Year: 2018

Medical pluralism can be defined as the employment of more than one medical system or the use of both conventional and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for health and illness. According to Nazrul (2005), pluralism and the co-existence of a variety of different medical systems within chosen context are common features in various settings. The popularity of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) raises a range of ethical issues for practicing clinicians. Principles of biomedical ethics define obligations of health care professionals, but applying principles in particular cases at the interface of CAM and biomedicine may be particularly challenging (Tilburt and Miller, 2007). How do the different systems or practices interact? Is it correct to develop an integrated health system (combining both biomedical and alternative medicines) within the national system in a medically pluralist society?