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: 4.4 TM/CAM medication therapies: 4.4.5 Potent and/or toxic TM/CAM medication therapies

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

4.4.5 Potent and/or toxic TM/CAM medication therapies

A number of TM/CAM medication therapies are very potent and sometimes toxic. Such medicines are often processed before use in order to decrease the toxicity. If incorrectly processed or used, these medicines can be very harmful and cause poisoning. In countries where such medicines are available, consumers need to be aware that they should not be used without a prescription and detailed instructions from a registered TM/CAM practitioner or a conventional health care provider knowledgeable in TM/CAM.

Often only certain TM/CAM practitioners have the legal right to prescribe potent and/or toxic medication therapies. Where this is the case, this is also something the consumer needs to be aware of (see section 4.6). A list of all toxic TM/CAM medication therapies can also be helpful for the consumer. In addition, consumers should pay particular attention to the prescriptions and dosage recommendations for these medications. Common symptoms of poisoning and possible pathways for reporting such suspected poisoning need to be described in accompanying information material (see section 3.2.2).