29/06/2026
Complementary medicines are therapeutic goods that are often derived from traditional medicine practices. You may also have heard them called ‘herbal’ medicines or ‘traditional’ medicines.
They include medicines with ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, plant or herbal material, microorganisms and homoeopathic preparations. They can usually be purchased without seeing a doctor or pharmacist.
However, just because a medicine is available without a prescription, or claims to be ‘natural’ or ‘healthy’, doesn’t mean it’s safe for you. Medicines bought from overseas, imported for personal use, or bought online from overseas websites are not regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration - TGA and could contain lead.
There is no safe level of exposure to lead and it can be harmful to your health, particularly for pregnant women and children.
Talk to your doctor if you been taking complementary medicine and have any symptoms, including:
• headaches
• tiredness
• abdominal pain
• lack of appetite
• anaemia
• weakness in fingers, wrists, ankles and muscles
• high blood pressure
• seizures.
For more info, visit
www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/complementarymedicineandlead
