Supplement regulation under scrutiny

As at April 2007, a parliamentary select committee is currently examining the Therapeutic Products and Medicines Bill.

This bill proposes complementary medicines and supplements are regulated in the same way as medicines to ensure they are safe and effective.

Health Minister Pete Hodgson said recently: “A product should not be condemned simply because it comes under the banner ‘complementary medicine’, but nor should it be blindly praised.

Both need to have a sound evidence base… there are treatments out there that aren’t being used as much as they should, that aren’t being utilised by GPs and other health practitioners, but for which there exists good evidence of its safety and efficacy.

Equally, however, there are treatments that are widely used by patients for which there just isn’t good evidence. Or where there is really good evidence, and it’s pretty conclusive – the treatment doesn’t work.

We are all committed to integrating complementary medicine, where there’s good evidence of safety and efficacy.

For me, the challenge is in closing the evidence-practice gap that exists in our health system.”