Is alternative medicine effective?

Anyone can portray themselves as an alternative therapist

Question: Is alternative medicine effective?
Position‹3 of 3: Alternative medicine can cause serious harm
Argument1 of 4›: Anyone can portray themselves as an alternative therapist

Unlike the years and years of intensive education, ongoing supervision and high levels of regulation that doctors, nurses and pharmacists undergo, anyone can set up shop as an alternative therapist or healer.

The argument

Although many alternative therapists have undergone training, the regulations are very loose and traditional and complementary and alternative medicines remain largely unregulated. Front page stories such as the when a diabetic seven-year-old Sydney boy, Aiden Fenton, died after attending one of self-proclaimed Chinese healer Hongchi Xiao's "slapping therapy" workshops. Patients are slapped, often to the point of bruising, to "unblock poisons." Online health gurus and influencers increase the risks of charlatans and quackery causing harm to vulnerable people.

Premises

[P1]Alternative and complementary medicine is largely unregulated, so almost anyone can portray themselves as an alternative therapist despite minimal oversight. [P2] This lax regulation lets charlatans harm vulnerable people — as when seven-year-old Aiden Fenton died after a self-proclaimed healer's "slapping therapy" workshop — a risk amplified by online health gurus and influencers. [C] Because anyone can pose as an alternative therapist and endanger patients, alternative medicine can cause serious harm.

Counter-arguments

Many groups such as chiropractictioners and osteopaths study a recognised, degree level curriculum and have a professional regulatory body.

Rejecting the premises

[Rejecting P2] Many practitioners are educated and regulated to some level.