This is a post to the mma list from Margaret-

Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:06:42 +0100
From: "Margaret" <MLL@Albaclick.com>
Subject: [MMA] Complementary Medicine Training, Science Daily article
To: <mma@lists.mmsupport.net>
Message-ID: <007601c83c18$34cad990$0200a8c0@PCMargaret>
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Hi everyone, I thought the following article was quite interesting (could
the times possibly be a'changing?).

Margaret

Florence, Italy

 

Complementary Medicine Training Provides Health Professionals With Balance,
Not Bias, Survey Suggests

ScienceDaily (Dec. 10, 2007) - http://tinyurl.com/3329vt 

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) training for students in the
health professions improves their ability to provide balanced,
evidence-based advice to patients.

Dr Evelin Tiralongo, a lecturer in Griffith University's School of Pharmacy,
has found CAM education integrated into the pharmacy curriculum rationalised
rather than marginalised students' attitudes. "A survey and interviews of
more than 100 pharmacy students in second, third and fourth years at
Griffith found that students with a more positive attitude to CAM at the
start of their degree changed to a more careful assessment of CAM therapy,
whereas students with a more negative attitude at first, realised that some
CAM therapies are based on significant evidence," she said. "We found that
CAM education encouraged students to look for evidence of effectiveness,
evaluate that evidence, and then make informed decisions in the best
interests of their patients," she said.

Overall 96 per cent of pharmacy students believed they need to be equipped
to advise patients about CAM and 90 percent said it should therefore be a
core part of their education.

Dr Tiralongo said CAM education should be integrated into the core teaching
curricula for pharmacy, nursing and medical students around the country.

"Health professionals have a responsibility to understand CAM, given that
more than half of the population already use herbal medicines, vitamins and
minerals, and therapies such as acupuncture. "

"Our National Medicines Policy for example covers prescription and
non-prescription medicines as well as complementary medicines."

"Given pharmacists' ethical and legal responsibility to counsel patients on
medicines they supply, we need to ensure graduates have a reasonable
knowledge of CAM and the ability to finding the best options for patient
care."

Dr Tiralongo's research interests include the clinical efficacy of CAM and
the pharmacological potential of medicinal plants and macrofungi.