ATMS UPDATE
Regulation Report
Chantel Ryan | Chair , Regulatory Committee
ATMS makes submission regarding proposed amendments to the Poisons Standard ( Vitamin B6 , Belladonna and Comfrey )
ATMS lodged a submission in October 2024 regarding several proposed amendments to the Poisons Standard . Specifically , ATMS :
• Strongly opposed the proposed amendment for pyridoxine , pyridoxal , and pyridoxamine ( different forms of Vitamin B6 ). Under the proposal , human therapeutic preparations containing between 5 mg and 200 mg of pyridoxine , pyridoxal or pyridoxamine would be included in a new Pharmacist Only Medicine ( Schedule 3 ) entry . These preparations are currently exempted from Schedule 4 and are not scheduled otherwise .
• Strongly opposed the proposed amendment making all preparations of Atropa belladonna a Prescription Only medicine ( Schedule 4 ).
You can read more at bit . ly / 3B5LWka regarding the public consultation .
ATMS Board Approves New Guideline on Use of Titles and Qualifications
The ATMS Board has approved a new guideline to clarify the correct use of titles and qualifications for our members . This guideline covers the appropriate use of modality titles , qualifications , abbreviations , ATMS titles , and the title ' Dr ' or ' Doctor '. The aim is to ensure members accurately present their credentials , preventing any potential misrepresentation of their education and expertise . This new guideline will help maintain transparency and uphold the integrity of the profession , allowing the public to make informed decisions about natural medicine services . Members are encouraged to review the full guideline on the ATMS member portal .
• Supported the proposed scheduling amendments of Comfrey ( Symphytum officinale ) to allow dermal preparations for therapeutic or cosmetic use to be unscheduled when containing concentrations of 20 % or less of comfrey .
Erratum
In the article ‘ The Mitochondrial Maestro : How Ubiquinol Supports the Health of Mitochondria and Impacts all Body Systems ’ by Stephanie Berglin , the Journal of the Australian Traditional Medicine Society , 2024 , 30 ( 3 ): 162-166 , there was an error in Table 1 .
The third and fourth rows should have been combined and the extraneous text “ Socio-economic status , social support , relationship conflicts , loneliness , neighbourhood conditions , and exposure to violence or discrimination ” deleted . The correct Table 1 is printed here :
Table 1 . Forms of coenzyme Q10 : Ubiquinol vs Ubiquinone Ubiquinol Reduced ( active ) form of CoQ10
Accounts for 96 % of the total CoQ10 pool in human Accounts
12 , 13 , 14 plasma
Synthesised and directly used by the body 15 No conversion required Higher bioavailability 18-21
Ubiquinone Oxidised form of CoQ10
for the remaining 4 % of the total CoQ10 pool in human plasma
Needs to be converted into ubiquinol in the small intestine and liver to exert activity , 16 via a complex , 17-step process 2 , 17
Poorer availability 8 times more absorbable 12 , 15 , 16 , 22-24 Lower absorption
Best supplemental form for those over 30 years of age , with reduced ability to convert ubiquinone to ubiquinol within the body 7 , 25-28
Best supplemental form for those with increased exposure to oxidative stress , experiencing disease states , such as type 2 diabetes , impaired immunity , and cardiovascular , neurological and liver diseases , or taking cholesterol lowering medications 29-31
Effective in those under 30 years of age
Effective in those not exposed to increased levels of oxidative stress or with increased metabolic demands
236 | vol30 | no4 | JATMS