Many americans use complementary and alternative medicine (Cam) to try to prevent, alleviate, or cure disease (see box for definitions), often because they think it provides anything else, or anything beyond, what health care provides. Despite the wide usage, there seems to be a taboo to talk about Cam in health care and Myndighetssverige. A taboo, which, regardless of the approach to the methods, not the benefit of the seeking care.
The lack of independent information about the methods, which makes it difficult for vårdsökande to make informed and safe decisions about their care. In addition, it is difficult to acquaint themselves with the regulations, the insurance or where to turn if you want to complain about a Cam treatment.
the Government set up in the year 2017 an investigation with several assignments relating to ”other care and treatment than is being conducted within the established health care”.
Patients rarely talk to their doctor that they also make use of the Comb, perhaps because they fear the negative reactions and condemnation.
today we present, in a mid-term report, a number of proposals with a view to improving the situation of the vårdsökande. The proposals are addressed to health care, authorities and institutions to Cam practitioners and researchers. All in all, the measures we are proposing lead to clear improvements in the Kam area, at the same time as they are relatively easy to implement in the near future.
the Investigation, the government has a tilläggsuppdrag to review the law relating to Cam practitioners. This mission will be reported in the final report.
1 to Provide independent information on the Comb. considering whether to seek complementary or alternative health care meets almost just marketing from Cam practitioners, difficult for the individual to evaluate. We propose an independent Swedish portal where you will be able to search for information about Cam methods. Welfare is, in our opinion, the authority which is best placed to take forward the substance. It should then be available to the public via the 1177 Vårdguiden.
We suggest that all relevant authorities lays out the information where they clarify their roles in the Kam area. The national consumer agency is currently working with the information, supervision, guidance documents and industry agreements relevant to which rules and conditions that will apply in different industries. We recommend the larger Comb-organisations to develop their work with the consumer so in the long term would be able to sign industry agreements relevant with the Consumer.
2 Increased knowledge about Cam among health – care personnel. Nearly half of the Swedish patients who have serious and chronic diseases use Cam methods at the same time with the treatment they receive in health care. Knowledge about Cam among health care personnel is generally weak. Patients rarely talk to their doctor that they also make use of the Comb, perhaps because they fear the negative reactions and condemnation.
We suggest that the introduction of orientation training on the Comb of the core courses for the staff of the health – and healthcare – doctor, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists, dieticians and pharmacists. The training should include facts about the most important Cam methods and introductory information about the concepts and the underlying approach to health and disease. It should also contain information about why the Kam methods are used and what patients are asking for that they do not perceive that they are in the health care system. Also insights in the criticism of Kam should be included.
With such a training, patients and healthcare professionals in a more familiar way to bring the conversation about Cam methods. It would make it easier for patients to make informed decisions about their care and reduce the risk of active treatment in the health care system is interrupted. Increased knowledge of Cam methods and their possible negative impact on health and health care practices (for example, when herbal medicines are used) can also contribute to increased patient safety.
3 Investigate the conditions in which the Comb methods can be taken up in the health – care system. In the health – care system is a well-established system of how to introduce new methods and utmönstrar outdated methods. The commission sees no reason why there should be any particular tracks that introduce methods with the Comb-background. The base is the three prioriteringsetiska the principles established by the riksdag (human dignity, need and cost-effectiveness).
This means, among other things, the need for research data on benefit and risk in the use of a certain method. We suggest that the State’s preparation for medical and social assessment (SBU) will receive a mandate from the government to evaluate research in the Cam methods that are most relevant to introduce in the health – care system.
4 Research on Kam. One of the commission’s task has been to identify research within the Comb area. Swedish researchers publish annually approximately 70 articles of the world’s approximately 5,000 scientific articles in the field of complementary and alternative medicine.
Factually, the Comb-research similar to the international, apart from a greater focus on women’s health in the Swedish research. The cooperation between the Swedish Kam-researchers is remarkably poorly developed – every team works for itself – and interdisciplinary Cam research belongs to the exceptions.
5 Create a basis for informed decisions about complementary and alternative care. During the interviews, we have met a number of proposals on the areas that has been outside the commission’s task, for example, improved economic conditions for the industry and the major state research projects. At the same time has a fear of certain employees in the health care system has been that the state is liable to legitimise the methods without demonstrated efficacy and unclear safety.
Our assessment is that this risk is best avoided by the existence of credible venues for information and dialogue. This reflects the commission’s pragmatic approach – to relate to it as many people in Sweden are actually searching for. Our proposal aims to facilitate for those who are looking to seek out complementary or alternative health care to make informed decisions.
