Positive Health Online

Abstract

MAXION-BERGMANN and co-authors, PanMedion Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland, have reviewed the cost of complementary and alternative therapies.

Background

The aim of this literature review was to investigate costs of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Methodology

A systematic literature search was conducted in 11 electronic databases. All retrieved titles and reference lists were also hand-searched.

Results

38 publications were found: 23 on CAM of various definitions (medical and non-medical practitioners, over-the-counter products), 13 on homeopathy, 2 on herbal medicine. Studies investigated different kinds of costs (direct or indirect) and used different methods (prospective or retrospective questionnaires, data analyses, cost-effectiveness models). Costs per CAM-treatment / patient / month were AUD 7-66, CAD 250 and GBP 13.62. Costs per treatment were EUR 205 (range: 15-1,278), USD 414 +/- 269 and USD 1,127. In two analyses herbal medicine proved to be cost-effective. One study revealed a reduction of 1.5 days of absenteeism from work in the CAM group compared to conventionally treated patients. Another study, performed by a health insurance company reported a slight increase in direct costs for CAM. Costs for CAM covered by insurance companies amounted to approximately 0.2-0.5% of the total healthcare budget (Switzerland, 2003). Publications had several limitations, e.g. efficacy of therapies was rarely reported.

Conclusion

As compared to conventional patients, CAM patients tend to cause lower costs, but the limited methodological quality lowers the significance of the available data. Further well-designed studies and models are required.

References

Maxion-Bergemann S, Wolf M, Bornhoft G, Matthiessen PF, Wolf U. Complementary and alternative medicine costs - a systematic literature review. Forschende Komplementarmedizin 13 Suppl 2: 42-45, 2006.