Complementary Medicine:
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Your patient has been suffering from chronic low back pain for many years now. She voices her frustration with the various treatment modalities that you have been trying and says she is considering getting acupuncture. How do you respond? |
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Complementary Medicine:
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A young mother has just been informed that her 2-year-old son has leukemia. The mother refuses permission to begin chemotherapy and informs the team that their family physician (a naturopath) will follow the child's illness. What should you do? |
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NOTE: The UW Dept. of Bioethics & Humanities is in the process of updating all Ethics in Medicine articles for attentiveness to the issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Please check back soon for updates!
Complementary Medicine:
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A young mother has just been informed that her 2-year-old son has leukemia. The mother refuses permission to begin chemotherapy and informs the team that their family physician (a naturopath) will follow the child's illness. What should you do? |
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Of utmost importance are the child's best interests, which include getting good medical care and maintaining a close connection with his mother. One way to achieve both is by requesting a care conference with both the mother and the family's naturopathic physician. It is best not to assume that the family’s naturopathic provider is in agreement with the mother. The potential therapeutic value of chemotherapy is part of licensed naturopathic physician training, as is the specialist nature of cancer treatment. The family ND may fully support chemotherapy as part of the child’s care plan. If the mother refuses this meeting and you remain convinced that chemotherapy is the only hope this child has, you are professionally obligated to seek a court order to appoint a guardian for the child. If chemotherapy offers a clear and compelling survival benefit, the justification for seeking legal intervention increases.
Complementary Medicine:
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Your patient has been suffering from chronic low back pain for many years now. She voices her frustration with the various treatment modalities that you have been trying and says she is considering getting acupuncture. How do you respond? |
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In this case, there are few clearly effective treatments for the medical condition. Hence, complementary approaches may be a reasonable recommendation, assuming they are not harmful. While you may know little about acupuncture yourself, you may encourage your patient to consult with local experts to inform herself about what acupuncture can offer. Encourage your patient to stay in contact with you and inform you about both the perceived benefits and any side effects she may experience.