In Defense of Teaching Alternative Medicine in Australian Universities

“A group of Australia's most prominent doctors and scientists is trashing alternative medicines such as Chinese herbal remedies, chiropractics, acupuncture and homeopathy, calling them 'quackery' and 'nonsense' and urging universities to stop teaching them....

“But some universities and practitioners have hit back, saying up to 70 per cent of Australians use alternative medicine and it is crucial to teach and conduct research on it.

“Dr Jon Wardle, a naturopath and research fellow at the University of Queensland, said the group opposing alternative medicine consisted of 'dogmatists' who refuse to accept evidence supporting complementary medicine.

“'They're actually not that interested in evidence, because the overwhelming evidence is that putting (complementary and alternative medicine) into universities has increased the standards, decreased the fringe element and improved public safety, so it definitely smacks of dogmatism,' Dr Wardle told The Conversation website.”