Page last updated: March 2026
The information on this webpage was adapted from Understanding Complementary Therapies - A guide for people with cancer, their families and friends (2026 edition). This webpage was last updated in March 2026.
Expert content reviewers:
This information is based on international and Australian research on complementary therapies. It was developed with help from a range of health professionals:
- A/Prof Geraldine McDonald, Director Patient Experience and Wellbeing, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC
- Laura Carman, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Victoria
- A/Prof Christine Carrington, Senior Consultant Pharmacist Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital and Metro South Health and The University of Queensland, QLD
- Kellie Giannarelli, Consumer
- Dr Suzanne Grant, Senior Research Fellow, Integrative Oncology, NICM Health Research Institute, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW
- Vivienne Hansen, Bush and Western Herbal Medicine Practitioner, WA
- Karla Jaji, Administration Officer, Nepean Cancer and Wellness Centre, NSW
- Dr Laura Kirsten, Senior Clinical Psychologist, Nepean Cancer Services, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, NSW
- A/Prof Judith Lacey, Director of Supportive Care and Integrative Oncology, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW
- Adjunct Professor Danforn Lim, Western Sydney University and University of Technology Sydney, NSW
- Dr David Mizrahi, Senior Research Fellow and Accredited Exercise Physiologist, The Daffodil Centre, University of Sydney and Cancer Council NSW
- Professor Avni Sali AM, Founder and Director, National Institute of Integrative Medicine, VIC
- Gillian Thompson, Consumer
- A/Prof Kate Webber, Medical Oncologist, Monash Health, VIC
- Tanya Wells, Integrative Oncology Consultant and Naturopath, Melbourne Integrative Oncology Group, VIC
- Prof Kate White, Professor Cancer Nursing, Cancer Care Research Unit, The Daffodil Centre, University of Sydney and Cancer Council NSW
Are complementary therapies safe?
Some complementary therapies have been found to be generally safe to use together with conventional cancer treatments and medicines.
However, other complementary therapies can affect how conventional cancer treatments and medicines work and, in some cases, may even make treatment less effective.
Keep in mind that many therapies have the potential to cause injury or harm. So talk to your doctor, pharmacist and therapist before trying anything new. They can explain what is safe for you and what precautions to take.
Some common safety issues include:
- Mind-body practices – Sometimes people feel overwhelmed by the emotions they experience during or after a session. This usually settles soon afterwards. If you continue to feel this way, contact your therapist.
- Body-based practices – See a cancer specialist therapist who follows the guidelines for safe use of these therapies. If you have cancer in the bones, or bruise or bleed easily, take care with body-based practices such as acupuncture and massage.
- Herb and plant-based therapies – You may think all natural products are safe, but this isn’t always true. Some herbs can interact with conventional cancer treatment or medicines and change how they work or how the dose is absorbed (see Safety of herbs). Tell your doctor, pharmacist and therapist about any herbs, vitamins and other supplements you take or want to use. Ask that they check for any possible interactions on a medical database.
Warning signs to look out for
Before using any complementary therapy or medicine, keep the following warning signs in mind.
- The treatment claims to cure cancer and other illnesses.
- The therapist says that the medicine has worked miraculously for other people.
- The therapist claims that a proposed treatment or therapy has no side effects and is “definitely safe” to use.
- All potential side effects have not been explained.
- The therapist is not qualified in the therapy they provide, or not registered with a governing body or professional association.
- The therapist says there are clinical studies showing the effectiveness of their remedy or therapy but does not show you articles from trustworthy journals reviewed by other scientists.
- The therapist attempts to “diagnose” your condition using only a survey or checklist without a proper consultation.
- The therapist runs an in-house “laboratory” that isn’t accredited by any recognised authority and may claim to diagnose “diseases” based on simple unvalidated tests (e.g. via a few drops of blood).
- The medicine is not listed with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
- The therapist tells you to stop using conventional cancer treatment or medicine, because it will interfere with their therapy or remedy.
