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Alternative Medicine
This article is part of the CAM series of articles. This is a glossary for terms and concepts being used in Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( CAM) an umbrella term for a large number of practices that fall
CAM Article Index
Alternative medical systems - edit
NCCAM classifications
  1. Alternative Medical Systems
  2. Mind-Body Intervention
  3. Biologically Based Therapy
  4. Manipulative and body-based methods
  5. Energy Therapy
See also
Main article: Complementary and alternative medicine

The term Alternative medicine covers any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine. Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other Chiropractic is a Health care profession that focuses on diagnosis treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the Musculoskeletal system, with special emphasis This article has been the subject of edit wars and has been placed on probation Naturopathic medicine (also known as naturopathy, or natural medicine) is a Complementary and alternative medicine which emphasizes the body's intrinsic Osteopathy is an approach to Healthcare that emphasizes the role of the Musculoskeletal system in Health and Disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (also known as TCM,) includes a range of traditional medical practices originating in China. This is a glossary for terms and concepts being used in Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( CAM) an umbrella term for a large number of practices that fall This is a glossary for terms and concepts being used in Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( CAM) an umbrella term for a large number of practices that fall Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the ""[1] Commonly cited examples are homeopathy, naturopathy, accupuncture, chiropracty, midwifery and herbal medicine, though many other practices use the term. This article has been the subject of edit wars and has been placed on probation Naturopathic medicine (also known as naturopathy, or natural medicine) is a Complementary and alternative medicine which emphasizes the body's intrinsic History Antiquity In China, the practice of acupuncture can perhaps be traced as far back as Chiropractic is a Health care profession that focuses on diagnosis treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the Musculoskeletal system, with special emphasis Midwifery is a Health care profession where providers give Prenatal care to expecting Mothers attend the birth of the Infant Herbalism is a traditional Medicinal or Folk medicine practice based on the use of Plants and Plant extracts Herbalism is also known as Alternative medicine is often categorized together with complementary medicine using the umbrella term Complementary and alternative medicine or CAM.

Alternative medicine practices may incorporate spiritual, metaphysical, or religious underpinnings, pre-modern medical traditions, or newly invented approaches to healing. Spirituality, in a narrow sense concerns itself with matters of the Spirit, a concept closely tied to religious belief and Faith, a transcendent reality Metaphysics is the branch of Philosophy investigating principles of reality transcending those of any particular science A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos Modernity is a term that refers to the Modern era. It is distinct from Modernism, and in different contexts refers to cultural and intellectual movements of the They may be based on traditional belief systems, folk knowledge, or more recent ideas, but by definition are not based in the standards of conventional medicine. The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem acc of traditio which means "a giving up delivering up surrendering" and is used in a number of A home remedy is a treatment to cure a Disease or ailment that employs certain spices vegetables or other common items Often, the claims made by alternative medicine practitioners are not based on rigorous scientific investigation. Scientific method refers to bodies of Techniques for investigating phenomena However, if scientific investigation shows that an alternative medical approach is safe and effective, it may be adopted by conventional practitioners. Even if there is no evidence showing efficacy, many alternative practices are often licensed and regulated in ways similar to conventional medical practices.

Contents

Contemporary use of alternative medicine

Further information: List of branches of alternative medicine

Many people utilize mainstream medicine for diagnosis and basic information, while turning to alternatives for what they believe to be health-enhancing measures. Branches of alternative medicine provides a master list of the articles included in this alternative medicine ( CAM) series of articles Diagnosis is the identification by Process of elimination, of the nature of anything Studies indicate that alternative approaches are often used in conjunction with conventional medicine. [2] This is referred to by NCCAM as integrative (or integrated) medicine because it "combines treatments from conventional medicine and CAM for which there is some high-quality evidence of safety and effectiveness. This is a glossary for terms and concepts being used in Complementary and Alternative Medicine ( CAM) an umbrella term for a large number of practices that fall [3] According to Andrew T. Weil M. Andrew Thomas Weil (born 1942) is an American Author and Physician, best known for establishing and popularizing the field of integrative D. , a leading proponent of integrative medicine, the principles of integrative medicine include: appropriate use of conventional and CAM methods; patient participation; promotion of health as well as treatment of disease; and a preference for natural, minimally-invasive methods. [4]

Edzard Ernst wrote in the Medical Journal of Australia that "about half the general population in developed countries use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Edzard Ernst is the first Professor of Complementary Medicine in the United Kingdom. "[5] Survey results released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the United States National Institutes of Health, found that in 2002 62. "NIH" redirects here For other meanings of NIH see NIH (disambiguation. 1% of adults in the country had used some form of CAM in the past 12 months, though this figure drops to 36. 0% if prayer specifically for health reasons is excluded. [6] 25% of people who use CAM do so because a medical professional suggested it. [7] Another study suggests a similar figure of 40%. [8] A British telephone survey by the BBC of 1204 adults in 1998 shows that around 20% of adults in Britain had used alternative medicine in the past 12 months. [9]

