Statement and Recommendations on Alternative Medicines

Foundation: Comisión Central de Deontología de la Organización Médica Colegial Española (Central Ethics Commission of the Spanish Medical Association).
source : Comisión Central de Deontología de la Organización Médica Colegial Española.
language original: Spanish.
Approval: Comisión Central de Deontología, II-1985.
Not approved by the General Assembly.
Publication: Revista OMC 25, January-February 1993.
Copyright: No.
Checked on 16 May 2002.

Declaration and Recommendations of the WTO Central Commission of Deontology on Alternative Medicines

1. All true medicine must have a strong scientific commitment, both in its orthodox mainstream, which bases its causes, mechanisms and remedies of disease on the natural-scientific method research , and in its alternative forms, which base their pathogenic theories and therapeutic practices on various intuitions. Medicine must maintain a constant and acute critical awareness and constantly review the efficacy of its procedures and doctrines. Physicians practising Alternative Medicine are especially obliged to this critical and revisionist attitude.

2. Both orthodox and alternative medicine are obliged to respond to the needs of the sick and to protect them from unreasonable harm and risks. This obligation to benefit the patient and to control the quality of medical care has been developed in traditional medicine according to very precise scientific criteria by means of the clinical research (diagnostic, pharmacological, surgical, etc.), whereas, in Alternative Medicine, there has not been a parallel development of these criteria.

3. Consequently, doctors who follow unorthodox lines are obliged to be extremely competent in the diagnostic function and in the correct indication and application of therapeutic measures; and also to keep a properly annotated file of their patients, which allows them to record goal their observations and makes possible a rigorous assessment of the efficacy of their methods. Like orthodox doctors, they are bound by the rules of the Code of Medical Ethics, and in particular by the precept to keep themselves fully trained and up to date in their scientific training (articles 5 and 29); by the rule to share with their colleagues, without any professional reservation , the new scientific knowledge they possess (article 18), and by the mandate to refrain from practices that are unfounded or inspired by charlatanism (article 32); if, on the one hand, they enjoy freedom of prescription (article 13), they are, on the other hand, particularly obliged not to recommend or apply dangerous examinations or treatments (article 30), and must always submit to the rules on advertising set out in Chapter IX of the Code.

4. A truly competent internship in Medicine can only be carried out thanks to the intellectual training and character provided by the programs of study, culture and ethics proper to the medical profession. The entry into the field of medicine of persons who do not have the degree scroll of a physician must therefore be qualified as intrusive. No one who is not a doctor can call himself or herself a medical professional or practise medicine, whether orthodox or alternative. In the service of the public, a clear distinction must be made between doctors and non-doctors. It is a professional misconduct, as stated in article 32 of the Code, to association or co-operate in such a way as to mislead, as it would be tantamount to covering up for anyone who, without holding the degree scroll medical degree, is in any way practising the profession or in fact equating himself or herself with doctors.

5. The Commission wishes to propose to committee General that, following the corresponding report of the advisory service Juridical , it request the following actions from the public authorities:

a) The creation, in the Schools of Medicine, of Professional Schools for promote the training and the research in those modalities of Alternative Medicines that offer greater prospects of efficacy.

b) Recognition of the Associations of doctors practising the different modalities of alternative medicine, if their purpose is to promote the training of their members and the research and assessment of their techniques, provided that they respect the rules of the Code of Ethics.

c) The concession, in order to fill in the fractional legislation in force, of legal recognition to those modalities of Alternative Medicine that do not yet have it, taking into account that these are medical activities, whose practice by those who do not have the degree scroll of Doctor should be considered as intrusive.

(d) Vigorous action against intrusiveness.