Risks associated with the practice of traditional Chinese medicine - An Australian study

Objective: To investigate the nature and frequency of adverse events that o ccur as a result of the practice of traditional Chinese medicine (acupunctu re and Chinese herbal medicine) in Australia. Methods: Data on adverse events were obtained as part of a comprehensive su rvey of all occupational health groups, government-registered and unregiste red, who practiced traditional Chinese medicine or 1 of its main modalities . Results: Practitioners reported numerous adverse events arising from the ap plication of acupuncture (including fainting, nausea and vomiting, and incr eased pain), or the consumption of Chinese herbal medicines (including dire ct toxic effects and allergic reactions). Practitioners experienced an aver age of 1 adverse event every 8 to 9 months of full-time practice or 1 adver se event for every 633 consultations. The mean adverse event rate of nonmed ical practitioners was less than half the mean adverse event rate of medica l practitioners. Conclusions: The practices of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are n ot risk-free and fatalities have occurred. Variation in adverse event rates between medical and nonmedical practitioners may reflect differences in re levant education or different reporting behaviors. These data represent the first step in the evaluation of adverse event rates in traditional Chinese medicine.