Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 1999 Jan; 143(4): 210-3.

[Alternative therapies after enactment of the Individual Health Care Professionals Act (Wet BIG)]

Gevers JK.

Academisch Medisch Centrum, Instituut voor Sociale Geneeskunde, Amsterdam.

Alternative therapies, i.e. methods of treatment which cannot be considered to form part of the regular medical professional standard, are practised not only by alternative practitioners, but to some extent by qualified physicians, also. The Individual Health Care Professionals Act recently enacted in the Netherlands concerns the freedom to practise this complementary medicine. Whereas for physicians the decisions of the disciplinary courts will remain the determining factor, the new law--recognising the right and responsibility of individuals to seek health care wherever they wish--provides more room for alternative practitioners. This does not imply that the law does no longer protect the public from irresponsible forms of alternative medicine. However, it remains to be seen whether the instruments provided by the law to repress such practices are sufficient.