Brigita Kreivinienė, Jolanta Vaičiulienė, Sigutė Norkienė, Gitana Skirutienė

Abstract

Lithuania and throughout Europe, the apparent complementary and alternative medicine (here in after – PAM) for demand growth, perceived exploitation potential at-regulated jurisdiction. The debate stems from the concept of the PAM, domain definition, emerging services methodologies, so-called standards, professional qualifications, licensing procedures. The aim – to analyse present situation of regulation of the complementary and alternative medicine, problems and perspectives. Methods. Descriptive literature analysis bringing to the light differences in understanding the main concepts of health, human wellness and CAM regulation. The insights are given from today’s discussions on the regulation documents and different scenarios of regulation in the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania. Results. World Health Organization conceptualize understanding of human health as complete physical, social and spiritual wellness in orientation that a concept of health compounds perception of holistic medicine. It is stated in Health strategy of the European Union (third program, 2014-2020) that human healthiness, prevention and recreational health functions are recommended to apply in all sphere politics. Complementary and alternative medicine has a strong background to become an aspect of holistic understanding in medicine via different fields such as recreation, natural (folk) medicine and others. However present situation has not reached a consensus in regulation because of occurring discussions and issues as well as not yet solved questions. The same importance is to highlight integrity between traditional and complementary and alternative medicine. Conclusion. Descriptive literature analysis brought to the light different strategies with/without similarities in regulation complementary and alternative medicine in Europe; the diverse spheres of medical practice is held complementary and alternative medicine in different countries. However, the balance in regulation could be found in linking the ideas of World Health Organization and strategy of European Region Committee of health politics accepted in annual session 2012 “Health 2020” where the concepts of integrity and holistic medicine are emphasized.

Keyword(s): complementary and alternative medicine; regulation; wellness.
DOI: 10.5200/sm-hs.2016.124
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