From then to Now: Regulatory Theory and Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practice in Australia

This article deals with the nature of regulation by government and private institutions in Australia of the provision of health services in particular of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The primary questions considered are whether the current regulation of CAM practice in Australia is focused on the public interest and if it provides sound regulation based upon efficiency (greater competition in the health care market); and effectiveness (if it deals with regulatory gaps, protection of public health, flexibility, proportionality and parsimony). This article includes a historical review of the regulatory structure for CAM and an analysis of how it has developed over decades to a more mature position.