• CAM-summaries
• CAM systematic reviews
• CAM and the law
  • Introduction
    • Preface
    • Report summary
    • Use of CAM
    • Why regulate?
    • Recommendations by WHO and EU
    • Relation to earlier publications
    • Methods and materials
  • Legal overview
  • Regulation of medical practise
  • Regulation of herbal products
  • Legal regulation
• Prevalence of CAM use

Use of CAM

Patients and health personnel show a growing interest in exploring complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) (ref 1). The use of CAM in the European countries, where data is available, shows that 20% to 70% of the population has experienced CAM at some point during their lifetime (ref 2). The exact frequency of the use of these methods by cancer patients is difficult to evaluate due to the heterogeneity of approaches and variety of methods, with some being used as complementary treatments to conventional ones and others as curative treatment (ref 3). The most commonly used CAM therapies in Europe are homeopathy, phytotherapy, anthroposophic medicine, naturopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (including acupuncture), osteopathy and chiropractics (ref 4). The popularity of the individual therapies, however, differs widely between countries.

CAM is primarily provided by physicians in Middle and Southern Europe, while in Northern Europe treatment providers outside of the established health service constitute the core CAM providers. In some countries the practise of CAM outside of regulated health care is illegal and violations are considered an offence (Middle and Southern Europe). In other countries (Northern Europe) anybody may provide CAM within the limits set out by the monopolisation to established health care of some medical procedures and treatment of certain diseases.

The use of herbal products constitutes a substantial part of the increase in CAM use, and the international trade in this market is growing. Countries face major challenges in the development and implementation of the regulation of herbal products (ref 5). These challenges are related to regulatory status, assessment of safety and efficacy, quality control, safety monitoring and lack of knowledge about CAM within national drug regulatory authorities (ref 6).

References

1. National policy on traditional medicine and regulation of herbal medicines: Report of a WHO global survey. Geneva: World Health Organisation, May 2005.

2. Johannessen H. Alternativ behandling i Europa. Århus: Viden- og forskningscenter for alternativ medisin. Mars 1995, revised Mai 2001.

3. Schraub S. Unproven methods in cancer: a worldwide problem. Support Care Cancer 2000; 8: 10-15.

4. WHO global atlas of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine. Kobe, Japan: World Health Organisation, the WHO Centre of Health Development, 2005.

5. National policy on traditional medicine and regulation of herbal medicines: Report of a WHO global survey. Geneva: World Health Organisation, May 2005.

6. Ibid