The use of alternative medicine in developed countries appears to be increasing. A 1998 study showed that the use of alternative medicine had risen from 33. 8% in 1990 to 42. 1% in 1997. [10] In the United Kingdom, a 2000 report ordered by the House of Lords suggested that ". The House of Lords is the second house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as "the Lords" . . limited data seem to support the idea that CAM use in the United Kingdom is high and is increasing. "[11]

In developing nations, access to essential medicines is severely restricted by lack of resources and poverty. Developing countries are countries that haven't reached Western-style standards of democratic government free market economy industrialization social programs and human rights guaranties Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and Traditional remedies, often closely resembling or forming the basis for alternative remedies, may comprise primary health care or be integrated into the health care system. In Africa, traditional medicine is used for 80% of primary health care, and in developing nations as a whole over one third of the population lack access to essential medicines. [12]

Advocates of alternative medicine hold that the various alternative treatment methods are effective in treating a wide range of major and minor medical conditions, and contend that recently published research (such as Michalsen, 2003,[13] Gonsalkorale 2003,[14] and Berga 2003[15]) proves the effectiveness of specific alternative treatments. They assert that a PubMed search revealed over 370,000 research papers classified as alternative medicine published in Medline-recognized journals since 1966 in the National Library of Medicine database. PubMed is a free search engine for accessing the MEDLINE database of citations and abstracts of biomedical research articles See also Kleijnen 1991,[16] and Linde 1997. [17]

Medical education

In the United States, increasing numbers of medical colleges have started offering courses in alternative medicine. For example, in three separate research surveys that surveyed 729 schools (125 medical schools offering an MD degree, 25 medical schools offering a Doctor of Osteopathic medicine degree, and 585 schools offering a nursing degree), 60% of the standard medical schools, 95% of osteopathic medical schools and 84. 8% of the nursing schools teach some form of CAM. [18][19][20] The University of Arizona College of Medicine offers a program in Integrative Medicine under the leadership of Dr. Andrew Weil which trains physicians in various branches of alternative medicine which ". The University of Arizona (also referred to as UA, U of A, or Arizona) is a Land-grant and space-grant public institution The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern western world encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional Medicine. Andrew Thomas Weil (born 1942) is an American Author and Physician, best known for establishing and popularizing the field of integrative . . neither rejects conventional medicine, nor embraces alternative practices uncritically. "[21] Accredited Naturopathic colleges and universities are also increasing in number and popularity in the U. S. A. They offer the most complete medical training in complementary medicines that is available today. See Naturopathic medicine. Naturopathic medicine (also known as naturopathy, or natural medicine) is a Complementary and alternative medicine which emphasizes the body's intrinsic

In Britain, no conventional medical schools offer courses that teach the clinical practice of alternative medicine. However, alternative medicine is taught in several unconventional schools as part of their curriculum. Teaching is based mostly on theory and understanding of alternative medicine, with emphasis on being able to communicate with alternative medicine specialists. To obtain competence in practicing clinical alternative medicine, qualifications must be obtained from individual medical societies. The student must have graduated and be a qualified doctor. The British Medical Acupuncture Society, which offers medical acupuncture certificates to doctors, is one such example, as is the College of Naturopathic Medicine UK and Ireland. The College of Naturopathic Medicine is a complementary health care training institution offering Diploma courses in Naturopathic medicine and Nutrition

Public use in the US

A botánicas such as this one in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts cater to the Latino community and sell folk medicine alongside statues of saints, candles decorated with prayers, and other items.
A botánicas such as this one in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts cater to the Latino community and sell folk medicine alongside statues of saints, candles decorated with prayers, and other items. A botánica (often written botanica and less commonly known as a hierberia or botica) is a retail store which sells Folk medicine, Jamaica Plain, commonly known as JP, is a historic neighborhood of 4 The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. The term traditional medicine ( Indigenous medicine or folk medicine) describes medical knowledge systems which developed over centuries within various societies A saint (from the Latin sanctus) is a human being to whom has been attributed (and who has generally demonstrated a high level of Holiness and Sanctity A candle is a Light source and sometimes a Heat source consisting of a solid block of Fuel and an embedded wick. Prayer is the act of attempting to communicate with a Deity or spirit

A 2002 survey of US adults 18 years and older conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (CDC) the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine indicated:[6][2]

Regulation

Jurisdiction differs concerning which branches of alternative medicine are legal, which are regulated, and which (if any) are provided by a government-controlled health service or reimbursed by a private health medical insurance company. In Law, jurisdiction (from the Latin ius iuris meaning "law" and dicere meaning "to speak" is the practical Authority Publicly funded health care, or publicly funded healthcare, is Health care that is financed entirely or in majority part by citizens' tax payments instead of through The term health insurance is generally used to describe a form of Insurance that pays for medical expenses The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - article 34 (Specific legal obligations) of the General Comment No. 14 (2000) on The right to the highest attainable standard of health - states that

Obligations to respect (the right to health) include a State's obligation to refrain from prohibiting or impeding traditional preventive care, healing practices and medicines. . . [22]

Specific implementations of this article are, of course, left to member states.

