It’s the blending of standard Western, pharmaceutical based medicine, termed mainstream,  with complementary systems or treatments. The goal for all should be to achieve best outcome with least harm. It is not either one nor the other.

The Western model is based on highest level of evidence of benefit and safety confirmed from large clinical trials. In general this is the case and the high standard we should strive for. However, it’s based on the construct of how the majority respond to a given treatment, plus consideration of harms.  But where does that leave those for whom the treatment is ineffective or harmful?  They seek what other options may work for them. 

Other options, natural biological products, off label use of medicines,  are often rejected purely for lacking clinical trials. Realistic thinking is that evidence is in real results of that individual patient ie personalised medicine.
Randomised Clinical Trials (RCT) are highly relevant for potentially toxic ‘non-natural’ pharmaceutical chemicals which need very rigorous testing before wide use in humans. They are pertinent for any treatment; but enabling a trial is very difficult as costs to do powerful, meaningful trials are prohibitive without massive funding. So we depend on long term observational evidence, research and safety. Unfortunately, rarely, harms can occur from poor products which result in headlines – whereas pharmaceutical side-effects that have more potential for significant harms which are accepted as just unfortunate risks we take.

 Becasue of this many patients seek safe, non-mainstream treatment options beyond those offered by conventional guideline based medicine.
It behoves Integrative Practitioners to discuss the risks and benefits of both standard of care (SOC) as well as other options. 

Dr Bill Reeder, a Registered General Medical Practitioner and Functional Medicine Practitioner, was trained and practised conventional general practice, then for the last 10 or so years has focused on what is now termed Integrative or Functional Medicine to provide evidence based options. He previously worked for many years as a family GP, including delivering several thousand babies – in those wonderful but very different days of GP practice. Now he offers consultations for certain health challenges that just dont seem to respond or fit with modern guideline-based standard medical care.

Dr. Reeder does not provide standard GP practice consultations but will work in collaboration with your regular medical provider if consented. Ideally collaboration with your family GP works best for you. A full consult report will be supplied for you 

Dr. Reeder’s advice and management options are not a replacement for mainstream standard medical care.