Rules for alternative medicine urged
Practitioners seek recognition from physicians' college

By Donna Jean MacKinnon Toronto Star Staff Reporter

Regulating and recognizing alternative healing procedures is needed,
the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has been told.

Helen Ovens, of the Canadian Academy of Homeopathy, said she is
concerned about competency issues and public confusion over who is a
qualified practitioner of homeopathy a healing discipline that utilizes
animal, mineral and plant sources to affect cures.

``We teach homeopathy methods exclusively to medical professionals and
we are concerned that (the group's) standards are maintained,'' Ovens told
committee members, Dr. Robert Buckman, Dr. David Walker and Douglas
Anderson.

The committee's mandate is to formulate recommendations outlining when
a physician can ethically offer patients additional ``alternative
therapies of unproven value after a conventional diagnostic workup'' and
to recommend ``core values'' that the coll ege might adopt with respect to
complementary medicine.

Most unconventional therapies do not have solid scientific proof and
the college takes the position that its doctors cannot recommend or
practise cures such as acupuncture, herbology or traditional Chinese
medicine.

The homeopathy academy, a selfregulating body, would like to see a
recognized specialists' category like dermatology for medical doctors
with postgraduate training in homeopathy.

Pamela Milroy, president of the 220strong Ontario Naturopathic
Association, called for more sharing of expertise between practitioners of
alternative and conventional medicine and dual registration for physicians
with naturopathic qualifications.

``The public sees us as a real alternative. We urge the college to
acquaint themselves with alternative medicine and to educate its
members,'' she said.

Milroy explained that practitioners of naturopathy have been
registered in Ontario since 1925 under the Drugless Practitioners' Act.

Six delegations spoke yesterday on behalf of traditional Chinese
medicine and acupuncture as legitimate therapies, saying the two should be
regulated for public safety and be accessible to Ontario doctors.

Professor C. Cheung, of the Chinese Medical and Acupuncture
Association of Canada, agreed that the college has a ``duty to regulate''
acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine to keep unqualified people
from practising.

Several speakers made reference to the college's conservative view of
techniques and methods that are fast becoming mainstream for many
Canadians.

``The (college) has demonstrated a pattern of hostile actions towards
complementary physicians. And even this committee does not include a
physician who has expertise in complementary therapies,'' said Pearl
Rimer, a member of the Citizens Choice in H ealth Care.

The committee will table its report in September at a college council
meeting.