Alternative Medicines Survey Not So Complimentary
One in four Australians are risking their health by not telling their doctor they are taking alternative medicines, an industry that turns over nearly $2 billion on unproven therapies, a new study published in the Medical Journal of Australia has found.
The new survey results revealed that more than half of the Australian population is taking alternative medicines - mainly vitamins and herbal remedies - but remain largely unaware of the potential risks involved with their use. One third of adults are prepared to give alternative therapies to their children and an alarming percentage of pregnant women take these untested medicines. Most people are unaware of the effects of alternative medicines, instead claiming they are motivated to use them because of a desire to 'increase general health'.
This has prompted calls by a Government-appointed committee for more regular testing and monitoring of alternative medicines and therapies.
The survey on complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) revealed the disturbing results, and has identified a 'typical' user of alternative medicines - an educated woman aged between 25 and 44, who is living in a metropolitan area and earning a high income.
The survey data was collected in March and April 2004 across South Australia, and the results from more than 3000 participants gives governments and health authorities - as well as interested marketers - an accurate breakdown of alternative medicines and therapies use in Australia.
Nearly 40 per cent of all Australians are taking self-prescribed vitamins, more than 20 per cent are taking herbal medicines, and 13.6 per cent of people take mineral supplements. Interestingly, 11.2 per cent of people use Aromatherapy.
A chiropractor was the CAM therapist most likely to be seen by an Australian (16.7 per cent of Australians undertaking treatment), while Naturopaths (5.7 per cent) and Acupuncturists (2.1 per cent) were the next most likely to be visited.
The survey - a combined effort between the University of Adelaide, Southern Cross University and the South Australian Department of Health - also shows that users of CAMs are mistakenly thinking that their alternative medicines and therapies are independently tested for safety by bodies such as the Therapeutical Goods Administration (TGA), when it is not the case. People are often using CAMs without their doctor's knowledge.
When asked if they had used any CAMs over the past year, 52.2 per cent of all people said 'yes'. But, 53.2 per cent of those people said they did not tell their doctor about it - meaning around a quarter of the entire population is mixing alternative medicines with conventional ones and their doctor doesn't know!
Most survey participants felt unconcerned about this, because of the widely held belief that CAMs were safe, tested and had no serious side effects or consequences.
However, overseas and domestic experience has shown that alternative medication is more likely to suffer problems such as contamination and inappropriate labelling, than conventional medication.
Survey researchers say that this finding is the "critical issue that needs to be addressed" so that the alternative medicines use falls in line with the Federal Government's National Strategy for Quality Use of Medicines.
The Government's Expert Committee on Complementary Medicines in the Australian Health System, established after the 2003 Pan Pharmaceuticals Crisis, has recommended that the number of random and targeted assessments of the indications and claims held by sponsors of CAMs be increased.
Researchers said that it was important doctors and the medical profession be aware of the high usage rate for CAMs and the often erroneous views held by patients about the products.
"Doctors need to directly ask about the use of CAMs in a non-judgemental manner to better ascertain the risks of drug interactions and potential side effects from CAMs", researcher Professor Alastair MacLennan said.
"Open and honest questioning, and frank answers, are the only way of ensuring that medical practitioners can factor the effect of CAMs into their assessments, and the best method of educating the public about the effects and risks of alternative and complementary medicines."
The survey results, testing methods and full breakdown of data is available in the 2 January edition of the Medical Journal of Australia pp27-31.
Professor Stephen Myers from the Australian Centre for Complementary Medicine Education and Research at Lismore's Southern Cross University, and Asociate Professor Anne Taylor from the Populations and Research Outcomes Unit, South Australian Department of Health, co-authored the paper.
The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.
CONTACT Professor Alastair MacLennan
(08) 8161 7000 (request pager) / (08) 8555 1747 (from Christmas eve)
Judith TOKLEY, AMA Public Affairs, 0408 824 306 / 02 6270 5471