Naturopathy & Regulation

Natural Therapy - Naturopathy & Regulation

Complementary Therapies - Holistic Health Care

At present, the Natural Therapy System is mainly self-regulated.

NOTE: Possible regulation can be achieved with co-regulation and for modalities with a possible risk to the public, stat. registration may be appropriate. See here

All Natural Therapies are bound to the Code of Ethics and Scope of Practice for "Unregistered Health Practitioner)

Article by: Dieter L. Editor of useNature

Natural Therapy, also known as "CAM" Complementary Alternative Medicine, has been the"Traditional Health Care Provider"for as long as humans existed.

Hippocrates, the founder of medicine:

Hippocratic medicine was humble and passive. The therapeutic approach was based on "the healing power of nature" ("vis medicatrix naturae" in Latin). According to this doctrine, the body contains within itself the power to re-balance the four humours and heal itself.

Basically, that's what Naturopathy or Natural Therapies are still practicing today, by providing prevention and supporting Health.

Unfortunately, there are some misguided, organised groups, often called "Skeptics" which are completely opposed to Natural Therapies, purposefully misrepresenting the aims and treatment scope of Natural Therapists.

Their basic claim is; natural therapies have no validity and no scientific evidence, and that there is NO evidence that Naturopaths offer a service, which is not already offered within the Conventional Medical Health System, and they are attracting media and government attention by those false, misleading, biased and generalized statements.

First I like to address so called "Scientific Evidence":

The medical and complementary medicine systems work in "Opposite Direction", therefore one can Not use medical based evidence to validate natural therapies. Cherry picking evidence is obvious, therefore evidence by itself can become meaningless.

NOTE: One has to consider, how studies are conducted and who paid for it.

The holistic approach to medicine, aiming to support a body to heal itself, is directly opposite to the medical approach of "fighting" a disease.

The Medical System needs much stricter control and evidence, because it treats with drug therapy or surgical intervention, and faces more patient safety issues.

NOTE: There has been no evidence of a patient dying from an overdose of nutrition, vitamins, herbal tea or meditation. - And just in case there is one, it most likely was self-prescribed or suggested by a novice.

There should be no competition between the medical & complementary systems:

1. The medical system is vital for public health, but it needs to improve the questionable amount of drug induced side-effects.
   Medical evidence is validated mostly by double blind testing.

2. The complementary system, has to have clear self-imposed guidelines of how to practice to eliminate misrepresentation.
   The system is complementary in nature, and therefore, the aim of the treatment is in supporting patients health with natural means and lifestyle modification.
   Evidence is provided and validated for nutritional and botanical substances.
   *However, evidence for lifestyle, diets, stress control, mental attitude and brain plasticity is not suitable, as each treatment protocol attributes only to one patient.

How can Natural Therapy be incorporated into the General Health System?

1. Natural Therapists, Associations and Colleges need to streamline their guidelines.

2. Natural Therapy Scope of Practice Guidelines needs to that of the Government's "Code of Ethics for unregistered practitioners".

3. The Government's "Code of Ethics for unregistered practitioners needs to be adhered to, it must be assured that there are NO "obvious reasons" for complains.

4. Biased, corrupt, or conflict of interest influences on Government Bodies and Regulation needs to be investigated.
   Note: *Medical trained individuals are possibly likely to be biased against Natural Medicine.

There is an urgent need for the Natural Therapy Industry to improve and strengthen their own Regulation Policies.

It will be helpful to look at the complaints against Natural Therapy, some are very valid, and need to be responded to "responsibly".

Complaints against Natural Therapies :

1. Unrealistic Therapy and Treatment claims...
   It does not matter if treatment claims come from qualified practitioners or not, the impact is directed toward all of the Natural Therapy Industry.
   However, if strict guidelines exists, than Naturopaths can show documented evidence that undue claims are NOT from qualified naturopathic practitioners.
   Most complaints are due to Natural Therapists making therapeutic claims which can not be validated.
   

2. Skeptics claim: there is NO evidence that Naturopaths offer services, which are not already offered within the Conventional Medical Health System.
   NOTE: This is a very interesting argument. It is based upon the "assumption" that apparently health can not be improved.
   With other words, the Conventional Medical System, claims that if no treatable disease can be diagnose, the patient is "healthy".
   This is contrary to what the "WHO" states: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
   The complementary medicine system works on the principle; if a body is under any stress, the requirements of specific nutrients are increased. This is not being to confused with the daily nutritional requirements, which statistically are just enough nutrients to survive.

3. Skeptics claim: there are No Nutritional Deficiency in the general public.
   As above in claim 2, Skeptics try to establish that Naturopaths or Nutritional Supplements are not needed.
   NOTE: To the contrary, there are large groups of the public with mild to severe malnutrition. Malnutrition depicts not only nutrition as in carbohydrate or protein, it is much more specific, as in single or multi vitamin &. mineral deficiency.
   Nutrient deficiency in the elderly. [1]

Valid Critic of Natural Therapies that need to be corrected.

1. Highly variable standards of training, a myriad of professional associations, and a general failure of current systems of self-regulation to protect public health and safety. [sm1]

2. Ineffective treatments, often self-administered or recommended by unqualified persons (such as vitamin consultants in pharmacies), may unfairly tarnish complementary medicine.

3. Practiced by people who have simply done a weekend workshop with a multi-level marketing company selling vitamin and herbal formulae, calling themselves Naturopaths. [sm2]

4. No unifying standards, confusion of treatment modality titles..

What, and what not .. Natural Therapists practice:

It must be noted, that the natural principle of Natural Therapy is, "the body, given it's right circumstances, will heal itself", therefore, Natural Therapists do NOT HEAL ANYTHING. - Natural Therapists do provide education and natural means to holistically "Support" a body system to prevent, or keep or regain complete Health, in effect " Healing itself".

Two - 2 - distinct ways of understanding Natural Therapies

1. Philosophy: The Tradition and History of Natural Therapy as expressed in it's "PHiLOSOPHY". The philosophy is based on tradition, not on scientific evidence, that's why it is called Philosophy".
   We honour our history and urge everyone to do the same.- See Revisiting Medical History

2. Medical Science and Evidence of Natural Therapy - In our modern times, Natural Therapists, rely on scientific evidence for their "supporting therapeutic tools". Evidence for: Nutrients - Pro-biotic's - Herbal compounds - Supplements are TGA registered and effects validated by scientific papers.
   

And finally ... if Natural Therapy divisions can't find common ground, we are not only failing our self, we are failing the public.

Article by: Dieter L. Editor of useNature

References:

1. Vitamin B status and response to replacement therapy - Vitamin deficiency is common - 15 out of 16 people had a deficiency.

Study Material:

1. An overview of the regulation of complementary medicines in Australia
2. EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE REBATES FOR NATUROPATHY 
3. Competency Standards for Naturopathic Practitioners