Alternative medicines and cancer treatment in Australia

Alternative Medicines in Australia

Background and Importance of the Issue

Healing wounds, making sick people healthy again, determining the exact condition of people who are ill, and keeping society as healthy as possible -- these are all goals of the healthcare industry in Australia. There are very few things as important to a nation as the good health of its people. There are always incidents and injuries in any society, and there are health problems due to the imperfection of the human body and the intervention of substances that can cause a person to be ill. Cancer is one of the leading causes of illness and death in Australia. According to the Cancer Council of Australia, on in five cancer deaths result from smoking cigarettes and 3% of cancers are due to alcohol consumption; moreover, in Australia in 2012 an estimated 534,000 "…new cases of cancer will be diagnosed" (www.cancer.org.au).

The Cancer Council of Australia also explains that more than 43,000 people died from cancer in Australia in 2010, and that one out of every two Australians will be diagnosed with some form of cancer by the age of 85. The leading cause of death in Australia is in fact cancer, not auto accidents or other diseases (www.cancer.org.au). Hence, cancer and the other diseases that affect Australians must be treated well, and there are many who feel the traditional types of cancer treatments -- and treatments for other maladies -- are not always the right way to go about the healing process.

Thesis: There are many holistic / alternative / natural medicines that have been proven to help individuals resist disease and even help to cure diseases. Despite the criticisms by some in the country of using alternative medicines, Australians should embrace proven alternative medicines because in a society dominated by traditional medicine and healthcare, there is room for proven alternatives.

Outline -- Arguments For Alternative Medicines

A wealth of information is available reflecting the value of alternative medicines in Australia

Authors, doctors, and reputable organizations provide important data and background into how and why alternative medicines are important

Many people with cancer would prefer not to have chemotherapy and instead opt for alternative medicines

Controlling Idea / Argument #1

According to author Leah Hechtman (her book Clinical Naturopathic Medicine) between 33% and 83% of people with cancer in Australia use "…complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) after diagnosis" of cancer (Hechtman, 2012). Most users of CAM tend to be "…educated women with breast cancer" and moreover, patients who do use CAM are "more optimistic than others and the most common reason they chose to use CAM was the increase of hope" (Hechtman). This is not to say that these individuals using CAM are not also using more traditional medicines; in fact Hechtman reports that about 80% of Australians with cancer use CAM along with "conventional treatment."

Counter Argument to Argument #1

Hechtman reports that while traditional treatment of cancer includes "…surgery, radio-therapy and pharmaceuticals (chemotherapy)… overall medicine still has strong objections to any alternatives such as herbal medicines or nutritional supplements."

Refutation to the Counter Argument #1

The objections are frequently articulated in the traditional medical community notwithstanding the fact that there is "…increasing evidence that complementary medicines can significantly improve outcomes" (Hechtman). Hechtman also notes that some cancer patients do not use traditional medical interventions (like chemotherapy) and even though it is "daunting" to go against the traditional healthcare treatments, "…a small number do so with some success."

Rebuttal to Counter Argument #2

The Nation Herbalists Association of Australia asserts that herbal medicine "…remains the oldest and most used form of medicine on the planet today…the modern herbalist may utilize medicinal plants from all over the world, in the context of a health philosophy incorporating modern and traditional concepts and knowledge" (NHAA, 2010).

Controlling Idea / Argument #3

"Disenchantment with orthodox medicine has seen the popularity of alternative therapies in Australia climb steadily during the past 20 years…" and growing numbers of Australian doctors (especially younger doctors) are putting together group practices with "alternative therapists" (Cambridge ESOL, 2005).

Counter Argument to #3

"In Britain and Australia, horrified scientists are fighting hard against the teaching of alternative therapies in publicly funded universities and against their provision in mainstream medical care" (The Economist, 2012).

Rebuttal to Counter Argument

"CAM has been around for centuries… [and it] sprang from ancient systems of medicine, while homeopathy, herbalism and naturopathy came from the 18th and 19th centuries" (Twohig, 159).

In conclusion it is apparent that while there are legitimate opponents and medical people that are clearly threatened by the prospect of millions turning away from prescription drugs and embracing holistic / alternative medicines, alternative medicines are here to stay. In Australia there is a great deal of resistance to alternative medicines, but on the other hand there is a tremendous amount of support for those therapies that are emerging (and some that have been around for centuries). The naysayers can have their day in the sun, if they wish, but eventually they will be in a distinct minority and the public will benefit when that day comes.