complimentary medicines

Question 1

Examples of CAM

Answer 1

• Herbal medicine - real active ingredients
• Homeopathy
• Acupuncture
• mediation
• yoga
• hypnosis
• aromatherapy
• Chinese medicine

Question 2

What is CAM

Answer 2

a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine,”

Question 3

some concerns for using CAM

Answer 3

• Adverse Effects / Herb-Drug Interactions
• Implausibility of most therapies
• Evidence of harm
• Unqualified practitioners / Missed diagnoses

Question 4

Why do people use CAM? (4)

Answer 4

• Desire to have personal control over their own health.
• Dissatisfied with conventional treatment
• Perception that conventional medicine lacks/disregards an holistic approach.
• Concerns about the side effects of prescribed medications
• Think its safe and harmless
• may be a lack of mainstream treatments for them
• family and relatives

Question 5

Why Do Healthcare Professionals Recommend CAM?

Answer 5

• Patient demand
• Placebo effect
• “Feel good” factor in terminal illness, distressing hospital experiences

Question 6

Two thirds of women use CAM during ?

Answer 6

first trimester of pregnancy and last trimester.

- herbal products most common

Question 7

why does CAM use matter (3)

Answer 7

No safety or efficacy data
Teratogenesis
Fetogenesis

Question 8

Homeopathy - safety - negatives

Answer 8

• Missed Diagnosis
• Inappropriate treatment
• Adulteration

Question 9

UK regulation of CAM - homeopathy

Answer 9

Homeopathy can be registered under Simplified Scheme 1992 or National Rules Scheme 2006.

Question 10

UK Regulation of CAM - herbals

Answer 10

New EuropeanTraditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD) 2011.
- need a traditional use registration

Question 11

What Do Doctors Need To Know?

Answer 11

• Be aware of what is available via complementary practitioners, on-line and over the counter.
• Ask patients about CAM use, as may not disclose.
• Be aware of the potential for significant harm to patients.
• Be aware of the changing fashion in CAM use
• How to evaluate evidence of safety and efficacy.
  Appropriate use in the NHS.

Question 12

what are magic believers

Answer 12

People who believe that alternative medicine works in way that science cannot possibly comprehend

Question 13

what are pseudoscience believers

Answer 13

People who believe that alternative medicine can be explained by untested or untestable theories

Question 14

what are anecdotal believers

Answer 14

People who believe in alternative medicine because they have seen or experienced it’s positive effects - seeing is believing