Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2005. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
South African Press Association - June 29, 2005
"The minister of health is conducting what could amount to medical malpractice by telling patients to use medicines for which no evidence of efficacy exists," said DA health spokesperson Dianne Kohler-Barnard on Wednesday.
The DA was, for the second time, reporting her to the HPCSA for abusing her position as a registered medical doctor.
"Yesterday [Tuesday] -- only a day after admitting to having met with vitamin charlatan Mathias Rath -- Dr Tshabalala-Msimang claimed that HIV/Aids patients needed to be able to make 'informed choices' about their treatment.
"She went on to say that they should consider using traditional remedies in treating HIV/Aids, although in virtually the same breath she said that clinical trials on these remedies were only now being conducted.
"How can she possibly suggest to patients that one can make an informed choice about products that have not yet been shown to work?" Kohler-Barnard asked.
Kohler-Barnard said doctors trained for many years to be able to offer the best advice to patients. The minister herself qualified as a doctor, but she appeared to be completely unable to use sound judgement in offering medical advice.
It was absurd to claim that traditional remedies are better because they are cheaper, said Kohler-Barnard.
Clearly, if they did not work, then any money spent on them was wasted. And if there was no evidence to suggest that they did work, then the minister was asking people to spend their money on what amounted to a gamble.
Last month, the DA asked the HPCSA to investigate a charge of unprofessional conduct against Tshabalala-Msimang for her insistence on recommending products for treating HIV/Aids that had not been approved by the Medicines Control Council.
The HPCSA refused to do so, citing reasons which the DA believed to be spurious.
"There is overwhelming proof that anti-retrovirals work -û in sharp contrast to the fuzzy mumbo-jumbo that constitutes 'evidence' about the minister's claims about vitamins and traditional remedies.
"We believe that her latest comments go so far beyond what constitutes responsible practice in a medical doctor that the council can no longer ignore her," Kohler-Barnard said.
Let them eat garlic
Briefing the media in Pretoria on Tuesday, she said those seeking medical help needed to hear of the traditional, nutritional, "micro-nutrient" and antiretroviral options open to them.
The health minister stressed personal choice was important, and said doctors needed to take the time to listen to what their patients were telling them.
More than 80% of patients in South Africa consulted traditional practitioners before they turned to mainstream health facilities for treatment.
The use of traditional medicines was "not as rigorous" a medical regimen to follow as anti-retrovirals, and "in fact it is much cheaper".
Her department was conducting clinical trials on traditional medicines to allow health practitioners an opportunity to give their patients a choice when it came to slowing the progression of HIV into Aids.
"Nutrition if they so wish, [or] micro-nutrients; give them [patients] that option. Give them the information so that they can make informed choices.
"Those who want to use anti-retrovirals, they are available in the market, they are available in our facilities. If they think that's what they want to use, we must also give them the choice."
Tshabalala-Msimang said a total of 143 sites had been accredited around the country to provide "comprehensive HIV and Aids services, including ART [antiretroviral therapy]".
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