Issues to consider

Monday 2 February, 2009

Reviewed: A/P Michael Jefford,Consultant Medical Oncologist, Peter Mac; Dr Raymond Snyder, Director of Oncology, St Vincent's Hospital; Beth Wilson, Health Services Commissioner, Victoria; Dr Amanda Hordern, Director, Cancer Information and Support Service. Developed with funding from the Victorian Department of Human Services.

On this page: Making the right decision ι Finding a therapist ι Stopping a therapy or changing therapists ι What to do if you have concerns about your therapist ι Calculating the cost

Many people find the best way to decide on whether to use complementary therapies or alternative therapies is to understand as much as possible about their cancer and its treatment. This helps them to feel more in control and to make the choices that are best for them.

Before deciding on any type of therapy, find out about its safety and effectiveness as well as some background information on the therapist (see Finding a therapist). Find out about its cost before agreeing to anything.

Making the right decision

The following tips can help guide you to make the right decision about using any type of therapy:

  • Ask yourself what you want to gain: do you want help with treating the cancer, control of symptoms and side effects or do you just want to learn how to relax? No complementary or alternative cancer therapy can control or cure cancer of any kind. However, some may help make you feel better and relieve certain symptoms and side effects.
  • Look for scientific evidence that the therapy will be safe and beneficial - not just anecdotal evidence. (See ‘Finding reliable information about therapies'.)
  • Look at how the service provider describes the therapy. Descriptions such as ‘miracle or magical cure', ‘fast and effective', ‘new cancer cure' may sound hopeful and convincing but they are likely to lack scientific backup.
  • Be wary of any company or therapist who describes their product as a ‘secret' remedy, ingredient or formula. By law the contents of proven treatments are public knowledge. People are entitled to know what they are being given.
  • Find out about possible side effects and if it will affect other treatment you may be having.
  • Find out how much the therapy is going to cost and how many sessions are being recommended. If there is long-distance travel involved, find out whether the cost covers flights and accommodation. (See Calculating the cost.)
  • Find a reliable therapist. (See Finding a therapist.)
  • Talk your treatment choices over with your doctor and others you feel can help. (See Talking to your medical team.)
  • Take your time making your decision. Don't let anyone (family, friends or a therapist) pressure you into something you are not completely sure about.

Use the Help and support information to find out more about any therapy.

Chiropractics and osteopathy are the only two complementary therapies regulated by law in all states of Australia. In Victoria, non-medically qualified acupuncture practitioners must be registered by the Chinese Medicine Registration Board of Victoria.

Finding a therapist

Most reputable therapists will be a member of a professional body (such as a college or association) and follow a strict code of conduct. However, a few therapists will not be so careful or caring, and there may not be a professional body for all types of therapies.

Some therapists are out to make money rather than really help you. You need to feel confident about your therapist.

The following tips may help you choose a therapist who best suits your needs.

  • When you find a therapist you think you may want to use, have a list of questions to ask, such as how long they have practised, if they have treated cancer patients before and what they expect you to gain from the therapy.
  • Always check the qualifications of the therapist. This is not always easy. Sometimes you can contact the relevant professional body and ask if the therapist is registered. (See Help and support for more information). Otherwise, contact the Cancer Council Helpline on 131120 for advice.
  • Question the organisation about the level of training their therapists complete.
  • Where there is a professional body, ask if they have a code of practice and ethics, as well as disciplinary and complaints procedures (most good complementary organisations do). Ensure the therapist you find follows these codes and procedures (if not, don't use them, since you may want to lodge a complaint).
  • Ask the organisation where to look for further information about the specific therapy.
  • If the therapist uses the title ‘Doctor' or Professor', where does the title come from? Is it a recognised institution?
  • If the person calls themselves a ‘specialist', what does this mean? Do they refer to medical qualifications recognised in Australia? (‘Doctor' does not always mean a medical doctor.)
  • If you have mobility problems you may want to check if there is a lift or suitable access into the building.
  • Get a recommendation if possible. Ask your local health centre, cancer doctors and nurses and GP if they know of any reputable local complementary therapists.

Once you find a therapist who you think you would like to use, ask the following questions before you make an appointment.

