A National Working Group on complementary therapy has called for therapists offering non-conventional treatments to be regulated.
Mary Harney: a
The group has recommended that herbalists, acupuncturists, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners should be regulated by the State while other groups should develop their own "robust system of self-regulation".
Speaking at the publication of the report, Minister for Health Mary Harney said she was a "strong fan" of self-regulation. She said that a system of self-regulation was necessary first before the State could even begin to consider statutory regulation.
Ms Harney also said she would shortly sign a statutory instrument that would implement the EU directive on traditional herbal medicines. This will mean that herbal products will need to be licensed through a new legal framework regulated by the Irish Medicines Board.
The report on the regulation of complementary medicine also recommends that the Department of Health facilitate working days so that therapists in particular areas can be encouraged to form representative organisations.
It also recommends the publication of an information booklet for the public giving information on the various therapies available and containing a client/therapist charter that complementary practitioners should sign up for.
Ms Harney introduced a information guide on complementary therapy at the event that outlines the questions that patients should ask before embarking on a course of therapy.
The Department of Health estimates that there are about 2,000 practitioners offering complementary therapies in Ireland.