Overview
Summary
This year's National Conference on Health Economy dealt with the opportunities, risks and standards of alternative medicine. The participants from science, politics and business exchanged views on the role of complementary and alternative medicine as an economic factor and discussed quality and legal standards. The Khamba Lama Prof. Dr. Damdinsuren Natsagdorj has enabled an insight into traditional Mongolian medicine. Further examples of alternative medicine were presented from the partner country Iceland.
Iceland is the official partner country of the National Conference on Health Economy 2007. The country of contrasts is known for its glaciers, active volcanoes, geysers and its bathing culture. Bathing in thermal springs increases well-being and also has health-promoting properties, due to the many mineral salts and algae. The history of linking complementary and alternative medicine in Iceland is long and successful. Guðmundur Sigurðsson, Icelandic physician and former chair of the Alternative Medicine Committee of the Icelandic Ministry of Health, emphasized in his lecture "Alternative Medicine in Iceland" that there is legislation and therefore quality standards for complementary medicine in Iceland. In many European countries this is still a long way to go.