Regulation of alternative medicine good but…

Editor,While I support regulation of alternative medicine providers to some degree, I do not agree with the point that portrays any medicine that is non conventional or scientifically unproven as bad. Remember a scientific fact is simply a fact that has not yet been proven wrong and that is the reason for research – to generate new knowledge or challenge current scientific knowledge. While many traditional remedies may not have scientifically proven agents found within them, it does not mean that a synergistic response cannot take place within the body at cellular level. As a medically trained scientist and researcher, I still strongly support a holistic approach to health care and believe that alternative medicine has a very important role to play in our health.I have used both conventional and alternative medicine in my patients for years with great success. Many internationally recognized universities undertake research in the areas of alternative medicine, including Harvard Medical School. Cuba, although a resource poor country like Rwanda, boasts some of the highest health care parameters in the world, such as life expectancy and infant mortality. Much of the success of their health care system lies in their strong emphasis on primary health care, which includes alternative medicine. Germany advocates strongly against the overuse of antibiotics and most research on homeopathy originates from there. Africa has a long history of traditional medicine is continuously treated with a bias, with negative publicity; it rarely receives international funding for research. When we hear damning reports of alternative medicines we have to question the source of the argument and how much that argument is being influenced by the multimillion dollar global pharmaceutical industry. Yes there are a lot of “quacks” selling magic potions, which have caused harm but please do not paint all alternative and traditional medicine with one brush. As a poor country, let us not become vulnerable to the marketing of the pharmaceutical industries but let us empower ourselves by gathering all the facts so we can make informed decisions about our own health care and the health of our nation whether we choose conventional, alternative or a combination of both. I hope the Ministry of Health will also take the necessary measures to control the continued dispensing of over the counter medications such as human and veterinary antibiotics without prescription, which is causing serious problems relating to anti-microbial resistance in Rwanda.Dr. Sarah, Kigali (Response to the story ‘Gov’t cautions use of alternative medicine’, The New Times, September 25)

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Regulation of alternative medicine good but…