Complementary medicine resources for GPs

It is important to know the best resources for information on complementary and alternative medicines to keep patients fully informed of any possible drug interactions or side effects.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use is common in Australia, with more than half of people in South Australia surveyed in 2004 having used CAMs in the past year. Consumers have unrestricted access to CAMs through supermarkets and health food shops, as well as pharmacies, and use of CAMs is largely self-initiated. Patients tend not to disclose their CAM use to their doctors, which may be due to fear of a negative reaction.