Complementary Medicines

Complementary medicines can include herbal, vitamin, mineral, aromatherapy and homoeopathic, nutritional and other supplements.

Medicines Line  is a national information service, providing Australians with access to independent, accurate and up-to-date information about medicines including prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, complementary medicines and herbal and natural therapies. Medicines Line was developed by the National Prescribing Service. You can contact Medicines Line on 1300 633 424, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm EST.

Follow the links below to find information on complementary medicines and their regulation.

Updated August 2011

 

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Regulation of Complementary Therapies and Medicines

HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to information about the regulation and approval of the complementary and alternative therapies and medicines industry.

29 Resources Found

Results 1 to 20 displayed.     1  2 

Title:   Finding Answers about Complementary Medicines
Publisher:   HealthInsite Editorial Team
Description:   The latest edition of MedicinesTalk, published by NPS, an independent organisation encouraging people to be medicinewise, includes an article on finding answers about complementary medicines
Date:   Sep 2011
Title:   Sexcellence sachets
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   Analysis undertaken by the TGA Laboratories in Australia has confirmed the presence of two derivatives of sulfosildenafil in these sachets
Date:   Aug 2011
Title:   OxyELITE Pro capsules (often promoted as Oxy Elite Pro capsules)
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   Analysis undertaken by the TGA Laboratories in Australia has confirmed the presence of therapeutic quantities of Yohimbine in these capsules
Date:   Jul 2011
Title:   Indications for Listed medicines that refer to biomarkers
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   Indications and claims for biomarkers are permitted for listed medicines, but only in the context of maintaining normal levels in healthy persons
Date:   Jul 2011
Title:   St Nirvana herbal slimming capsules
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   Analysis undertaken by the TGA Laboratories in Australia has confirmed the presence of therapeutic quantities of sibutramine in St Nirvana herbal slimming capsules
Date:   Jun 2011
Title:   Pink Lady for Women
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   Analysis undertaken by the TGA Laboratories in Australia has confirmed the presence of therapeutic quantities of tadalafil in Pink Lady for Women capsules
Date:   Jun 2011
Title:   Complementary medicines - the risks of buying online
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Purchasing complementary medicines online can seem attractive. Countless sites on the Internet offer a range of treatments, usually at very cheap prices. However, using products bought from online sites can be risky. Watch out for scams or quackery and don't self-diagnose or self-medicate. Always seek advice from your doctor (GP).
Date:   May 2011
Title:   Kava
Publisher:   Better Health Channel
Description:   Kava is a drug that comes from the roots of the plant Piper methysticum. It is consumed as a drink or supplement. Long-term use leads to problems including liver damage and apathy. It is dangerous to take kava in combination with alcohol or other psychoactive drugs.
Date:   Apr 2011
Title:   The professional pharmacist and the pharmacy business
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   According to current profession-specific standards, Australian pharmacists are expected to be competent in, among other things, the provision of primary and preventive health care. They are often the first healthcare professionals contacted by patients, who they may treat or refer.
Date:   Apr 2011
Title:   Dental notes - Drug interactions with complementary medicines
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Most dentists are unlikely to ask about the use of complementary medicines when taking their patients' medical histories, however many of these medicines have potentially significant interactions with commonly prescribed drugs.
Date:   Dec 2010
Title:   Drug interactions with complementary medicines
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Knowing the dynamic and kinetic interactions associated with commonly used complementary medicines helps to identify the risk of drug interactions. Although information on complementary medicine interactions is not readily provided by the manufacturers, evidence is available by way of case reports, independent research and web-based resources, which have increased in recent years.
Date:   Dec 2010
Title:   1 Body Beautiful
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   In May 2010, the Hong Kong Department of Health issued an alert concerning a product known as 1 Body Beautiful which had been found to contain the undeclared pharmaceutical substances sibutramine and phenolphthalein
Date:   Jul 2010
Title:   Glucosamine and chondroitin in arthritis treatment - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Glucosamine and chondroitin have been widely promoted as dietary supplements for osteoarthritis.
Date:   Mar 2010
Title:   Botanical Slimming Soft Gel capsules, also known as Meizitang
Publisher:   Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
Description:   The TGA's laboratory analyses have detected the presence of sibutramine, an undisclosed prescription-only substance, in Botanical Slimming 100% Natural Soft Gel, also sold as Meizitang.
Date:   Mar 2010
Title:   Adverse reactions to alternative medicines
Publisher:   Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA)
Description:   While complementary alternative medicines (CAM) are often considered to be safe, side-effects and allergic reactions may occur. Allergic reactions are most common in people with other allergic diseases, such as asthma or hay fever.
Date:   Jan 2010
Title:   Dry skin treatments - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Soap substitutes, moisturisers, barrier creams, anti-itch preparations and bath and shower substitutes can all help to alleviate problems associated with having dry skin.
Date:   Mar 2009
Title:   Non-hormonal interventions for hot flushes in women with a history of breast cancer
Publisher:   John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
Description:   Breast cancer is one of the most frequent cancers worldwide and its treatment can produce disturbing symptoms including hot flushes, the sudden feeling of heat in the face, neck and chest. Hormonal treatments are used to control such symptoms in postmen...
Date:   Aug 2008
Title:   Managing your medicines
Publisher:   NSW Department of Health
Description:   People who take medicines regularly or have a chronic illness should not forget to see a doctor to review their medicines before the prescription runs out.
Date:   Oct 2007
Title:   Complementary and alternative medicines
Publisher:   National Prescribing Service
Description:   Complementary and alternative medicines are generally safer and less potent than prescription medicines, but they still need to be used with care. Like other medicines, they can cause side effects in some people, and they may interact with other medicines.
Date:   Sep 2007
Title:   A century of concern about complementary medicines
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   A note on the report of the Royal Commission on Secret Drugs, Cures and Foods (1907).
Date:   Aug 2007

Results 1 to 20 displayed.     1  2