Regulation in complementary and alternative medicine

摘要

Practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine in the United Kingdom are free to practice as they wish.rnMost therapies have set up professional bodies, but the educational standards required by these bodies vary widely.rnThe House of Lords recently reviewed complementary and alternative medicine and recommended clearer regulation.rnBecause of the wide variation in therapies, each discipline should initially set up its own regulatory body, although it may be possible to combine these later.rnMany patients consult complementary practitioners without telling their doctor, with possible detrimental effects on health care; greater cooperation and respect between orthodox and complementary practitioners would improve communication with patients.