MACCAH report released
Monday, 2 August 2004, 5:06 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Government
2 August 2004 Media Statement
MACCAH report released
A need for more research on complementary and
alternative medicine is highlighted in a major report
released today.
The report, the culmination of three years work by the
Ministerial Advisory Committee on Complementary and
Alternative Health (MACCAH), forms the committee's
final advice to the Minister of Health, Annette King.
Ms King says complementary and alternative medicine is
already widely used. "The 2002-2003 national health
survey revealed that one in four people visited an
alternative health practitioner the previous year. I
am really pleased to receive this report, so I can now
consider how best such practitioners can contribute
further to New Zealand's health.
�The committee considers treatments proven to be safe,
efficacious and cost effective should be publicly
funded, and it also suggests better research
infrastructure is needed to maximise benefits
available from this area of care.�
Ms King says the report also highlights a need for
more information on the safety and effectiveness of
CAM, such as naturopathy, chiropractic, herbal
medicine, acupuncture, osteopathy and homeopathy,
services that are already widely used. "It is
important that alternative treatment users can access
unbiased and up-to-date information so they can make
sound decisions about their health care."
She sees the Ministry of Health's complementary and
alternative medicine website as a vital part of this.
The website summarises existing research on the safety
of various CAM treatments and how well they work.
Another key committee recommendation is to regulate
practitioners of "high risk" treatments by law, while
"lower risk" groups could be self-regulated through
professional organizations, Ms King says. The
committee also recommends that all CAM practitioners
needed to meet basic levels of training in their
discipline, regardless of their training in other
forms of medicine.
"I am now giving careful consideration to the
committee�s advice and have asked the Ministry to look
at how the recommendations may be able to contribute
to improving health outcomes," Ms King said. �The
National Health Committee is also organising a CAM
summit for late this year to allow mainstream and CAM
sector representatives to discuss opportunities to
work together in the future.
Background Information
What is the Ministerial Advisory Committee on
Complementary and Alternative Health?
The committee known as MACCAH was established in June
2001 to provide independent advice to the Minister of
Health on complementary and alternative medicine. It
was funded to run until June 2004.
What did its work involve?
MACCAH released a discussion document in 2003, which
formed the basis for nationwide consultation. It
received more than 300 written submissions on the
document. Its final advice covers issues of
regulation, research, consumer information and the
potential for integration with the mainstream health
system.
Who were the MACCAH members?
There were eight members --- Professor Peggy
Koopman-Boyden (Chair), currently acting Deputy
Vice-Chancellor at Waikato University; Mr David
Holden, founder and managing director of the OSIRIS
group of natural healing companies; Dr Rhys Jones,
senior lecturer at Auckland University's Department of
Maori and Pacific Health; Dr Maika Kinahoi Veikune,
manager of the Public Health Unit and project manager
of Pacific Integrated Care at Middlemore Hospital; Ms
Melva Martin, director and CEO of the Naturopathic
College of New Zealand Ltd; Mr James McNeill,
acupuncturist and traditional Chinese medicine
practitioner; Ms Janine Randle, a paediatric nurse in
a Christchurch hospital with a home-based massage
therapy practice; and Ms Marilyn Wright, a school
guidance counsellor in Napier.
Where can the final MACCAH advice document be
obtained?
It is available on the MACCAH website:
www.newhealth.govt.nz/maccah
or on the Ministry of Health website: www.moh.govt.nz
The Ministry of Health can also provide a hard copy of
the report.
Is reliable information available about complementary
and alternative treatments?
The Ministry of Health recently established a website
presenting the evidence behind complementary and
alternative medicine treatments. There is a link to
the site from the Ministry's website: www.moh.govt.nz
or go directly to www.cam.org.nz
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