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CPSO seeking input for Complementary Medicine policy review
July 13, Toronto, ON – The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is seeking input from integrative physicians, natural/manual medicine practitioners and the public at large to assist in reviewing and proposing revisions to its complementary medicine policy.

This review is being conducted as part of the College’s regular policy review process.

A Working Group, composed of both physician and public members of Council, has been struck to review the Complementary Medicine policy and input will also be accepted from non-physicians practitioners of natural/manual therapies. The Working Group will then evaluate and propose revisions to the policy. Final decisions about policy content are made by College Council.

The Complementary Medicine policy was originally developed in the mid‐1990s. It articulates broad statements of expectation for the medical profession related to three core components: assessing patients, treating patients, and advancing knowledge.

Since the development of the Complementary Medicine policy, the environment has changed significantly. A number of new regulatory bodies have been created to govern professions considered broadly to be ‘complementary’: Naturopathy, Homeopathy and Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, to name a few. As well, since the mid‐1990s, the popularity and use of complementary therapies has increased dramatically;many patients access complementary therapies to address health concerns, or to maintaina healthy lifestyle.

The Working Group will consider these new developments, along with the experiences of other medical regulatory bodies, and feedback from this consultation. Its goal, which is shared by Council, is to ensure that College policy is responsive to practice issues, embodies the values and duties of medical professionalism, and is consistent with the College’s mandate to protect the public.

The policy review process for the Complementary Medicine policy is in its early stages. To assist with this process, the CPSO would like to hear your thoughts on our current policy, along with any suggestions you may have for how the policy can be improved. More specifically:

  • Does the policy provide useful guidance?
  • Are there any issues not included in the current policy that should be addressed? If so, what are they?
  • How could the policy be improved?
Your comments will be considered by the Working Group and will help to determine what policy revisions may be required. You will have a second opportunity to participate later in the policy review process. Once the Working Group has developed a revised draft policy, all interested parties will be invited to review that revised document, and provide comments before it is finalized by Council. 

 

If you’re interested in this topic, the CPSO would like to hear from you.  Review the existing policy  at http://www.cpso.on.ca/policies/policies/default.aspx?ID=1532 and provide your comments in writing by August 1, 2010 to: 

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

or

College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, Policy Department – Complementary Medicine, 80 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2E2.

 

 

 
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