Complementary and Alternative Medicines

Code

PHAR3007

School

Pharmacy

Level

3

Credits

10

Semesters

Spring UK

Summary

The module will cover the following topics:
Legal issues associated with the manufacture and sale of herbal medicines. Commonly-used herbal medicines.
Mechanisms of herb-drug interactions.
Traditional Medicines, including Traditional Chinese Medicines, Indian Medicines, and African Medicines.
Nutritional supplements, including vitamins, minerals, trace elements.
Role of pharmacists, including identification of adverse effects of herbal medicines and education of patients about herb-drug interactions.
Other complementary and alternative medicines including acupuncture, reflexology, chiropractic, osteopathy, homeopathy, aromatherapy, hypnosis.
The use of meta analysis and critical appraisal.
Discussion of the placebo effect, including evidence & mechanisms.

Target Students

Module only available as an elective to Pharmacy and Msci/BSc Pharmaceutical Sciences students (Year 3), including those on an exchange programme and BSc Pharmacology (years 2 and 3).There is a limited number of places on this module. Students are reminded that enrolments which are not agreed by the Offering School in advance may be cancelled without notice.

Classes

Note that the following is an estimate only: 10 hours contact time, 90 hours directed learning, self-directed study, revision and assessment. Total = 100 hours

Assessment

• 100% Exam 1 (2-hour): Written based essay exam.

Assessed by end of spring semester

Educational Aims

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding
By the end of this module students will have a knowledge of the legal issues surrounding the manufacture and sale of herbal medicines in the UK.
The students will gain an understanding of the safety issues concerned with the use of herbal medicines, including an understanding of the mechanisms underlying drug-herb interactions.
By independent research the students will gain an in-depth knowledge of a specific complementary and alternative medicine, including evidence for its effectiveness, the mechanism of action, the active ingredient(s), and any toxic effects.
By the end of this module, the students will have an understanding of the role of pharmacists in the use of complementary and alternative medicines.
By the end of this module, the students will have an understanding of the different types of complementary and alternative medicines.
By the end of this module, the students will have an understanding of the evidence for the use of complementary and alternative medicines.
By the end of this module, the students will have an understanding of the use of meta-analysis and critical appraisal in providing evidence for the use of complementary and alternative medicines.
By the end of this module, the students will have an understanding of the evidence for the placebo effect and the potential mechanisms.

Intellectual Skills
Development of the ability to absorb, arrange and analyse information;
Development of the ability to extend knowledge through private study;
Development of the ability to collate and present information in the form of an oral presentation;
Development of the ability to work in groups.

Professional Practical Skills
Development of the ability to assimilate information that will be of value for future clinical practice;
Critical analysis of scientific literature.

Transferable Skills
Use of IT facilities including web-based searching of the scientific literature;
Use of library;
Ability to critically appraise research publications;
Integration and concise representation of knowledge;

Oral presentation skills.
Attitudes and Behaviour
Application to both formal and self-directed learning.

Studying within the context of competing tasks. Time management.

Conveners

• Dr Richard Roberts