Natural Therapies Review 2019–20

Why we’re having this review

From 1 April 2019, private health insurers cannot offer cover for these natural therapies:

Alexander technique
aromatherapy
Bowen therapy
Buteyko
Feldenkrais
homeopathy
iridology
kinesiology
naturopathy
Pilates
reflexology
Rolfing
Shiatsu
tai chi
Western herbalism
yoga.

Since our last review in 2014–15, additional evidence on the clinical effectiveness of these therapies has been identified.

What we’re reviewing

The 2019–20 review will:

look at the additional evidence
advise if private health insurance should cover any of the therapies.

How we’re reviewing it

For an overview of how the Natural Therapies Review is being undertaken see the Natural Therapies Review process and governance infographic.

The Department holds regular teleconferences to provide updates for stakeholders. For more information on these teleconferences please contact the review secretariat at naturaltherapiesreview@health.gov.au.

Natural Therapies Review Expert Advisory Panel

The Australian Government's Chief Medical Officer set up the Natural Therapies Review Expert Advisory Panel to help with the review. The Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, now leads the review.

The advisory panel includes members with experience in:

researching or assessing scientific evidence of clinical effectiveness
the practice of natural therapies.

Natural Therapies Working Committee

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) is supporting the review.

The council has set up the Natural Therapies Working Committee to oversee the evidence evaluations for the review.

Please see the NHMRC’s review webpage for information on the evidence evaluations including:

descriptions of the natural therapies under review as used for the evidence evaluations; and
indicative progress of the 16 evidence evaluations.

Calls for evidence

The review included the opportunity for natural therapy organisations and members of the public to submit scientific evidence of the clinical effectiveness of the natural therapies under review.

This opportunity was provided through the:

Tranche 1 call for evidence for Western herbalism, naturopathy, Pilates, Rolfing, shiatsu, tai chi, and yoga
Tranche 2 call for evidence for Alexander technique, aromatherapy, Bowen therapy, Buteyko, Feldenkrais, homeopathy, iridology, kinesiology and reflexology.

Both calls for evidence have now closed.

Submitted evidence

These documents provide the details of the scientific research citations (excluding submitter details) submitted through both the Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 calls for evidence.

Evidence will be published progressively for those natural therapies where the National Health and Medical Research Council evidence reviewers have published the final research protocols. This will avoid potential bias in development of the research protocols.