Report urges regulation of complementary medicine

HERBALISTS, acupuncturists and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners should be legally bound to register with a professional body or face prosecution, an expert group has recommended.

However, all other complementary therapists, where treatment of the patient is non-invasive, should be allowed self-regulate, according to the recommendations of the report of the National Working Group on the Regulation of Complementary Therapists.

The report, launched yesterday by Health Minister Mary Harney, was expedited at her request last year following the inquest into the death of Mayo man Paul Howie, who died of suffocation caused by a cancerous tumour in his throat. Howie’s widow, Michelle, told the inquest that a natural health therapist, Mineke Kamper, had repeatedly told them that if Paul got other treatment, he would die.

The fallout from the inquest highlighted the lack of regulation of complementary therapy and the varying levels of qualifications and clinical experience of practitioners.

Yesterday, a member of the expert working group, Phil O’Flynn, said the report was “groundbreaking” because it recognised the willingness of the Department of Health to deal with the sector.

“It shows the minister recognises the role complementary therapy can play in integrated medicine and we are confident she will follow through on the recommendations of the report,” she said.

The recommendations include:

The setting up of a working group to drive forward statutory regulation of herbalists/acupuncturists/traditional Chinese medicine practitioners.

For all other therapies, the development of a robust system of voluntary self-regulation.

Facilitated work-days for various therapy organisations to encourage federation into one representative organisation for that therapy. This should be followed by harmonisation of education standards.

Age 18 to be the minimum age for entry to a complementary therapy course.

The setting up of a forum for dialogue between the complementary and conventional medical sectors.

The establishment of a working group to drive forward the development of a Complementary Therapies Council which would oversee issues in the area.

The authors of the report conclude that implementation of its recommendations “should lead to a point where the sad cases which make the headlines — of rogue practitioners incorrectly described as complementary therapists — will be a rarity and the consumer will no more go to an unqualified, unregistered and unmonitored practitioner than they would to a barber to get their teeth pulled”.

Ms Harney said initially, her department intends to support voluntary self regulation within the sector.

She will also shortly transpose into domestic law an EU directive on herbal medicinal products. The directive will require manufacturers to satisfy the Irish Medicines Board that products meet quality standards.

Ms Harney also launched an information leaflet — Complementary Therapy? An Information Guide for the Public — which will be circulated to GPs and is available free of charge from Lo Call 1890 200311.