- The therapist suggests changes to your conventional cancer treatment, asks you not to speak to your doctors about the treatment, or will not tell you what ingredients are in a herbal preparation they give you.
- The treatment costs a lot of money, or you are asked to pay in advance for several months’ supply.
- The therapist asks you to have very expensive tests not covered by Medicare for your condition.
- The service has no physical location and all interactions are conducted online.
- You need to travel overseas to have the treatment.
Safety of herbs
All herbs and herbal supplements should be prescribed by a qualified therapist who knows your health concerns. While herbs are seen as natural, they are not always safe for some people or situations.
Even herbs you have used before may not be okay now, as they may:
- interact with your cancer treatment
- interfere with or make your cancer treatment less effective, or
- may make side effects of treatment worse.
Always take your herbs as prescribed just like you would other medicines. Taking the wrong dose (e.g. a higher dose) or combination, or using the wrong part of the plant, may be poisonous (toxic) or cause side effects, including damage to the liver or kidneys.
Not all Ayurvedic and Chinese medicines have been screened for harmful substances including pesticides, harmful heavy metals such as lead and mercury, or prescription medicine ingredients.
Make sure herbs and supplements you take are prescribed for you or approved by your treatment team, and from a TGA-approved source. For information on the effects of specific herbs and plants, visit:
For safety of essential oils, see Individual therapies. Many pharmacies, chemists, supermarkets and health food shops sell herbal preparations.
For more information on the safety, labelling and regulation of these products, visit the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
Tips for using herbal medicines
- Buy herbal products from a qualified therapist or reputable supplier.
- Ask for any preparation your therapist makes to be clearly labelled in English with your name, date, quantity, ingredients, dose, directions, any safety information, and the therapist’s contact details.
- If you buy products online, choose a reputable pharmacy website and check that the products have an AUST L, AUST L(A) or AUST R number, showing it has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).
- Avoid products from other countries bought online. They aren’t covered by the same quality and safety regulations as those sold in Australia. They may not include the ingredients that are listed on the label and the quality and dosage can vary from very low to high.
- Follow instructions on how to prepare and take herbs. Like any medicine, taking the right dose of herbal remedies at the right time is important for safety.
- Check the label for any warnings about side effects and drug interactions. Talk to your doctor and complementary therapist about possible side effects and what to do if you experience them or feel otherwise unwell.
- Ask your doctor, pharmacist or complementary therapist to check for interactions between your cancer, the conventional treatments and herbal therapies.
- Never self-prescribe herbal medicines, even if you think they are safe. Always check with a qualified and experienced practitioner.
- Report adverse reactions to any kind of medicine or herbal remedy to your therapist or doctor. If the reaction is serious, call Triple Zero (000) or go to the emergency department.
Taking care with herbs and supplements
Some common herbs and supplements have been shown to cause harmful interactions with cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Ask your surgeon or oncologist whether you need to stop taking any herbs or supplements before treatment. It is also important to take care with vitamin and mineral supplements.
- St John’s wort – Used for mild to moderate depression. Shown to stop some chemotherapy drugs and other medicines working properly. May increase skin reactions to radiation therapy. If you are feeling depressed, ask your doctor about other treatments.
- Ginseng – May need to be avoided for some hormone-sensitive cancers, such as breast or prostate cancer.
- Echinacea – Should be avoided with some immunotherapy treatments. May increase the risk of bleeding, especially during chemotherapy. curcumin/ turmeric Can affect drug metabolism (e.g. tamoxifen) if used with some treatments (e.g. cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin). May also help some other treatments. Interactions depend on the drug, so talk to a qualified practitioner.
- Black cohosh – Often used for menopause symptoms (e.g. hot flushes), but not proven to help. Clinical trials show it’s relatively safe, but shouldn’t be used if you have liver damage. No evidence supports its use for people with cancer.
- Fish oil, ginkgo biloba and garlic supplements – May have a blood-thinning effect, which can cause bleeding. This could be harmful for those people with low platelet levels (e.g. from chemotherapy) or having surgery.
- Green tea – Has been shown to stop the cancer drug bortezomib from working properly.
