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28 January 1994
Doc. 7012
1403-28/1/94-5-E
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
on a common approach to complementary medical care
presented by Mr ATKINSON and others1
1. One of the aims of the Council of Europe's involvement in health is concerned with raising the standards of medical care. Its work enables member states to share experience, compare and evaluate different approaches and encourage the introduction of uniform health regulations and common standards of care.
2. However, this policy is not being applied to the use of non-conventional therapies -the so-called complementary and alternative medicines such as osteopathy, chiropractic and acupuncture.
3. The use of these medicines, many of which are far older than current conventional remedies, has dramatically increased in recent years, not least because doctors are referring more patients to registered practitioners of them, as well as becoming practitioners themselves.
4. Unfortunately, there exist in Europe enormous differences in the practices and controls of these medicines ranging from very liberal to very restrictive legislation, as well as in the availability of access to them through health services.
5. The Assembly believes that the time is now right to establish and encourage a uniform approach towards the registration of complementary medicines in member states as well as access to them for patients.
6. It, therefore, calls for consideration to be given to the establishment of a convention to provide for:
i. the right of every citizen to benefit from complementary and alterative medicines;
ii. a common approach to the recognition and registration of the practitioners of such medicines so that an acceptable standard of care is established in all member states.
Signed: Atkinson, Dundee, Toivonen, Böhm, Berg, Lopez Henares, Solé Tura, Billing, Kelam, Pahor.
1 1 1. This text only represents the views of the individual members who have signed it. It does not reflect a position adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly.