Guidelines on Developing Consumer Information on Proper Use of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine: 4. Topics to Consider when Developing Consumer Information Promoting Proper Use of TM/CAM: 4.1 General information

Guidelines on Developing Consumer Information on Proper Use of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(2004; 109 pages)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Foreword
Preface
Glossary
1. General Considerations
	1.1 The benefits of TM/CAM
	1.2 The risks involved in the use of TM/CAM
	1.3 Proper use of TM/CAM by consumers
	1.4 Additional important aspects for the proper use of TM/CAM
2. Development of Consumer Information
	2.1 Cultural influence
	2.2 Health system structure
	2.3 Utilization
3. General Principles and Activities for Ensuring Reliable TM/CAM Information
	3.1 How to develop reliable information
	3.2 Dissemination of information
		3.2.1 TM/CAM information centre
		3.2.2 TM/CAM surveillance system
		3.2.3 The media
		3.2.4 Other information activities
		3.2.5 Activities promoting rational use of medicines
	3.3 Regulatory mechanisms for information and advertisements
4. Topics to Consider when Developing Consumer Information Promoting Proper Use of TM/CAM
	4.1 General information
	4.2 Where to find reliable information
	4.3 How to identify reliable information
	4.4 TM/CAM medication therapies
		4.4.1 Therapeutic claims
		4.4.2 Quality
		4.4.3 Precautions
		4.4.4 Adverse events
		4.4.5 Potent and/or toxic TM/CAM medication therapies
		4.4.6 Interactions and contraindications
		4.4.7 Posology
		4.4.8 Methods of administration
		4.4.9 Self-medication
		4.4.10 Preparation of TM/CAM medication therapies
		4.4.11 Children, pregnant or lactating women and the elderly
	4.5 Procedure-based TM/CAM therapies
		4.5.1 Therapeutic claims
		4.5.2 Precautions
	4.6 Practitioners
	4.7 Pricing and health insurance coverage
5. Use of this Publication
References
Annexes
	Annex I. Leaflets Promoting Proper Use of TM/CAM Published by the Department of Health, Hong Kong SAR, China
	Annex II. Things to Know about Evaluating Medical Resources on the Internet*
	Annex III Medical Products on the Internet: A Guide to Finding Reliable Information
	Annex IV Licence Symbol, Swissmedic¹
	Annex V. Selected WHO Publications and Documents on Traditional Medicine
	Annex VI. List of Participants
Back Cover

4.1 General information

Decisions about individual health care are important, including the decisions about whether to use TM/CAM.

General consumer information regarding TM/CAM may include the following key issues:

• The importance of the need to take charge of one’s own health by being an informed consumer.

• The need for all providers, both conventional health care providers and TM/CAM practitioners, to be aware of the major TM/CAM and conventional therapies in use in order to promote the best treatment strategy to meet the patient’s specific needs and prevent potentially dangerous interactions.

• The importance of ensuring that the provider is competent and provides TM/CAM services and products of quality.

• Where relevant, the need for consumers to find out about standard charges and possible health insurance coverage for TM/CAM therapies.

Table 1. Elements relevant for consumer information on TM/CAM.

*Section*	*Main topics*	*Specific issues*
4.1	*General information*	• Being an informed consumer • Informing health care providers and TM/CAM practitioners about therapies being used • Engaging qualified TM/CAM practitioners and utilizing quality assured TM/CAM medication therapies • Where relevant, information regarding health insurance coverage
4.2	*Where to find reliable information*	• Institutions and authorities representing TM/CAM and/or conventional medicine • Registered TM/CAM providers, conventional health care providers • Certain publications and websites
4.3	*How to identify reliable information*	• Purpose • Relevance/accuracy • Sources • Updated information • Objectivity
4.4	*TM/CAM medication therapies*	• Therapeutic claims and corresponding level of evidence • Quality • Precautions • Adverse events • Potent and/or toxic therapies • Interactions and contraindications • Posology • Methods of administration • Self-medication • Preparation • Children, pregnant or lactating women and the elderly
4.5	*Procedure-based therapies*	• Therapeutic claims and corresponding level of evidence • Precautions
4.6	*Practitioners*	• How to identify qualified practitioners • Certification of practitioners • Surveillance system for malpractice
4.7	*Pricing/health insurance coverage*	• Where to access information about standard charges and health insurance coverage