Icelandic Committee on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Gudmundur Sigurdsson M.D.

The members of the committe Gudmundur Sigurdsson MD (medical doctor) Á. Svava Magnúsdóttir (massage therapist) Dagný E. Einarsdóttir LCHP (homeopath) Einar Magnússon CandPharm (pharmacist) Haraldur Ólafsson professor emeritus (anthropolog) Nanna Friðriksdóttir RN, MSc (clinical nurse) Sólveig Guðmundsdóttir Cand Juris (lawyer)

Questions re CAM? What is CAM Available education and training for CAM Credentials of CAM teachers/trainers Recognition of CAM practitioners, rules and regulations Cooperation between CAM practitioners and licenced health care professionals Do licenced health care professionals utilize CAM

Questions re CAM continued CAM and Value Added Taxation Effectiveness of CAM Side effects of CAM Attitude of the public towards CAM Use of CAM by the public How should increasing use be met Licencing of CAM practitioners

What is CAM “a broad domain of healing resources that encompasses all health systems, modalities, and practices and their accompanying theories and beliefs other than those intrinsic to the politically dominant health systems of a particular society or culture in a given historical period”. Cochrane Collaboration

Cam treatments available in Iceland I Chiropractic, 4 Osteopathy, 2 Homeopathy, 25 Herbal medicine, 5 Acupuncture, 3

Cam treatments available in Iceland II Alexander technique, 5 Aromatherapy, 25 Bach and other flower remedies, 30 Cranio-sacral therapy, 100 Massage, 200 Reflexology, 500 Shiatsu, ? Rolfing, 1 Nutritional medicine, 10

Cam treatments available in Iceland II Hypnotherapy, ? Meditation, ? Healing, ? NLP, Neuro linguistic programming, 35 Yoga, ?

Cam treatments available in Iceland IIIa Anthroposophical medicine, 0 Ayurvedic medicine, 0 Naturopathy, ? Traditional Chinese Medicine, 0

Cam treatments available in Iceland IIIb, No. of therapists Crystal therapy, Iridology, 10 Kinesiology, 90 Chakra balancing, 40

Use of CAM in Iceland Director General of Public Health

Communication between physicians and patients re CAM “Close to ninety percent of physicians in Iceland reported that they never asked patients about unconventional therapies and the majority that they were seldom or never told about such therapies by patients.” Sigurdsson 1984

Conclusion The use of CAM in Iceland is widespread and increasing. There is a need for better regulation of CAM providers. Licenced health care providers need to better informed about CAM There is a need for more open communication between patients and health care providers about CAM