The Regulation of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Abstract

The 21st century has seen the rapid growth of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) sector (Hoffman, 2008). This is matched by an equally enthusiastic reception from the public (Molassiotis et al., 2005; Scott et al., 2005). Although these signal the pressing need to ensure that the users of these therapies are sufficiently protected from unscrupulous and incompetent practitioners, the regulation of CAM in the UK has been in a state of flux for a number of years. This paper provides an overview of how CAM disciplines are categorised and regulated in this country; the laws that practitioners need to abide by; and the legal actions that could be pursued by users for wrong-doings committed in the therapeutic setting.