Get others involved and activated. We WILL win this battle, but only if we fight it!

The Constitution of the United States says that you have natural rights which no one, and by extension, no agency, can take away from you. Help us claim those rights!

Yours in health and freedom,

Dr. Rima

Rima R. Laibow, MD
Medical Director
Natural Solutions Foundation
www.HealthFreedomUSA.org

Fax your comments at http://tinyurl.com/24mrn8

or

http://salsa.democ
racyinaction.org/
o/568/campaign.jsp?
campaign_KEY=12189

Support H. R. 2117 at http://tinyurl.com/yvm8tr
or
http://salsa.democrac
yinaction.org/
o/568/campaign.jsp?
campaign_KEY=11754

or

http://tinyurl.com/sw9xf

admin

World's major diseases can be conquered - by UK's Prime Minister Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown has called on the international community to join together and help eradicate the world's major diseases.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference on the launch of the International Health Partnership, Mr Brown said that the world's leading nations now had the "science and technology" and the "moral obligation" to wipe out diseases such as measles, diptheria, tuberculosis and pneumonia. The IHP, formally launched today, will seek to accelerate progress on the health Millennium Development Goals.

By pressing ahead with the health MDGs, the PM said he hoped that the "emergency of today" could be turned into the "achievement of 2015".

He said:

"There is no greater cause than that every man, woman and child in the world should be able to benefit from the best medicine and healthcare. And our vision today is that we can triumph over ancient scourges and for the first time in history conquer polio, TB, measles and then with further advances and initiatives, go on to address pneumococcal pneumonia, malaria and eventually HIV/ AIDS.

"Today we come together - donor governments, health agencies and developing countries - with the certainty that we have the knowledge and the power to save millions of lives through our efforts."

The PM was joined at the launch by representatives from key agencies and donor nations, including Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and French Development Minister Jean-Marie Bockel.

Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organisation, said that the Millennium Development Goals represented the "most ambitious commitments" and the "most important interventions" of the international community.

admin

New laws to govern alternative medicine

Nigel Hawkes, Health Editor

Aromatherapy, homoeopathy and other popular complementary therapies are to be regulated for the first time under a government-backed scheme to be established this year.

The new Natural Healthcare Council – which is being backed by the Prince of Wales – will be able to strike off errant or incompetent practitioners. It will also set minimum standards for practitioners to ensure that therapists are properly qualified.

Patients will be able to complain to the council about practitioners and the new body will be modelled on the General Medical Council and other similar statutory bodies.

Millions of Britons currently spend £130 million a year on complementary treatments and it is estimated that this will reach £200 million over the next four years. Among the practices to be covered by the scheme would be aromatherapy, reflexology, massage, nutrition, shiatzu, reiki, naturopathy, yoga, homoeopathy, cranial osteopathy and the Alexander and Bowen techniques.

Related Links

Alternative treatments may have their place

Research also shows that more than two thirds (68 per cent) of people in the UK believe that complementary medicine is as valid as conventional treatment.

However, there have been long-standing concerns over its regulation. At present anyone can set themselves up as an acupuncturist, homoeopath, herbalist, or other complementary therapist. However, a poll for The

Times found that three quarters of people assumed that anyone practising complementary therapy is trained and registered by a professional body.

Although the scheme will initially be voluntary, it is hoped that all practitioners will be forced to join or lose business as the public will use the register as a guarantee of quality. The council will register only practitioners who are safe, have completed a recognised course, are insured and have signed up to codes of conduct.

Both alternative and complementary approaches to medicine — when a therapy is used as an alternative to conventional medicine and when it is used in conjunction with it — will be covered by the new regulator, although treatment without consideration of mainstream medicine is likely to come under greater scrutiny.

A number of high-profile cases in which therapists have assaulted clients have reached the courts in recent years. In 2000, a man claiming to be an aromatherapist was spared a jail sentence after being convicted of indecently assaulting a woman who came to him to treatment. An osteopath from Ipswich was jailed last February for seven and a half years after a series of sexual assaults.

But as the law stands, there is nothing to prevent such people setting up in practice again. By checking that they remain registered with the new council, patients will gain reassurance.

Only mainstream alternative therapies such as traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture are to be the subject of statutory regulation. Osteopathy and chiropractic are already covered by such legislation.

The council, whose formation has been driven by the Prince of Wales’s Foundation for Integrated Health, will consist of lay people appointed through an independent process, with a clear division between it and the professional bodies representing the therapies that it will cover.

The work of setting up the council, which is likely to be finished by the spring, led by Dame Joan Higgins, has been funded by the Department of Health and it will follow the best-practice model set out by the department in its white paper on regulation, Trust, Assurance and Safety.

Ian Cambray-Smith, of the foundation, said: “Although it is a voluntary scheme, we believe that in dealing with misconduct by therapists it will be almost as robust as statutory regulation, and as tough as we can make it. Suspension from the register will be the ultimate sanction.

“It will be good for practitioners, good for patients, and even good for the NHS. If there is a complaint, the council will convene a board of lay people, plus two practitioners, to review the case. If it is proven, a second board will determine what disciplinary procedures to take.”

The NHS spends £50 million a year on complementary therapies that will be covered by the new council.

The council - eight people plus a chairman — will be financed by registration fees from practitioners and will have a permanent staff, who are in the process of being recruited.

admin

Information about Alternative Healing in Brazil

I had the following information from a member in Brazil;

Brazil has about two more Reiki Associations and Reiki was recognized as a profession in January 2007 by the Brazilian Government. It is growing more and more. Now, many hospitals are accepting Reiki and Reiki Therapists are free to work. Reiki is now called Energetic Therapy. All Reiki Masters associated (member of a Reiki Association) can apply legal paper to open an office or Reiki Clinic.

Brazil also legalized in January 2007 Acupunture (even though the medical doctors are not happy because many of them think that only doctors can learn acupunture), Fitotherapy, Flower Essence Therapy (Bach Flower Essence is very popular in Brazil, and now Brazil has about 14 Flower Essences Systems). The Brazilian population likes "alternative" therapies and that is why the government could not hold the legalization longer. The legalization has change many things and now it is quite dificult for one that does not work seriously can keep its office longer.

admin

Information about Alternative Healing in South Africa

A member sent me some information about Alternative Healing in South Africa

You asked about healing in SA.

Well, certain things here are the same as most places. As Big Pharma (BP) and Big Medical (BM) loosing more and more money once people realize that they are not only being duped by them, but also being poisoned by them, the Poisonous Twins (BP and BM) try every dirty trick in the book to cause damage to their adversaries, i.e. natural healing, in fact anything which can be called natural.

To give you an idea, we called our craft “natural” healing, and ourselves “natural” health practitioners before. Then, we were forbidden by some unexplained new law to use the word “natural”. So now, we have to use the description “ethno-medicine practitioners”. We are actually quite happy to do that, by-the-way, I’ll explain later why.

But why did this happen? It is very simple. The word “natural” holds an image, what most people more and more identify with in their choices to buy products, including medical drugs. The word “natural” became a sorts of “brand” with a value, in other words, a money spinner. And of course, this is the word what BP and BM so obviously can never use on any of their own products! So one way or another behind the curtains, we think also through corruption (but it is difficult to prove it), they convinced the government to sneak this law through, so we are now banned to use this magic word.

However! SA is a country with very deep African traditional culture, where over 85% of the population use traditional (meaning: natural) healers, Sangomas (shamans) and Inyangas (medicinemen, herbalists). I am personally proud to be also one of those. African traditional healing is thousands of years old, and more often than not, its efficiency outperforms many, if not most orthodox medicines and treatments. I have seen people being healed from HIV/AIDS, cancers and other “fatal” illnesses many times, when those same people have been sent home from hospitals to die, after the doctors stated that they cannot do anything further for them. In all humbleness, I have such ex-patients myself. And as an insult to injury, it is illegal for me to say so!!! In fact medical science insists, that there is no effective medicine for HIV/AIDS, cancer and many other illnesses. I beg to differ. I have them standing on my shelf.

So, we “ethno-medicine practitioners” are deeply connected with African traditional healers, therefore the word “ethno” is perfectly fitting. The government is being pushed by BP and BM very forcefully and underhandedly to clamp down on natural/ethno-medicine with any excuse they can find. But the government cannot go against such an overwhelming percentage of the population. At least not excessively. This is why we in SA enjoy relatively more safety from the attacks of BP and BM compared with countries in Europe and in the US. Codex Alimentarius??? Not in SA!

What’s more, we also reject the label “alternative” medicine. If anything is “alternative”, that would be medical science! We use knowledge collected by many through millennia! So, who are the new boys around the block???

Consecutively, we still have more freedom to practice compared with say, Europe. However new laws are being manufactured by the government to “regulate” us. Isn’t it funny that the people who make the laws and regulations about something, are people who know the least about the subject they want to regulate???

But we are also doing many things to ascertain ourselves. We are setting up associations of healers, where we effectively run intensive and internationally recognized courses in anatomy, hypnosis, psychology, metaphysics and other subjects. We want to ensure, that there is a high standard of knowledge exists within these associations. In fact, our association has already been asked by governmental bodies for advice regarding those new laws. There is a hint of acceptance there, so in truth, it is not the government which is “anti”, but they are subject to intense pressure from BP and BM. And that lot has power, money and experience in corruption and cloak and dagger style activities.

So this is a brief overlook of the South African situation. It is my personal view, but I do not think that I am very far off the mark. I hope it will help a little with your information gathering from around the world. You had a wonderful idea there!

Pat · Joined: 14 Jun 2006 Posts: 181 Location: CENLA ,La.

For more information on Codex, see

[url]
http://www.supplementquality.com/links/codex.html

I have heard through the grapevine that this Codex should
start sometime soon in the US and the only store that will carry
natural and up to par merchandise will be GNC.
Please note.. that is not a plugin for the store..
I just found it sort of strange.[/url]

_________________
Many Blessings,
~Pat~

Time and a purpose for everything...
Everything is connected!