Interview with Caspar van der Poel - social media day June 30
Out and about
The acupuncturist's toolbox - Thierry de Vlieg on Dr. Tan's balance method
The Fire of Summer - joy, connection, and vitality
The toolbox of the acupuncturist - Ineke van der Ham on Applied Channel Theory
Acupuncture in Het Parool
Opinion: 'Alternative therapy can contribute to healthcare cost control'
With that headline, the writer of this opinion piece, Kees Ruig from Malden, advocates for the use of, among other things, acupuncture to keep the ever-increasing healthcare costs in check.
‘Acupuncture has proven its worth in the thousand years of its existence and, like some other alternative treatments, should play a more prominent role in the discussion on controlling healthcare costs.’ This text appears below the acupuncture photo* above and effectively captures the essence of the opinion piece.
Prevention
The Parool recently covered healthy nutrition and lifestyle, as well as prevention in medical care to avoid additional healthcare costs. Kees Ruig believes that one aspect is missing to reduce costs: acceptance of complementary medicine, which can be used alongside conventional medicine with positive outcomes.
Causes of the Marginalization of Acupuncture
He mentions a number of causes of the marginalization of acupuncture, for example.
- Many physicians still do not fully appreciate complementary therapy.
- Heavy lobbying in Brussels and The Hague by the pharmaceutical industry has resulted in unfair regulations that hinder the application of these therapies.
- The stance of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, which refuses to acknowledge foreign studies, needlessly delays and obstructs various matters.
Frugal Health Insurers
We would like to add that the frugal attitude of health insurers also does not benefit the sector. The premium for supplementary packages is high, and the reimbursement is usually not very generous. Especially for patients with a chronic condition, the costs of complementary treatments are largely out-of-pocket, which not everyone can afford. This results in an increase in regular care and medication use, leading to higher costs.
Active professional association and acupuncturists
This opinion piece is close to our hearts. The NVA and its acupuncturists will not hesitate to emphasize the benefits of acupuncture for healthcare in the Netherlands. Preventive, curative, cost-effective!
Source: Het Parool dated March 4, 2022
* photo: GETTY IMAGES/EYEEM
