Naturopath scepticism
September 15, 2014
FRIENDS of Science in Medicine
(FoSM) has said the provision of
naturopathy in pharmacy is an
“unethical, profit-seeking gimmick”.
Writing in The Skeptic, FoSM ceo
Loretta Marron said naturopath
services including iridology,
live blood analysis and tongue
diagnosis, were unproven and
largely a “waste of time and
money.”
Pharmacies were frontline
agents of primary care, with roles
including protecting patients from
“fraudulent and unscientific”
therapies, who must be persuaded
of the safety and effectiveness of
offerings, Marron wrote.
“Patients trust the professional
judgment of their pharmacists.
“... Can you really trust a
pharmacy where you are
encouraged to have unproven
diagnostics, questionable advice
and so-called treatments,
from someone trained in
pseudoscience?”
Australian Naturopathic
Practitioners Association president
Eta Brand said naturopathy’s core
modalities included use of herbal
and nutritional medicine, and that
there was a “huge amount” of
evidence in these areas.
Not all naturopaths were trained
in iridology as this was not part of
the core training, she said.
Pharmacists were often not
properly trained in all areas
of complementary or natural
medicine, and naturopaths working
next to pharmacists was a “truly
brilliant” model, she said.
Naturopathy education was
moving towards Bachelor degrees,
she said.
The Pharmacy Board has
published guidance around
alternative therapy practised in
pharmacy by other persons (CLICK
HERE to view).
The Code of Conduct states a
pharmacist must take an evidencebased
approached.
Pharmaceutical Society of
Australia national president Grant
Kardachi said pharmacists should
always be guided by the Code of
Ethics when considering whether or
not a product or service should or
should not be available.
“Principle 1.1 clearly puts the
consumer’s health and wellbeing as
the first priority.”
The code said professional
judgement must be exercised
to the supply of products likely
to constitute an unacceptable
hazard to health or the supply
of unnecessary and/or excessive
quantities of medicines, Kardachi
said.
“Further, Principle 4 of the Code
makes it clear that “all aspects of
pharmacy practice are underpinned
by quality use of medicines
principles and evidence-based
practice.”
To read the article, CLICK HERE.
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