Alternative Medicine To Be Regulated
Alternative Medicine To Be Regulated
Alternative therapies such as aromatherapy and homoeopathy will be regulated later this year under a government-backed scheme.
The Natural Healthcare Council, which will be modelled on the General Medical Council, will set minimum standards and will only register therapists who are safe, have completed a recognised course, hold insurance and have signed up to codes of conduct. It will also have the power to strike off incompetent practitioners.
The Council will cover a range of therapies including aromatherapy, reflexology, massage, reiki, homoeopathy and the Alexander technique. Membership will be voluntary initially but it is expected that all practitioners will join as the register gains recognition among the public.
The Times, 5 January 2008