Doctors Demand Integrative Medicine Be Incorporated Into National Health Policy – Scoop.co.nz

Wednesday, 16 September 2020, 6:05 amPress Release: Australasian Integrative Medicine Association

Integrative medicine specialists are lobbying theAustralian and New Zealand governments to incorporateintegrative medicine into national health policy.

Twoof Australasias leading integrative medicineorganisations ACNEM and AIMA have written to state andfederal health ministers requesting a meeting to discussinclusion of evidence-based, cost- effective interventionsto improve public health.

200 integrative doctors andmore than 400 health practitioners have signed the letterwhich requests the inclusion of integrative medicine totreat chronic disease and improve immunity.

The letterIntegrativeMedicine: Essential to support the fight against COVID-19requests a meeting with health departments tooutline the evidence supporting integrative healthtreatments in reducing inflammation and increasing immunity(such as Vitamin D and Zinc) in response to COVID-19.

Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovasculardisease and hypertension are important co-factors in themorbidity of COVID-19 patients. The petition states poornutrition and micronutrient depletion to be common in theseconditions and urges the Government to consider improvedhealth directives to boost societal immune function toprotect people from COVID-19 and other emergingviruses.

We are doctors wanting the best possibleoutcomes for our patients based on evidence and individualcare, AIMA President Dr Penny Caldicottsaid.

Now is the time to offer up our resources,skills and research to support the community to buildresilience not only to COVID-19 but also to the many chronicdiseases affecting our health.

Integrative medicalpractice successfully combines evidence-based nutritional,environmental and conventional strategies to treat chronicdisease and improve patient immunity, two crucial co-factors in the fight against COVID-19.

ACNEM PresidentDr Ron Ehrlich said integrative medicine can better preparehumanity for the novel viruses of the 21stCentury:

Government must acknowledge the future ofhealthcare lies with an integrative medicine approach. Aninvestment in this approach is an investment in our economyand our future, he said.

We are wanting aconversation with the Government to improve the health ofall people. We want to build a society which cares deeplyabout health and wellbeing for future generations. Byworking collaboratively with medicine and science we canachieve the best outcomes forall.

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Doctors Demand Integrative Medicine Be Incorporated Into National Health Policy - Scoop.co.nz