Complementary Medicine Association

About CMA

The Complementary Medicine Association was formed in 1985 in order to provide health care professionals interested in natural therapies with a new peer group association that was ethical, where they could unite and perhaps leave behind years of rivalry among established associations.

The CMA is a non-profit organisation established to bring together natural therapists and students of natural medicine in a peer-to-peer setting and is not to be confused with Complementary Medicines Australia, formerly the Complementary Healthcare Council. 

The CMA is accredited by all Australian private health funds and recognised by the TGA and the ATO.

Since it was formed in 1985, the Association has worked hard to develop a highly skilled and ethical group of practitioners to represent the public, the government and health funds. 

Through professional peer group registration, the organisation plans to obtain full government recognition for the profession and its members.

To move away from its ‘single modality status,’ the CMA changed its acceptance criteria in January 2013 to include not only graduates of Naturopathy, but also those qualified in Homeopathy, Nutrition, Western Herbal Medicine, Chinese Herbal Medicine, and Ayurvedic Medicine.

While the CMA waits for this to take place, they remain committed to protecting the public by maintaining a high level of professionalism in their practitioners' services.

CMA Aim

• To promote, encourage, provide internship and counsel professions in the Complementary and Alternative Medicine field and its associated therapies and modalities, at the highest level of professional conduct.
• To establish and maintain relations with institutions, organisations, colleges, universities, and other groups and bodies throughout the world have the same or similar objectives.
• To promote and protect the mutual interests of CMA Members.
• To educate the public about the work that Natural Therapists do.
• To provide natural remedies to those who want them.
• To develop and maintain a professional Code of Ethics and Conduct.
• To create and promote policies aimed at uniting the trained Natural Therapists of Australia.
• To promote Natural Therapists to the community as a more professional profession.
• To offer support to natural therapists in relation to the many challenges they face.
• To achieve full registration for qualified Complementary Medicine Practitioners in Australia.

CMA Mission

In the interest of the community, practitioners, clients, and humanity, the CMA is dedicated to promoting and protecting complementary medicine in all areas.

Through the accreditation of qualified practitioners, the association aims to push for the acceptance and recognition of these professions as viable and highly beneficial modalities. 

These professions will be nurtured and stimulated by:

• Providing mentoring to students and new practitioners
• Setting realistic standards for professional qualifications and facilitating meaningful, continuous professional growth
• Supporting and encouraging research and knowledge dissemination
• Ensuring that complementary medicine and its practitioners are protected from any threats or misunderstandings.

Complementary medicine is an area of practice that the association is committed to vigorously defending and promoting.

For more information about the CMA, please contact them today!