Use

• 2 in 3 Australians use CM each year.
• Almost 4 times more spent on CM (in out of pocket expenses) than on pharmaceuticals.

Industry

• Australian industry valued at $1.5B-$2.5B pa (excluding education, health insurance)
• Global market for herbal remedies alone estimated at $83B (excluding soy, algae & fibre).
• Market growth 3-12% pa (depending on the segment).
• 1/3 CM research in Australia funded by industry but only 0.25% of CM turnover reinvested by industry into research (contrast 5%+ in pharmaceutical industry).

Individual health value

• CM users have healthier lifestyles (better diet, more exercise, less smoking); 73% have minimum serves of fruit & vegetables (54% in general population).

Integration

• 2006 ABS survey: 3.8% of population had consulted a CM practitioner in previous 2 weeks, 42% reported for one of the national priority health conditions.
• At least 1/3 using CM concurrently use pharmaceuticals
• 91% of US medical schools offer a required course in integrative medicine (graduating class of 2009, up from 26% in 2001).
• American Hospital Association November 2007 survey: 37% of responding hospitals offered one or more integrative therapies for patients or staff.

Health system value

• An estimated 1,000 new dementia patients are diagnosed in Australia each year. Severe dementia carries the highest disability weight for all illnesses, equal with severe rheumatoid arthritis and higher than that of final stage terminal cancer (total financial cost in Australia in 2002 estimated at $6.6B, over $40,000pa per person). No simple pharmacological options are currently available for this condition. However, preliminary clinical and preclinical evidence is available that supports the use of specific herbal medicines in dementia.
• There is unequivocal evidence that calcium supplementation, alone or in combination with vitamin D, is effective in the preventive treatment of osteoporotic fractures and bone loss in older people. The 'number needed to treat' statistic is comparable to other approved preventive therapies such as statin drugs to prevent cardiovascular events.
• The Heart Foundation recommends the use of fish, fish oils and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to improve cardiovascular health of Australians. Evidenced benefits include lower risks of coronary heart disease and stroke and reduced serum triglycerides.
• A preliminary blinded study has demonstrated improved clinical outcomes and reduction in hospital stay (1.3 days) post cardiac surgery using a combination of CM supplements.

Content Updated January 2009