2 in 3 patients don’t tell their doctor about complementary meds

Fear of disapproval is the most common reason for keeping mum on alternative therapies

Two-thirds of patients who use complementary medicines are keeping mum about it when they seek medical help, but GPs can help boost disclosure rates by raising the topic, say Australian researchers.

Lack of disclosure remains a major challenge for doctors, with just 33% of patients raising their complementary medicine use during a consultation, according to a landmark systematic review of 86 international studies published in Scientific Reports.