  • How long have you been in practice?
  • Do you have insurance in case of accidents or negligence?
  • Have you treated cancer patients before? If so, how many have you seen in the past 12 months and with what types of cancer?
  • Is there any evidence to support the use of your therapy in people with cancer?
  • What should I expect to gain from the therapy?
  • How much will the therapy cost and how many sessions or quantities of the product are being recommended? If there is long distance travel involved find out whether the cost covers flights and accommodation.
  • Are there any side effects from the treatment and if so what should I do if I have them?
  • Where can I find further information about the therapy and its benefits?
  • Are there any concessions or Medicare rebates on the therapy?
  • If I want to stop a therapy session at any time, is this okay? (See below, ‘What to do if you have concerns about your therapist'.)
  • Is it okay for my specialist cancer doctor to contact you if necessary?

Keep a record of what your therapist proposes to do. It's a good idea to keep a record of what therapies you have and other issues your therapist discusses. These records may be useful in discussions with your medical doctor, or if anything goes wrong.

‘I think that it is important to look for a therapist who is accredited by a recognised organisation. I spoke with my medical team about any therapy I was thinking about using and who I was considering using. It is also really important to have a good relationship with your therapist. They need to understand that they are part of a treatment team who are caring for you and know what it is that you hope to get from the therapy they are offering.' - Amanda, age 56

Stopping a therapy or changing therapists

Some people begin using a certain therapy and then decide it isn't quite what they thought. You may decide you want change the therapist you use or stop having treatments all together. There are many reasons for this including:

  • feeling no benefits
  • uncomfortable or painful treatments
  • having unexpected side effects
  • feeling uncomfortable with your therapist
  • expensive treatments
  • the therapy doesn't suit your needs
  • feeling too unwell to travel to the therapist.

All of these are valid reasons for stopping a therapy or changing who you use.

It is your choice when you stop using a therapy or when you change therapists.

You also have the right to ask your therapist to stop treatment at any stage during a therapy session. You may just need to change position, go to the toilet, get a drink or talk to your therapist about what you are feeling. But no one should force you to continue with a therapy you are not happy about. Just let the therapist know you want to stop. If you want to give them a reason you can, but you may not feel like talking about it and that is fine.

What to do if you have concerns about your therapist

There are several problems you may come up against when using alternative therapies or complementary therapies. You may feel that a therapist has:

  • not provided you with suitable care
  • not given you sufficient information
  • been negligent or unprofessional
  • failed to give you respect, dignity or privacy.

If you feel you have not been treated in the way you think you deserve, contact the Health Services Commissioner (see Help and support). They are trained to assist you if you want to make a complaint about any health service provider. Don't let embarrassment prevent you from making a complaint if that is what you want to do. If the therapist has behaved unethically then you will also be helping to prevent further, possibly more serious, problems for others who may see them in the future.

Making a complaint about a therapist who doesn't belong to a professional body can be more difficult. This is why it is important to make sure that the person you see is registered with their appropriate professional body before you begin treatment.

Calculating the cost

The use of complementary and alternative therapies is big business. It is estimated that $2.3 billion was spent on these types of therapies in Australia in 2000. This is nearly four times the amount people spend on all pharmaceuticals! Think about what you are paying for and what you are actually getting in return.

The cost of complementary therapies

Some complementary therapies are expensive. This cost comes at a time when you may already be under financial pressure because of your cancer and its treatment. It is important to find out what the costs will be.

Private complementary therapists can charge anywhere between $50 and $150 for an hour of massage, reflexology, counselling or hypnotherapy. Treatments are usually more expensive in the city centre. There may be a reduction if you book a few in advance so always ask. And you may be able to access certain therapies free or at a reduced cost, so always ask your medical team what is available. For example, your GP may be able to refer you for counselling sessions at a reduced cost.

Herbal medicines, vitamins and other supplements used alongside your conventional treatment can cost a lot of money. It may appear cheap to buy one bottle of supplements but if you need four or five a month it can become expensive.

Sales from these products are big business in most countries, worth billions of dollars a year. Beware of buying over the Internet or through a catalogue and paying a lot more for a product than it is worth. There is no quality control of products bought online. Always check with your doctor to see if the product is safe to use.

You cannot claim complementary therapies under Medicare but many therapies are covered by private health funds. Contact your private health fund to find out which ones they may cover.

The cost of alternative therapies

The cost of alternative therapies varies a lot. Many are very expensive. Some may set you back a few dollars a week but others can cost hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars for a treatment that is unlikely to work. Some may involve travel and accommodation costs as well.

There may be ongoing costs so it is important to think about all these things before you go ahead. There have been situations where individuals and families have gone into a lot of debt just to finance an alternative therapy they believed would cure the cancer. See Unethical practices (cancer quackery) for tips on how to prevent spending unnecessary money on alternative therapies.

Back to top

for