Our Submissions
We seek to achieve this through active participation in public consultations, reviews and submissions.
2020
Open Letter to New Zealand and Australian Health Ministers
In September, acnem and AIMA joined forces to send an open letter to the ministers of health in Australian and New Zealand asking them to embed an integrative medicine approach into our national health policies. Our letter included signatures from over 200 doctors and more than 400 health practitioners. We will keep you updated on any further communications and outcomes from this.
Consultation Paper for the National Preventative Health Strategy
In September, acnem provided a submission for this consultation paper, which is a key pillar that will help shape Australia’s Long Term National Health Plan. Read our submission here.
Rescheduling of Medicinal Psilocybin and Medicinal MDMA
In September, acnem lodged two submissions to support Mind Medicine Australia’s applications for the rescheduling of medicinal psilocybin and medicinal MDMA as part of therapy. Read our submissions here: Application to reschedule Medicinal Psilocybin and Application to reschedule Medicinal MDMA.
Barriers to patient access to medicinal cannabis
In January, acnem provided a submission to the Senate inquiry into the current barriers to patient access to medicinal cannabis in Australia. The Senate Community Affairs References Committee will be reporting on this by 26 February. Review acnem’s submission.
2019
Public consultation on clearer regulation of medical practitioners
In 2019, acnem provided a submission to the Medical Board of Australia for its public consultation on clearer regulation of medical practitioners who provide complementary and unconventional medicine and emerging treatments. We will share any findings or outcomes from the Medical Board of Australia on this consultation as soon as they are released. Review acnem’s submission.
Update 16th February 2021: Congratulations to everyone who made their voices heard in submissions to the MBAs draft guidelines in 2019! This is a huge win both for the protection of patient choice and access and for the acknowledgement of the amazing work of nutritional, environmental and integrative doctors and allied health professionals throughout Australia.
The Medical Board of Australia noted that it will not change the existing professional standards framework in relation to patients seeking care from medical practitioners who provide complementary and unconventional medicine and emerging treatments.
The Board will not issue guidelines on ‘complementary and unconventional medicine and emerging treatments’ and will continue to rely on the existing standards framework set out in Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia. The code includes guidance on patient assessment, basing clinical decisions on the best available information and considering the balance of benefit and harm, and informed consent.
The Board received more than 13,000 submissions to its consultation on options for clearer regulation of medical practitioners who provide complementary and unconventional medicine and emerging treatments.
The consultation, open for six months in 2019, sought feedback about whether additional safeguards were needed for patients receiving care from medical practitioners who provide complementary and unconventional medicine and emerging treatments. It looked at options to best protect patients and minimise the risk of harm to them, without stifling innovation, making a judgement about specific clinical practices or limiting patients’ right to choose their healthcare.