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Opening the Door to Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Self–Regulation in Ontario
Author(s) -
Gilmour Joan,
Kelner Merrijoy,
Wellman Beverly
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
law and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.534
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-9930
pISSN - 0265-8240
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9930.00132
Subject(s) - statutory law , alternative medicine , inclusion (mineral) , politics , health care , integrative medicine , public relations , political science , public administration , medicine , traditional medicine , sociology , social science , law , pathology
This paper examines the steps that three complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) groups – naturopaths, acupuncturists/traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and homeopaths – are taking to achieve statutory self–regulation in the province of Ontario. The regulatory framework created by the Regulated Health Professions Act of 1991 is outlined, and the differing approaches taken by each of the three groups to gain inclusion under its umbrella are compared and contrasted. The paper assesses the influence of current regulatory and socio–political environments, and queries the extent to which the paradigms of health and health care of these different groups can be accommodated in a regulatory regime heavily reliant on the conventional medical model.