Regulation of alternative medicine

The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – article 34 (Specific legal obligations) of the General Comment No.

[11] In the state of Texas, physicians may be partially protected from charges of unprofessional conduct or failure to practice medicine in an acceptable manner, and thus from disciplinary action, when they prescribe alternative medicine in a complementary manner, if board specific practice requirements are satisfied and the therapies utilized do not present "a safety risk for the patient that is unreasonably greater than the conventional treatment for the patient's medical condition.

The act prohibits techniques such as psychotherapy, surgery, midwifery, or dentistry but, after full disclosure, permits many alternative practices such as color or aromatherapy which are deemed harmless.

[15] However, for the herbal substances in pharmacopoeial monographes, the detailed information should be supplied to relevant authorities [16] The production of modern pharmaceuticals is strictly regulated to ensure that medicines contain a standardized quantity of active ingredients and are free from contamination.

Alternative medicine products are not subject to the same governmental quality control standards, and consistency between doses can vary.

[24] The Swiss Federal Constitution prescribes that the Confederation and the Cantons shall, within the scope of their powers, ensure that consideration is given to complementary medicine.

[25] Safety, quality and efficacy are the only criteria on which United Kingdom legislation is founded to control human medicines.