Issues in complementary and alternative medicine

3.11 Key ethical issues for CAM practitioners

Although CAM practitioners? duties may vary in nature from other health professionals? duties, the types of ethical concern remain broadly similar. The rest of this extract considers the key ethical areas underpinning standards of best practice in CAM. Although CAM practice varies dramatically in scope, all the issues listed in Box 6 are central to ethical practice. Each one is considered further below.

Box 6 Key ethical issues

• Competence

• Research

• Negotiation of contracts with users

• Respect for autonomy and consent

• Consent for children receiving CAM

• Respect confidentiality

• Maintain professional boundaries

• Professional etiquette and whistleblowing

• An effective complaints mechanism

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