Current public awareness on the safety of traditional and complementary medicines (T&CM) in Malaysia

IntroductionTraditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) has always been an important part of healthcare. However, many people underestimate the benefits and also the risks of taking T&CM. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyse the public awareness of the efficacy and safety of T&CM compared to the conventional Western treatments in Malaysia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out with university staff and students residing in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on their perceptions and awareness of T&CM using an online self-administered questionnaire.ResultsMost respondents (85%, n = 200) preferred T&CM over the conventional Western treatments and had the impression that T&CM was safe. Herbal medicine (28%) was the most preferred form of T&CM to treat cough and cold as well as backache. About 51% of the respondents were unaware of the possible side effects of the T&CM but did not recognise the possibility of using counterfeits, men being more aware than women and 77% were more likely to inform clinician about their T&CM consumption. Respondents who were aware of T&CM counterfeits and herb–drug interactions reported experiencing significantly improvement but not those were aware of side effects. Only those aware of T&CM counterfeit would like to inform medical practitioners about their T&CM consumption.ConclusionThe prevalence of T&CM was high but experiencing improvement through its use may attribute to different levels of awareness. Campaigns to educate public on T&CM are pertinent since the public awareness on the T&CM side effects still lacking.