Doctors attack 'bogus' therapies

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Doctors attack 'bogus' therapies

Some of Britain's leading doctors have urged NHS trusts to stop using

complementary therapies and to pay only for medicine " based on solid evidence " .

The group raised concerns that the NHS is funding " unproven or disproved

treatments " , like homeopathy.

One doctor told the Times the NHS was funding " bogus " therapies when patients

struggled to get drugs like Herceptin.

But Prince Charles has said " proven " therapies should be integrated with

conventional medicine.

 

 

Orthodox medicine has so much to learn

Prince Charles

_Prince's comments _ (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3681938.stm)

 

He told the World Health Assembly in Geneva: " The proper mix of proven

complementary, traditional and modern remedies, which emphasises the active

participation of the patient, can help to create a powerful healing force in the

world. "

He added: " Many of today's complementary therapies are rooted in ancient

traditions that intuitively understood the need to maintain balance and harmony

with our minds, bodies and the natural world.

" Much of this knowledge, often based on oral traditions, is sadly being lost,

yet orthodox medicine has so much to learn from it. "

He called on countries to look at how they could improve the health of their

populations, using a more integrated approach.

'Implausible treatment'

In their letter, from 13 doctors and sent to 476 acute and primary care

trusts, is being seen as a direct challenge to the prince's campaign.

 

The public and the NHS are best served by using the available funds for

treatments that are based on solid evidence

Letter to NHS trusts

 

 

Organised by Michael Baum, emeritus professor of surgery at University

College London, the letter said he and fellow doctors believed alternative

medicine was being promoted despite a lack of evidence and " at a time when the

NHS

is under intense pressure " .

It criticised two initiatives - a government-funded guide on homeopathy for

patients, and the Smallwood report, commissioned by Prince Charles, which

suggested greater access to complementary therapies in the NHS might lead to

widespread benefits.

The letter described homeopathy as an " implausible treatment for which over a

dozen systematic reviews have failed to produce convincing evidence of

effectiveness " .

The doctors say while " medical practice must remain open to new discoveries " ,

it would " be highly irresponsible to embrace any medicine as though it were

a matter of principle " .

 

There is so much anecdotal evidence that thousands of people gain

benefit from using complementary medicines

Terry Cullen, British Complementary Medicine Association

 

 

The letter continues: " The public and the NHS are best served by using the

available funds for treatments that are based on solid evidence. "

Signatories on the letter include Nobel Prize-winner Sir James Black and Sir

Keith Peters, president of the Academy of Medical Science.

Edzard Ernst, the UK's first professor of complementary medicine, also

signed.

He said: " The wholesale integration of complementary medicine, simply because

it's alternative, and people may want it, and feel satisfied with it, is not

a good reason for integration.

" I believe we need one single standard in medicine and that is the standard

of evidence based medicine. "

Dr Peter Fisher, of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, described the

letter as an attempt to introduce a form of " medical apartheid " into the NHS.

Terry Cullen, chairman of the British Complementary Medicine Association,

said: " It's very frustrating that senior responsible people dismiss

complementary medicine for the sole reason that it doesn't have the definitive

scientific proof that other drugs have.

" There is so much anecdotal evidence that thousands of people gain benefit

from using complementary medicines. We shouldn't dismiss that. "

Madeleine Craggs, chief executive of the General Osteopathic Council, said:

" All recognise the value of evidence-based practice, but given the lack of

funding for controlled trials, an interim solution may be to pilot more

integrated services. "

'Needs evidence'

One signatory to the letter, consultant clinical scientist Leslie Rose, said

its purpose was to instil equal vigour in gathering evidence for every

treatment prescribed to NHS patients.

" The NHS should not be spending money where the evidence base is much weaker

than it is for conventional treatments, " he told BBC Breakfast.

He said a business plan for the refurbishment of the Royal London Homeopathic

Hospital - which cost £20m to set up - did not put any emphasis on evidence.

 

Complementary therapies also include reflexology, aromatherapy and a range of

'hands on healing' techniques such as reiki and shiatsu.

Prince Charles first advocated the use of complementary medicines more than

20 years ago, and has established the Prince's Foundation for Integrated

Health.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said it was up to clinicians and

trusts to decide on the best treatment for a patient.

She said good evidence and clear information was required for patients to

make their choice.

She said the department said it did not have figures on the amount spent by

the NHS on complementary medicines because decisions were taken locally.

About half of GPs are thought to refer patients to alternative therapists.

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/5007118.stm

 

Published: 2006/05/23 13:53:24 GMT

 

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