Law & Medicine

Complementary and Alternative Medicine


 

In order to guard against malpractice liability, one might consider the approach recommended by Cohen and Eisenberg: Where safety and or efficacy are not established, physicians should be guarded in offering the treatment. They should discourage patients from pursuing dangerous treatments such as injections of unapproved substances and pay close attention to known herb-drug interactions, for example, St. John's wort interacting with oral contraceptives, chemotherapy agents, and immunosuppressants, and ginkgo biloba affecting anticlotting medications. Physicians must also routinely inquire about herbal and home remedies when obtaining a medication history. If a patient insists on CAM treatments despite warnings, document the discussion carefully, including disclosure of potential dangers and lack of efficacy.

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