Patients told to opt for modern medicine

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: Cancer patients have been advised to seek immediate treatment from doctors instead of opting for traditional and complementary medicine.
Malaysian Oncological Society president Dr Gurcharan Singh said the delay in seeking proper treatment while looking at alternative cures could affect the chances of beating the disease.
"Almost all stage one cancers are curable with the right treatment.
"Moreover, advances in cancer treatment have reduced side effects, enabling even those with late stage cancers to have an improved quality of life," he said.
Dr Gurcharan said not all traditional and complementary medicine was unacceptable but added that it had to be properly regulated.
Malaysian Medical Association immediate past president Datuk Dr N. Arumugam said his association was not against traditional and complementary medicine but patients should get early treatment from practitioners of modern medicine.
Speaking at the "Media and Health: The Science of Evidence-Based Management of Cancer and Chronic Illnesses", the panel of doctors highlighted how the media could play a role in disseminating the right information on treatment of cancer and other chronic diseases.
MMA past president Datuk Dr Lee Yan San said there had to be adequate control when it came to traditional and complementary medicine so that it was practised honestly and ethically.