Regulation of complementary and alternative medicine: an international perspective

The regulatory structure for complementary and alternative medicine worldwide reflects an orthodox medicine perspective that seeks to exclude complementary and alternative medicine from the health sector. This results in a regulatory structure that does not adequately protect those consumers who choose complementary and alternative medicine as their form of health care. This article discusses the historical reasons for the current regulatory structures and suggests it is time to provide consumers of complementary and alternative medicine with statutory regulation under a minimalist regime to provide quality markers for the training and ethics of complementary and alternative medicine practitioners.