17 natural therapies that the Australian government thinks are 'ineffective'
A comprehensive review of natural therapies conducted by the Australian government suggests that although these might have some benefits, there is no clear evidence that natural therapies, including massage therapy, are completely effective.
A review of 17 natural therapies conducted by the Department of Health concluded that there is no proof that any of these worked. All of the reviewed therapies were covered by private insurance. The government review findings have further prompted calls for private health insurers and taxpayers to stop paying for natural therapy treatment.
Although the Chief Medical Officer Chris Baggoley did notice low to moderate benefits of some natural therapies such as yoga and tai chi, overall "there was not reliable, high-quality evidence available to allow assessment of the clinical effectiveness of any of the natural therapies for any health conditions," the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
The public health experts in the country have long urged the government to scrap its rebate on natural therapies. The recent review findings only support what they have been demanding for. Currently, the federal government spends around $6 billion on private health insurance rebate. It is estimated that the rebate associated with natural therapies would increase from $67 million in 2017-18 to $79 million in the next financial year.
The report released by the government further states that it does not mean that natural therapies do not work at all. Instead, further research needs to be conducted. Some of the 17 natural therapies reviewed by the government also include aromatherapy, feldenkrais, homeopathy, iridology, kinesiology, pilates and naturopathy.
The purpose of the Review was to ensure that natural therapies are underpinned by a credible evidence base that demonstrates their clinical efficacy, cost effectiveness and safety and quality. However, no clear evidence of their clinical effectiveness has been found by the government.
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