Complementary medicine will become more research based

Natural and complementary medicine will, in the future, become more research-based according to the Vice-Chancellor of Southern Cross University, Professor John Rickard.

Southern Cross University has Australia’s leading school of natural and complementary medicine and is involved in ground-breaking research projects particularly through the Australian Centre for Complementary Medicine Education and Research (ACCMER) in partnership with University of Queensland’s Faculty of Health Sciences.

Professor Rickard said commentary on the recall of Pan Pharmaceutical products this week had become confused and misleading.

“Pan is a manufacturing issue to do with the production of medicines. It has nothing to do with the practice of natural and complementary medicine,” he said. “The baby is at risk of being thrown out with the bathwater. That is both unfair and illogical,” Professor Rickard said.

“This university has been a leader in promoting research-based practice in natural and complementary medicine and we continue to promote that to government and industry as an essential step. Research will contribute to both better complementary medicines and better practice,” he said.

The Head of the School of Natural and Complementary Medicine at SCU, Paul Orrock, says that the Australian system for regulation of complementary medicines is one of the most stringent in the world.

“Pan has been called to account specifically because in Australia there is control and supervision,” Mr Orrock said.

Further Information: 

Chris Stewart
Communications Manager
Southern Cross University

02 6620 3039
0418 431 484
cstewart@scu.edu.au