Doctors' Broader View Of Possible Treatments Welcome
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday November 25, 1997
THERE was a time when the mere mention of alternative therapies to your family doctor would be greeted with howls of derision and suggestions of quackery, and worse.
Australian doctors, it seemed, just weren't interested in exploring the possible benefits of alternative therapies and medicines.
They were quite happy to peddle the drug companies' line, but didn't want to know about alternatives.
This, happily, seems to be changing rapidly as Australian doctors respond to widespread public demand for complementary therapies. A new study has shown that at least one in six GPs is now open to the use of alternative techniques.
University of Queensland lecturer Heather Eastwood said the number of Australian doctors using or being interested in alternative medicine had doubled in the four years to 1996.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners figures show that 4000 GPs listed alternative medicine as an interest last year compared to 2000 in 1992.
There is now a clear drift to alternative practices such as acupuncture, hypnosis, chiropractics and the use of herbal medicine and nutritional supplements.
Dr Eastwood said: "GPs say they are using these techniques because they work, although they cannot always say why they work".
"Doctors are recognising increased consumer demand. They say patients are better educated today about health options and patients want choice," she said.
"Many doctors express the view that because of the oversupply of GPs and the rise of alternative therapists, they are in a competitive situation. Doctors are choosing alternative therapies as part of their continuing medical education and vocational registration."
It would appear that some doctors are taking the attitude that "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em", and in most cases this should benefit their patients simply because their doctors are taking a broader view of possible treatments.
After all, some so-called alternative medical practices, like acupuncture, have been in use for thousands of years.
© 1997 Illawarra Mercury
