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Journal of Bioethical Inquiry
Published in: Journal of Bioethical Inquiry 1/2019

Open Access 01-03-2019 | Original Research

Medicine is Patriarchal, But Alternative Medicine is Not the Answer

Author: Arianne Shahvisi

Published in: Journal of Bioethical Inquiry | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Women are over-represented within alternative medicine, both as consumers and as service providers. In this paper, I show that the appeal of alternative medicine to women relates to the neglect of women’s health needs within scientific medicine. This is concerning because alternative medicine is severely limited in its therapeutic effects; therefore, those who choose alternative therapies are liable to experience inadequate healthcare. I argue that while many patients seek greater autonomy in alternative medicine, the absence of an evidence base and plausible mechanisms of action leaves patients unable to realize meaningful autonomy. This seems morally troubling, especially given that the neglect of women’s needs within scientific medicine seems to contribute to preferences for alternative medicine. I conclude that the liberatory credentials of alternative medicine should be questioned and make recommendations to render scientific medicine better able to meet the needs of typical alternative medicine consumers.
Footnotes
1
Hereafter, I will only refer to alternative medicine, as defined here, as this is the target of my analysis. This presents an apparent methodological difficulty, since the literature upon which I draw does not use a consistent definition of alternative medicine. Very often, studies coalesce complementary and alternative medicine into the same term (as “CAM”), or, where definitions of either are attempted, there is variability, and none quite matches my own. In practice, this doesn’t present a serious difficulty, since it is standard for each paper to also offer an operational definition (by listing treatments of interest), from which one can confirm that the therapies in question are (largely or solely) those which in any case qualify as alternative medicine according to my definition, even if many of them use the looser and more customary “complementary and alternative medicine” label.
 
2
It is important to note that while wealthier people are the primary users of AM in Western contexts, elsewhere this trend is reversed. In India and Nepal, poorer, less empowered groups tend to be the primary clients of AM practitioners, since AM is a cheaper, less technologized sector, which is therefore more accessible to those with fewer resources (e.g., women, older people) (Broom et al. 2009; Cameron 2010).
 
3
Pamela Stevens, Marketing Manager of the Society of Homeopaths (pers. comm. May 17, 2018).
 
4
Margaret Coats, Chief Executive and Registrar of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (pers. comm. May 17, 2018).
 
5
Despite its name, the therapies regulated by the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council are almost entirely those defined as alternative medicine in section 3 of this article. I list each of them here, along with a reference which demonstrates the paucity or absence of scientific evidence for the efficacy of the therapy: Alexander technique (Baggoley 2015; NHS Choices 2015), aromatherapy (Baggoley 2015), Bowen therapy (Baggoley 2015), colon hydrotherapy (American Cancer Society 2015), craniosacral therapy (Atwood 2004; Hartman 2006), hypnotherapy (Flammer and Bongartz 2003), acupuncture (Ernst 2009a; Colquhoun and Novella 2013), naturopathy (Atwood 2003), reflexology (Ernst 2009b), reiki (Lee et al. 2008), shiatsu (Robinson et al. 2011). In addition to these, the following evidence-based complementary therapies are also regulated by the same body: nutritional therapy, sports therapy, massage therapy, and yoga therapy.
 
6
Lisa Smith, General Council and Register of Naturopaths Registrar and Secretary (pers. comm. May 18, 2018).
 
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Metadata
Title
Medicine is Patriarchal, But Alternative Medicine is Not the Answer
Author
Arianne Shahvisi
Publication date
01-03-2019
Publisher
Springer Singapore
Published in
Journal of Bioethical Inquiry / Issue 1/2019
Print ISSN: 1176-7529
Electronic ISSN: 1872-4353
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11673-018-9890-5

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