Unit Outline
CSA120
Complementary Medicines in Contemporary Society
Semester 1, 2024
Sue Evans
School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology
College of Health and Medicine
CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B
Unit Coordinator
Sue Evans
Email: Sue.Evans@utas.edu.au
 
What is the Unit About?
Unit Description
Pulling together the disciplines of sociology, law and complementary medicine this unit is designed for students who want to develop their knowledge in order to understand, debate and critically analyse the use and place of complementary medicines in the modern health care system. Drawing on a range of online teaching methods, learning modules will focus on topics such as understanding the use of complementary medicines in Australia and around the world, the question of evidence and the role of ethics and the law in regulating the availability, safety and advertising of complementary medicines. Students will address issues of locating reliable information on complementary medicines and will develop an understanding of the environmental issues that arise from the increased popularity of these medicines.
Intended Learning Outcomes
As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
1.
Explain what Complementary Medicines are and discuss changes in their use over the last 30 years, with a particular focus on Australia.
2.
Identify and analyse the role of different types of evidence in influencing decision making by Australian consumers about their use of Complementary Medicines.
3.
Assess the role of ethics and the law in regulating the availability, safety and advertising of Complementary Medicines in Australia and more broadly.
Requisites
REQUISITE TYPE
REQUISITES
Anti-requisite (mutual excl)
XBR120
Alterations as a result of student feedback
Student feedback is collected and influences the future development of the unit. 
Changes include the release of unit material at 6pm on the Friday before the week starts, rather than at 9am on the Monday, modification of assessment instructions and rubrics to increase clarity, and resequencing of the content to better integrate the legal and regulatory aspects of the material. 
 
 
Teaching arrangements
ATTENDANCE MODE
TEACHING TYPE
LEARNING ACTIVITY
CONTACT HOURS
FREQUENCY
Online
Independent Learning
This unit is offered online and students are expected to complete approximately 10 hours of independent learning per week.
10
Weekly
Attendance / engagement expectations
If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.
 
In this unit your active engagement will be monitored by an introductory post, uploading your certificate of completion of the academic integrity module, and the completion of the engagement quiz.
 
 
How will I be Assessed?
 
For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.
Assessment schedule
ASSESSMENT TASK #
ASSESSMENT TASK NAME
DATE DUE
WEIGHT
LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:
Online quiz 1
Week 4
5 %
LO1
Assessment Task 2:
Online quiz 2
Week 7
5 %
LO1
Assessment Task 3:
Reflection
Week 8
40 %
LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 4:
Online quiz 3
Week 9
5 %
LO2
Assessment Task 5:
Online quiz 4
Week 13
5 %
LO3
Assessment Task 6:
Critique
Week 13
40 %
LO1, LO2, LO3
 
Assessment details
    
Assessment Task 1: Online quiz 1
Task Description:
An online quiz covering basic concepts and definitions, and changes in complementary medicine use.

Task Length:
10 questions
Due Date:
Week 4
Weight:
5 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Define basic terminology and categories used to refer to complementary medicine.
LO1
2
Map changes in complementary medicine use in Australia over the last 30 years.
LO1
 
Assessment Task 2: Online quiz 2
Task Description:
An online quiz covering changes in the use of complementary medicines over the last 30 years.

Task Length:
10 questions
Due Date:
Week 7
 
Weight:
5 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Demonstrate knowledge of changes in complementary medicine use in Australia in the last 30 years.
LO1
 
Assessment Task 3: Reflection
Task Description:
This task will assess your knowledge about evidence and complementary medicines. Choose one vitamin, supplement or herbal medicine from the list provided. Provide details of the product and evaluate its evidence base, in reference to the evidence hierarchy Full details of the assessment and a marking rubric will be provided in Week 4.

Task Length:
2000 words
Due Date:
Week 8
Weight:
40 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Define complementary medicines and explain why you chose this particular complementary medicine.
LO1
2
Distinguish between types and levels of evidence used in CM and evaluate the evidence base of the chosen product for the indication you require.
LO2
3
Analyse personal decision making with regard to use of a specific CM and comment the influence of your recent research on your choice of product.
LO2
4
Apply an ethical lens to decisions around personal use of CMs and reflect on the appropriateness of this product being freely available for sale.
LO3
 
Assessment Task 4: Online quiz 3
Task Description:
An online quiz identifying different types of evidence used in consumer decision-making.

Task Length:
10 questions
Due Date:
Week 9
Weight:
5 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Identify different types of evidence used in decision making
by consumers in their use of complementary medicines.
LO2
 
Assessment Task 5: Online quiz 4
Task Description:
An online quiz identifying aspects of ethics and the law in regulating the availability, safety and advertising of complementary medicines in Australia and more broadly.

Task Length:
10 questions
 
Due Date:
Week 13
Weight:
5 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Identify aspects of ethics and the law in regulating the availability, safety and advertising of complementary medicines in Australia and more broadly.
LO3
 
Assessment Task 6: Critique
Task Description:
This task will assess your knowledge of the regulation of complementary medicine products and services, and the ethical framework surrounding their manufacture and supply. Full details of the assessment and a marking rubric will be provided in Week 9.

Task Length:
2000 words
Due Date:
Week 13
Weight:
40 %
 
CRITERION #
CRITERION
MEASURES INTENDED
LEARNING OUTCOME(S)
1
Appraise appropriate CM terminology and categories and give reasons for your choice of product.
LO1
2
Assess the role of impact of law on the evidence base impacting on consumer decision making in relation to CMs. Identify the produce safety and ethical issues in the product information provided by the manufacturer.
LO2, LO3
3
Appraise the regulatory regime for CMs in Australia. Discuss how laws shape the information on CM’s product labels.
LO3
4
Identify and apply relevant laws and ethical principles. Suggest how laws and principles might influence consumer decision-making.
LO3
 
 
 
How your final result is determined
To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.
 
Submission of assignments
Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.
 
Requests for extensions
If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.
 
A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.
 
The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.
Late penalties
Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.
 
Review of results and appeals
You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.
 
 
 
Required Resources
Required reading materials
There is no required text for this unit. All readings are available from the Reading List, and each reading is labelled as required, recommended, or as further reading.
 
Recommended reading materials
 
 
Other required resources