The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) maintains there is value in providing information about integrative medicine (also referred to as complementary and alternatve practices and other terms) to help family physicians respond to patients who use these therapies and who would consider using them. Family physicians need to understand new medical practices and products including integrative approaches to effectively counsel patients, understand potential drug or treatment interactions, and better evaluate patient outcomes.
Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities that include information about integrative medicine must meet all existing AAFP CME Credit Eligibility Requirements. Amound these is the requirement that clinical content that is not considered to be evidence-based or customary and generally accepted medical practice must be deemed neither dangerous nor proven ineffective by the Commission on Continuing Professional Development (COCPD). The COCPD relies on its collective clinical expertise, as well as findings (meta-analyses or systematic reviews) reported by sources it deems acceptable. The COCPD considers diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in which the risks substantially outweigh the benefits to patients to meet the definition of "dangerous."
In cases where educational, ethical, and medical standards are not adhered to, or where the criteria for CME credit are not met to the satisfaction of the COCPD, the COCPD reserves the right to withhold CME credit. (B1998) (2019 COD)