Government Review into Natural Therapies 2019-20

On 7 April 2019, the Minister for Health announced an updated review of natural therapies. The review will be led by the Australian Government Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Professor Brendan Murphy, and be supported by the Natural Therapies Review Expert Advisory Panel (NTREAP).

Terms of Reference
Comments are invited on the draft Terms of Reference (ToR). It is proposed the review will be conducted in two tranches:

  • Tranche one: Naturopathy, Western Herbalism, Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates and Shiatsu;

  • Tranche two: Alexander Technique, Aromatherapy, Bowen Therapy, Buteyko, Feldenkrais, Homeopathy, Iridology, Kinesiology, Reflexology and Rolfing.

You are encouraged to consider any additional evidence of clinical effectiveness of any of the 16 excluded natural therapies which are within scope of the role of your organisation, with a view to providing the details of the evidence to the NTREAP when it is established.

Nominations for advisory panel
Nominations are invited for membership of the NTREAP.  Members will be appointed for their expertise, rather than as representatives of particular organisations.

Nominees should have expertise in research/evaluation of scientific evidence of clinical effectiveness and/or experience in practice in the relevant natural therapies. Potential members should be available for a number of meetings between August 2019 and June 2020.  Sitting fees for meetings will be paid to members.

Download the Draft Terms of Reference – 2019 update to the Review of the Aust Govt Rebate on PHI for Natural Therapies

Requested response time frames
Any nominations and ToR comments must be sent by return email by close of business Wednesday 7 August 2019.

The Department appreciates your engagement with this process. This email has been sent to stakeholders, including providers of the natural therapies to be reviewed, consumers, and private health insurers. If you are aware of other interested stakeholders who would like to be kept informed about the review, please ask them to contact the Department at: naturaltherapiesreview@health.gov.au