• 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

Ireland

Summary

In Ireland anybody may treat but law restricts the scope of their activities.

Professionals and non-professionals

Legally regulated personnel

The Medical Practitioners Act (1978) regulates the requirements for practising medicine and the authorisation and registration of physicians (ref 1).
Anybody may treat-

But some treatments are restricted to authorised health personnel (ref 2)

CAM providers are allowed to practise, but law restricts the scope of their activities. Although allopathic physicians do not have a legal monopoly on medical practise, only registered doctors are allowed to:

1. treat venereal diseases;
2. practise in obstetrics;
3. certify death;
4. issue medical certificates for official purpose;
5. prescribe a wide range of controlled drugs;
6. give advice in court on specific issues;
7. supply service to the police for alcohol linked road traffic offences;
8. administer anaesthetics.

CAM providers are allowed to practise medicine regardless of their training and without previous authorisation providing that they do not infringe the Medical Practitioners Act of 1978. It is an offence for non-registered providers to practise medical treatment under the pretence of being a registered practitioner.
Voluntary registration (ref 3)

In 2001 the Minister of Health and Children appointed a work-group to examine and explore the practical issues involved in establishing appropriate regulation for CAM providers. The report on the Regulation of Practitioners of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Ireland was launched in November 2002.
The following is a summary of the main recommendations in the report:

1. The consultation process should be continued.
2. Self-regulation of individual therapies should be strengthened.
3. Individual therapies should be encouraged to establish registers of qualified members. As part of the consultation process, a National Working Group should be set up to examine and consider regulatory issues in Ireland.

During 2005 the government is preparing a law offering a voluntary register of CAM providers administered by the federations (ref 4).

Reimbursement

Public reimbursement is available for CAM provided by physicians (ref 5).

References

1. Maddalena S. The legal status of complementary medicines in Europe. Berne: Universitè de Neuchâtel, Stæmpfli Publisher Ltd. 1999. and Department of Health and Children 17.12.04, http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/front.html

2. Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review, (document WHO/EDM/TRM/2001.2). Geneva: World Health Organization, 2001.
3. Health service Development Unit: Report on the Regulation of Practitioners of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Ireland. Ireland 2002.

4. National Working Group on the Regulation of Complementary Therapist. Department of Health and Children. Ireland 15.08.05

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