Towards Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use In Australia

Co-author of the article, Dr Alan Bensoussan, Director of the Centre for Complementary Medicine Research at the University of Western Sydney, said widespread use of CAM, as well as its media promotion, make this a vital public health issue, and the Australian government has a social and ethical obligation to respond by developing a research infrastructure.

"About half the Australian population use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), with an estimated $2.3 billion being spent on CAM in 2000; this was nearly four times the public contribution made to all pharmaceuticals," Dr Bensoussan said.

"We propose a funding model that neither draws directly from the CAM industry nor from current health research budgets, yet would strengthen Australia's international role in CAM research. Establishing and applying focused research methods in CAM is imperative for strengthening its evidence base and creating fresh options for safe and effective patient care.

"Evidence is mounting in support of the use of various CAM modalities to treat a wide variety of disorders.  For example, the Chinese herbal remedy Artemisa annua has been found effective against resistant malaria.

"The demonstrated potential of CAM in managing chronic illness, in preventive care (CAM includes self-care and is associated with taking more responsibility for one's own health), as well as in aged care, all represent vital national research priorities.

"Yet only $850,000 of about $1 billion of National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) research funding has been allocated to CAM research in total in Australia since 2001.

"Australian CAM research needs to be established over a limited 5-10 year period through a mechanism of setting aside funds or seed funding.

"The equivalent of five per cent of GST raised from the CAM industry should go to CAM research (so that the profession and its clients pay for their own research). These funds should be managed through the NHMRC, which, with CAM experts, will develop infrastructure and evaluate priorities and projects.

"Funding agencies should support appropriately trained CAM researchers to act as referees and members of selection panels, thus creating equity, and encouraging strong collaborations between CAM clinicians and medical researchers," Dr Bensoussan said.

The article looks at overseas models for funding CAM research and warns Australia must not be left behind.

"It is incumbent on us to resolve this vital public health issue, and we clearly cannot do this in a largely research-free zone with no research infrastructure," Dr Bensoussan said.

The Medical Journal of Australia is a publication of the Australian Medical Association.

CONTACT      Dr Alan BENSOUSSAN, 0404 055 292, available until Saturday 5.00pm

                        Judith TOKLEY, AMA Public Affairs,             0408 824 306 / 02 6270 5471