Batman and I recently went to a small town market day. The markets are run twice weekly and they have a distinctly country feel; everyone is 'chilled out' and things move just slowly enough feel relaxing. Soon after showing up, we turned down a particular row of stalls in a relatively small corner of the place. The smells were overpowering. Lavender, Sandalwood, Rosehip and Orange peel. My allergies went to town. Hastily, we continued on; rainbow and tie-dye hallucinations flicked past. I caught sight of some signs "Have your palm read", "Mystic Medusa heals" , "Essential oils for pure relaxation", "Pure oils for essential relaxation", "Keep colds at bay". And the scariest of all;

There was practically one ailment for each letter of the alphabet. I thought to myself "Who pays money for this $hit". The answer to this question is complex, because essentially everyone does. In fact, when it comes to Complementary Medicine, I've sold plenty and dispensed a bunch on prescription too.

Unfortunately, a large amount of Complementary Medicine is nonsense. Some of it is kosher. Big Pharma's corporate involvement has really validated alot of claims, especially as far as consumers are concerned. Obviously, the corporates on-board with all this too; almost everyone has heard of vitamin ranges Blackmores, Nature's Own and Swisse. I'm sure they're extremely profitable enterprises. There's big advertising too; think TV, magazines, radio, the lot. It's big business. It might even be mainstream.

Take Vitamins. Loosely speaking, Vitamins and essential minerals are an important part of your diet. If you don't get the right about in your diet, you need to get them somewhere. If you can't absorb a certain Vitamin, then you need to get it into your system another way. There are studies and Cochrane Reviews. The pathology is well understood. This is one end of a broad spectrum. That's why the government fortifies your bread with Folate. It's not a conspiracy - it's public health! Next time you're full of doubt, take some time to read about Wernicke-Korsakoff disease or B-12 deficiency. I'm not saying that Vitamins are the only answer. Or even the main answer. I'm saying that Vitamins have a place in prevention and treatment in appropriate patients.

At the markets, I didn't see treatments that had been subjected to a Cochrane Review. Instead, I witnessed (and smelled) Healing Potions of the worst kind. This is the other end of the spectrum. Remedies that I could make in my back yard, even if I hadn't been to pharmacy school. I wouldn't need to purchase any ingredients; I'd just tear up tiny pieces of newspaper, stir them into a gallon drum of water and sell them as a cure for writers cramp. I would call it;

This is the level of science behind the nonsense peddled at the markets. And, in all seriousness, it's the same science as most of the stuff sold in supermarkets and 'over the counter' in pharmacies. If it really helps with disease, it'll have evidence. Find some. What I'm getting at here is that if your only source for the health benefits of a product is the internet, a neighbour, your mum or your uncle's dog, then for your own sake, ask someone with some balanced, certified knowledge. Remember that complementary medicines can interact with your existing medication, and even stop them from working. That's not a health benefit; that's harmful.

As you can see from the earlier quote, I took particular objection to the advertising methods on show at the markets. For me, this is one of the biggest problems in the whole debate. Only two countries in the world have Conventional Prescription Medicines legally advertised to the general population; New Zealand and the USA. In New Zealand, the difference between Prescription and Complementary medicine is clear; it is illegal for medicines to make unproven therapeutic claims. Prescription medication must only be advertised for approved illnesses. That's why you can't use antibiotics for hypertension. Thus, no evidence means no therapeutic claims. Complementary medicine can only be sold under the proprietary name, such as "St. John's Wort", and only suggestions as to the medicine's uses are permitted. By comparison, here in Australia, John Doe picks up a bottle of, say, Blackmore's Proseren (containing Saw Palmetto), that claims it "has been shown to relieve the symptoms of medically diagnosed benign prostatic hypertrophy". The line is blurred. So blurred, in fact, that John Doe may even be believe the quote above, irrespective of any evidence whatsoever.

Recently on the ABC's Gruen Transfer, a panel show about television advertising, one of the guest panelists commented along the idea that in the advertising industry, you can choose one of two paths. Either the consumer essentially uneducated and you're trying to suck them in, or the consumer is educated and you're convincing them to make an educated choice. The panelist nobly chose the latter. I say that for most it's the former. Especially in health. Considering the broad base of knowledge required and the speed at which new knowledge is attained, truly educated consumers are few and far between. In case you're wondering, I'm certain that the lady selling the Sandalwood Healing Potions is neither an informed consumer, nor an informed seller. Maybe she takes Blackmore's Proseren.

As we know, people take complementary medicines to feel better. The placebo effect is a wonderful thing. It has well documented health benefits and, by gum, it made a big difference to some chronic complaints in the time before conventional medicine. Today, it's much the same. Multivitamins for wellness technically live up to their therapeutic claims. They might actually make you feel better for taking them. But they won't help with your cancer, myocardial infarct or diabetes.

My true opinion on all this was deveopled about five years ago, after a conversation with a medical student. We came to a shared conclusion;


Treatment of many conditions need a wholistic approach. It's called the Biopsychosocial model of Medicine, of which I'm a firm advocate. Adjuvant therapy that doesn't interact may be worth discussing with your doctor or pharmacist. There are always options. Get the opinion of a number of health professionals, and give credit where credit is due. Be wary of anecdotal 'benefits'. Don't unwittingly throw away your money. Don't just listen to a naturopath. Don't just listen to a doctor.

I didn't buy any Healing Potions at the Markets. I bought some Old English Liquorice. Batman bought some sandals. We came home feeling very relaxed. That country market atmosphere was so relaxing you could almost bottle it. Almost.