In Slovenia, the practice of complementary and alternative medicine is reserved for traditional healers. On the other hand, certified medical doctors are not allowed to perform methods that do not fall within the scope of conventional medicine. With this consideration in mind, such a system derogates from comparative legal arrangements which allow certified medical doctors therapeutic freedom. The German regulation gives doctors a free choice of treatment method; moreover, traditional healers are permitted to carry out medical treatment with some restrictions. The situation differs in Austria where only doctors are allowed to treat patients, however, they are not forbidden from using complementary and alternative treatment methods. In Slovenia, in order for traditional healers to legally perform their practice, they have to acquire a license and an authorisation issued by the Ministry of Health, rather than a Chamber of Traditional Healers which has never been established. All of the issued licenses are entered into a public register and a traditional healer and a client conclude a contract relating to the used alternative treatment method. The traditional healer is held liable on the legal basis from the contract in case of an error during treatment, violation of informed consent or failure to direct the client to a specialist when necessary. The healer’s action is assessed according to the standard of due skill, care and diligence while the standard is complemented with the rules applicable to the complementary and alternative practice. In case the healer’s action involves signs of a special offense of non-medical negligence, they can be prosecuted. In order to ensure an optimal regulation of complementary and alternative medicine, conventional doctors should also be allowed to practice traditional healing methods as well as cooperate with traditional healers. Furthermore, a quality education and training of traditional healing methods should be established and finally, the existing Complementary and Alternative Medicine Act should be updated.
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