Unconventional Practice, “Innovative” Interventions and the National Law

Abstract

This column explores a recent health profession disciplinary case which throws light on the problems of unconventional interventions by medical practitioners under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 (Qld). The case involved “innovative” practices which were later found to have been scientifically unsupported, dangerous to patients and grounds for cancelling the health practitioner’s registration. The article looks at common features of these kinds of cases in Australia and then examines recent attempts by the Medical Board of Australia to draft policy guidance around the use of unconventional practice in medicine. The article concludes with a number of changes to improve the effectiveness of the proposed policy.