Summary
Alternative treatments are on the rise among cancer patients, a recent European poll discovered. Many patients have taken to dietary supplements, homeopathy, and even relaxation techniques to help with their traditional, doctor prescribed, programs. While most doctors say the alternative methods cannot hurt, they remain a little skeptical of their overall usefulness in fighting cancer, and they have begun calling for governments worldwide to regulate the alternative practitioners more closely.
Original source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4228903.stm
Details
Herbs are used the most, followed by homeopathy and vitamin and mineral supplements, according to European Oncology Nursing Society members.
Given their popularity, governments should rethink the way these treatments are regulated, they said.
Therapists should also be checked more rigorously, the report in the Annals of Oncology journal suggested.
Dr Alex Molassiotis, from the UK's Manchester University, along with European colleagues, surveyed nearly 1,000 cancer patients from 14 European countries.
About 58 different complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) were mentioned in the survey.
Usage rates varied from less than 15% of patients in Greece to nearly 75% in Italy, and averaged at about a third overall.
Patients typically used more than one CAM therapy together, such as a herbal medicine plus homeopathy or relaxation techniques.
Dr Molassiotis said considering the growing popularity of CAM, better regulation was needed.
"Anybody can call himself or herself a therapist and practice.
"There is not a body to assess the quality of therapists.
The Prince of Wales Foundation for Integrated Health was given a government grant last year to look into the regulation of other CAM therapies, including homeopathy, aromatherapy and reflexology.
Dr George Lewith, from the of the University of Southampton's Complementary Medicine Research Unit, cautioned that the study was too small to be able to make generalisations about rates of CAM use, but said there was no doubt that regulation was needed.
Dr Bob Leckridge president of the Faculty of Homeopathy, said many therapists were doctors, which meant they were regulated as an individual.
He thought all CAM practice should be subject to statutory regulation.
He advised cancer
patients to inform their doctors of all medications and therapies they were taking.
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Wednesday, February 09, 2005
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