• CAM-summaries
• CAM systematic reviews
• CAM and the law
  • Introduction
  • Legal overview
  • Regulation of medical practise
  • Regulation of herbal products
  • Legal regulation
    • Austria
    • Belgium
    • Cyprus
    • Czech Republic
    • Denmark
    • Estonia
    • Finland
    • France
    • Germany
    • Greece
    • Hungary
    • Iceland
    • Ireland
    • Italy
    • Latvia
    • Liechtenstein
    • Lithuania
    • Luxembourg
    • Malta
    • The Netherlands
    • Norway
    • Poland
    • Portugal
    • Slovakia
    • Slovenia
    • Spain
    • Sweden
    • Switzerland
    • United Kingdom
• Prevalence of CAM use

Hungary

Summary (ref 1)

In Hungary treatment is restricted to legally regulated personnel (health personnel and licensed "Nature doctors"). CAM is regulated.

Professionals and non-professionals

Legally regulated personnel

The final report of the European Commission sponsored COST project on Unconventional Medicine is describing the legal regulation in Hungary as follows:

• Government Decree No 40/1997 "Korm. on the Practise of Alternative Medicine" (ref 2), recognises CAM as an alternative approach to health and illness. According to this legislation CAM has become a legitimate part of the health care system complementing scientifically based medical practise. Physicians must be certified in therapies of CAM to offer treatment. Health personnel without higher academic qualifications and other providers must, in addition to being certified in CAM therapies, document knowledge of health communications and health duties. Health duties may be requirements of responsible professional conduct, confidentiality, documentation and ethical rules. The non-health provider has in addition to pass a health-exam in order to practise. Following a successful examination, providers of CAM can be given a license to practise. There are three categories of authorised medical practitioners, physicians, practitioners with a non-academic higher health qualification and other practitioners. The term "Natural doctors" refers to authorised practitioners from all three categories. The Public Health Service is in charge of licensing in the same manner as for ordinary health personnel (ref 3).

In fall 2005 a new law will be established, regulating only two groups of CAM practitioners, physicians with CAM license and Natural Medicine Professionals. Physiotherapists will be licensed as CAM practitioners without any further exam and acupuncturist working with drug addicts may be licensed although not being physicians. The authorities are also investigating the possibilities of licensing practitioners who are not physicians, like manual therapists, chiropractics and providers of neuraltherapy.

Order 11/97 of the Minister of Welfare determines that a medical doctor shall govern diagnosis and therapy, and CAM practitioners may only complement the physician’s activity (ref 4). Non-physician "Natural doctors" are therefore allowed to practise when they work under the supervision of a physician or when they intervene after a physician’s diagnosis. When a patient desires to be treated by a "Natural doctor", her/his consulting physician may not oppose her/his choice. Thus, the right to choose one’s medical practitioner is guaranteed by law.

Every licensed CAM practitioners is not allowed to practise all therapies of CAM. The order 11/97 identifies those therapies only allowed by physicians with CAM license, and it identifies which therapies every "natural doctor" may provide. These are:

1. Activities to be carried out only by a medical doctor (high level): Homeopathy, Manual medicine, Traditional Chinese medicine (Acupuncture), Ayurvedic medicine, Traditional Tibetan medicine, Biological dentistry and Anthroposophic medicine.
2. Activities that can be practised without a MD degree (middle level): Acupressure, Alternative gymnastics and massage, Lifestyle therapy, Reflexology, Alternative physiotherapy, Bioengergy, Phytotherapy (Herbalism) and Kinesiology.

Supervising regulated personnel

In Hungary, any health care activity needs to be licensed and controlled by the National Public Health and Medical Officers’ Service. Authorised "Natural doctors" have to respect obligations and ethical rules and keep the patient record in the same way as authorised health personnel. The Medical Officer’s Service is in charge of supervising the activities of all licensed personnel. The Service controls their qualification, the facility and equipment of the clinic as well as the professional nature of the activities carried out.
Not anybody may treat

According to the law, it is illegal providing CAM without an authorisation. However, the authorities find it difficult to set the demarcation line between health service and service for well being. Some few serious cases are taken to the courts.

Reimbursement

The social insurance covers CAM treatment given by CAM licensed physicians, physiotherapists and acupuncturists. The public does not reimburse homeopathic medicines.

References

1. Reference for the whole chapter where nothing else is noted: The Ministry of Health, Social and Family Affairs, Hungary, meeting in Budapest 29.04.05.

2. An English version of the law text can be asked for at the Ministry of Health, Hungary.

3. Monckton J, the Research Council for Complementary Medicine. The final report of the European Commission sponsored COST project on Unconventional Medicine. May 1999. http://www.rccm.org.uk/static/Report_COST.aspx?m=0

4. Maddalena S. The legal status of complementary medicines in Europe. Berne: Universitè de Neuchâtel, Stæmpfli Publisher Ltd. 1999.