Complementary Medicines in Australia
“Swallowing It: How Australians are spending billions on unproven vitamins and supplements”. If any of you watched, it went as I expected, fairly negatively for complementary medicine.
Once again the efficacy and safety of Australian complementary medicines is being questioned through the media. Many of you will have read or heard about the ABC’s Four Corners story airing tonight “Swallowing It: How Australians are spending billions on unproven vitamins and supplements”. With phrases in the program promotions such as “What a lot of Australian families have is very expensive urine.” I expected to hear the usual suggestions that there is no evidence for the benefits of complementary medicines and that their use may cause harm. We also anticipate much focus will be directed toward complementary medicines sold through pharmacy. To read more on the products and supplements I use.
From Health World Metagenics – Where I get any supplements I use with my clients:
“Australia has some of the highest and most vigilantly monitored standards for supplements in the world. We are regulated as medicines, not dietary supplements. Adverse events are recorded and monitored by the TGA in the same way prescription medicines are and company manufacturing facilities are required to meet audit standards which are the same as pharmaceutical standards. Metagenics’ complementary medicines meet the required Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standards: we have an enviable audit record and only use ingredients assessed at levels that are safe as authorised by the TGA. Recent media reports regarding product safety typically involve products or ingredients that are not approved by the TGA and are being imported directly by either retailers or consumers.
The industry, through our industry association, is at the ready to quickly respond and refute irrelevant facts which may emerge through the program. As you know, Metagenics products are only available through qualified Healthcare Practitioners. These are medicines and we firmly stand behind the need for your clients to be able to access appropriate healthcare advice in the context of supplement prescribing. We invest in clinical research that provides support for natural medicines and the claims made on our products. We are committed to ensuring our products, education and support are in line with up-to-date science that is relevant, balanced and that will enable you to achieve the clinical outcomes you rely upon.”
This is an often a disheartening debate, from my experiences personally and professionally, I am yet to see an individual harmed by correctly prescribed quality supplements. I have seen and spoken to numerous people on how their health has improved with means deployed by a qualified Naturopath.
If you have any questions or concerns as always please don’t hesitate to contact me.