Tell your complementary therapists and other health professionals about any and all herbs and supplements you use before, during or after cancer treatment. This will help them give you the best possible care.
Regulation of medicines
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is the Australian government division that checks and monitors (regulates) all medicines and therapeutic goods sold in Australia.
This includes complementary medicines such as herbs, vitamins, minerals, nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies and some aromatherapy products. The TGA’s role is to protect public health by making sure products:
- are manufactured safely and to acceptable standards of safety and quality, and do what they claim to do (efficacy)
- are produced in facilities that comply with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) both in Australia and overseas
- can be monitored for any adverse reactions and compliance (e.g. recalls, safety warnings, etc) while being sold.
Most therapeutic goods available in Australia – whether made in Australia or overseas – must be listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).
Some homeopathic preparations and specially made (compounded) medicines do not need to be listed on the ARTG. Medicines on the ARTG are given a code to show their level of risk. This code must be displayed on the medicine label.
Some products suggested for use by qualified naturopaths may be labelled as “Practitioner only”. These are only available to practitioners who have a degree and work in a clinic.
AUST L (listed)
These products make low-level health claims and contain pre-approved low-risk ingredients. The TGA checks them for safety and quality only, not for how well they work.
Examples include sunscreen, some vitamin and mineral supplements, and some herbal medicines. You can buy them without a prescription at supermarkets, health food shops and pharmacies.
AUST L(A) (assessed listed)
These products make stronger health claims than other listed medicines and contain pre-approved ingredients. The TGA checks for safety, quality and whether the scientific evidence shows that the product does what it says it does.
These products may have a “TGA assessed” symbol on the label. They are sold at pharmacies, supermarkets and health food stores, without a prescription.
AUST R (registered)
These products are considered higher risk. The TGA checks them for safety, quality and whether the scientific evidence shows that the medicine does what it claims.
They include all prescription medicines, most over-the-counter medicines and some higher-risk complementary medicines. Registered complementary medicines may have a “TGA assessed” symbol on the label.
Regulation of complementary therapists
Some complementary therapists are registered and accredited, but depending on the type of therapy they offer, some may not be.
Registered health practitioners
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and fifteen National Boards regulate health practitioners such as:
- doctors (medical practitioners)
- nurses
- dentists
- pharmacists
- psychologists
- physiotherapists and
- Chinese medicine practitioners (including acupuncturists).
To be registered with a National Board, health practitioners must meet certain standards. This helps ensure they are trained and safe to practise within these professions.
It is against the law for a person to pretend to be a registered health practitioner or use protected professional titles, such as doctor or nurse, if they are not registered.
To check a practitioner is properly registered, visit Ahpra. If you have concerns about the performance or conduct of a registered health practitioner, contact Ahpra.
Unregulated health practitioners
Some health practitioners are not legally regulated under the national registration and accreditation scheme.
They are known as unregulated health practitioners or general health service providers.
They may choose to join a professional association that sets minimum standards. But membership is voluntary and requirements may vary between organisations.
In some states, unregulated health practitioners must follow a Code of Conduct, which must be displayed in the premises.
If you have an issue with an unregulated practitioner, see below for what to do. Some complementary therapists not registered with Ahpra have set up their own regulatory bodies, including:
What to do if something goes wrong
If you feel unwell or have any side effects that you think are from a complementary therapy, stop the treatment right away and talk to your therapist.
They may suggest you adjust your treatment, stop the treatment permanently, seek a second opinion, or see another qualified therapist. You should also talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have a serious reaction, call Triple Zero (000) or go straight to your nearest hospital emergency department. You can call the national Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for advice (24 hours a day).
If you think that a therapist has been negligent, incompetent or unethical, you can make a complaint.
- If they belong to a professional association, contact the association with a formal complaint
- Contact your state or territory health care complaints commission.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) tracks health and medical scams to help the public spot and avoid scams. Visit ScamWatch or the ACCC.
Understanding Complementary Therapies
Download our Understanding Complementary Therapies booklet to learn more.
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