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Funding for research on alternative medicines

23 April 2008

Professor Lenore Manderson

Professor Lenore Manderson is the driving force behind research exploring the impact of complementary and alternative medicines on type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Professor Lenore Manderson from the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine has received $660,000 funding from the National Health, Medical and Research Council for research into the effects of alternative and complementary medicines on type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing Senator Jan McLucas announced the funding at the third International Congress on Complementary Medicine Research at Darling Harbour in Sydney.

"Complementary medicine usage represents a substantial proportion of activity in the Australian health care sector," Senator McLucas said.

"More than $2 billion is spent nationally, with up to two-thirds of the Australian adult population using at least one product and one in four using complementary medicine services."

Professor Manderson agrees: "Seventy percent of all Australians make use of some complementary or alternative therapy almost always in addition to conventional medicine.

"We are interested in how people use these therapies when they have been prescribed medication for chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus," Professor Manderson said.

"We assume people combine medication with other therapies and products although they may not consult their doctor and there may be no communication between the doctor and the alternative therapist."

Professor Manderson said with improved treatment and life expectancy many people were living longer with chronic conditions.

"Failure to adhere to medical advice, including regular medication and other aspects of self-care, results in the development of complications and greater demands on the health system," she said.

"We will examine whether patients who see alternative therapists or take complementary medicines are more or less likely to adhere to doctors' medical, diet and exercise advice and whether this heavier use of services reflects greater concern with their health status.

"We also want to determine whether people inform their doctors of alternative therapy treatment during their consultations and, if not, whether this derives from a possible misconception that they would be discouraged."

Professor Manderson said this type of communication may be of vital importance if a person is taking herbs as well as prescribed medicine.

"Our findings will help determine what impact the burgeoning complementary health sector is having on the treatment, costs and management of chronic diseases in our society," Professor Manderson said.

Professor Manderson will collaborate with colleagues from the Faculty of Business and Economics and the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine as well as a researcher from La Trobe University.