RESTORE COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE HEALTH FUND REBATES and rescind the decision to remove natural therapies from the definition of ‘general treatment under section 121-10 of the Private Health Insurance Act 2007’. The removal of rebates for the 17 natural/traditional and complementary medicine modalities was based on the FLAWED and BIASED assessment by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in 2015. We demand that the Commonwealth Ombudsman investigation of a complaint made to it about the NHMRC breaching its own safeguards into evaluating scientific evidence, regarding their assessment of Natural Medicines and specifically the homeopathic submission, makes its findings public. Why was the first favourable assessment of homeopathic medicine not acted on and a new negative report produced? http://www.nhmrchomeopathy.com/ombudsman-exec-summary.html

Your democratic rights are under threat!

Every person that desires to be able to make a free choice as to what form of medical treatment is right for them, is at risk of losing this democratic right

Why speak about the NHMRC? The impact of this review determines local and national decision making for our future! The NHMRC states ‘This review was undertaken by the National Health and Medical Research Council, which was tasked with reviewing scientific literature examining the effectiveness and, where available, the safety and cost effectiveness of 17 natural therapies. These reviews were conducted in line with NHMRC’s approach to assessing evidence. The NHMRC reviews were undertaken for the specific purpose of informing the Australian Government’s Natural Therapies Review’. This review by the NHMRC is now known to be flawed and biased on many levels. https://www.hri-research.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Executive-Summary-to-Ombudsman-Complaint-re-NHMRC-Homeopathy-Review-FINAL.pdf

Removing health fund rebates before the Ombudsman final review is published is unacceptable! The knock-on effect is an attack on the natural therapy and traditional medicine industry. Educational facilities will not attract new natural therapy students and a new generation of practitioners will be lost. Traditional treatment and medicine will be classified as non-therapeutic and manufacturing pharmacies will close.

Big pharma will be your only choice.

The effects of the NHMRC or ‘the Australian report’ has had a GLOBAL impact. This flawed and biased document has become the excuse for any and every attack of Natural therapies in countries around the entire world. . https://www.yourhealthyourchoice.com.au/news-features/last-chance-to-act-senate-passes-natural-therapies-rebates-cuts/

Why when there is an Australian industry with over 28,000 small businesses in this sector which employ 36,487 people and contribute $4.7 billion to the economy annually and growth of 3.1% over the last three years would anyone want to do that[1]. Why indeed?

STAND UP AND BE COUNTED NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!

[1] ATMS media release, 17 May 2018 , Australians tur, to natural therapies in the millions https://www.atms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Australians-turn-to-natural-therapies-in-the-millions-FINAL.pdf4 IBIS World: Alternative Health Therapies - Australia: Market Research Report https://www.ibisworld.com.au/industry-trends/marketresearch-reports/thematic-reports/alternative-health-therapies.html accessed 5/12/2018n