A number of alternative medicine advocates disagree with the restrictions of government agencies that approve medical treatments. In the U. S. A. for instance, critics claim that the Food and Drug Administration's criteria for experimental evaluation methods impedes those seeking to bring useful and effective treatments and approaches to the public, and protest that their contributions and discoveries are unfairly dismissed, overlooked or suppressed. Alternative medicine providers recognize that health fraud occurs, and argue that it should be dealt with appropriately when it does, but that these restrictions should not extend to what they view as legitimate health care products.

In New Zealand alternative medicine products are classified as food products, so there is no regulation or safety standards in place. [23]

The production of modern pharmaceuticals is strictly regulated to ensure that every pill in every batch contains a standard quantity of active ingredients and is free from contamination. Alternative medicine products are not subject to the same governmental quality control standards, and homogeneity at encapsulation and batch-to-batch consistency are sometimes compromised. This leads to uncertainty in the chemical content and biological activity of individual doses. This lack of oversight means that alternative health products are vulnerable to adulteration or contamination [24] This problem is magnified by international commerce, since different countries have different degrees of regulation. This makes it difficult for consumers to properly evaluate risks and qualities of given medicines.

Alternative vs. evidence-based medicine

Some scientists reject the use of the classification of any therapy as 'alternative medicine' on the grounds that "[t]here is only medicine that has been adequately tested and medicine that has not, medicine that works and medicine that may or may not work. "[25] They advocate a classification based on evidence-based medicine, i. Evidence-based medicine (EBM aims to apply Evidence gained from the Scientific method to certain parts of medical practice e. , scientifically proven evidence of efficacy (or lack thereof). According to them it is possible for a method to change categories (proven vs. unproven) in either direction, based on increased knowledge of its effectiveness or lack thereof. Prominent proponents of this position are George D. Lundberg, former editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and Phil B. JAMA The Journal of the American Medical Association is an international peer-reviewed general Medical journal, published 48 times per year by the American Fontanarosa, Senior Editor of JAMA,"[26]Richard Dawkins, Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford,[27][28][29], and Stephen Barrett, founder and operator of Quackwatch, an alternative medicine watchdog site. Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL (born 26 March 1941 is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist, and Popular science The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the Stephen J Barrett (born 1933 is a retired American Psychiatrist, Author, co-founder of the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF Quackwatch, Inc is an American Non-profit organization founded by Stephen Barrett that aims to "combat health-related frauds myths fads fallacies [30] Other well-known proponents of evidence-based medicine, such as the Cochrane Collaboration and Edzard Ernst, Professor of Complementary Medicine at the University of Exeter, use the term "alternative medicine" but agree with the above commentators that all treatments, whether "mainstream" or "alternative", ought to be held to standards of the scientific method. The Cochrane Collaboration is a group of over 11500 volunteers in more than 90 countries who apply a rigorous systematic process to review the effects of interventions tested in biomedical Edzard Ernst is the first Professor of Complementary Medicine in the United Kingdom. The University of Exeter (usually abbreviated as Exon for post-nominals) is a University in the South West of [31][32][33] Oxford University Press publishes a peer-reviewed journal entitled Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM). [34]

Efficacy

Lack of proper testing

Although proponents of alternative medicine often cite the large number of studies which have been performed, critics point out that there are no statistics on exactly how many of those studies were controlled, double blind, peer-reviewed experiments, or how many produced results supporting alternative medicine or parts thereof. The blind method is a part of the Scientific method, used to prevent research outcomes from being influenced by either the Placebo effect or the Observer Peer review (also known as refereeing) is the process of subjecting an author's scholarly work research or Ideas to the scrutiny of others who are They contend that many forms of alternative medicine are rejected by conventional medicine because the efficacy of the treatments has not been demonstrated through double-blind randomized controlled trials; in contrast, conventional drugs reach the market only after such trials have proved their efficacy. A randomized controlled trial (RCT is a type of scientific Experiment most commonly used in testing the Efficacy or Effectiveness of Healthcare

Some argue that less research is carried out on alternative medicine because many alternative medicine techniques cannot be patented, and hence there is little financial incentive to study them. Drug research, by contrast, can be very lucrative, which has resulted in funding of trials by pharmaceutical companies. Many people, including conventional and alternative medical practitioners, contend that this funding has led to corruption of the scientific process for approval of drug usage, and that ghostwritten work has appeared in major peer-reviewed medical journals. Peer review (also known as refereeing) is the process of subjecting an author's scholarly work research or Ideas to the scrutiny of others who are [35][36] Increasing the funding for research of alternative medicine techniques was the purpose of the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. NCCAM and its predecessor, the Office of Alternative Medicine, have spent more than $1 billion on such research since 1992. [37] The German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices Commission E has studied many herbal remedies for efficacy. The German Commission E Monographs are a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine [38]

Some skeptics of alternative practices point out that a person may attribute symptomatic relief to an otherwise ineffective therapy due to the placebo effect, the natural recovery from or the cyclical nature of an illness (the regression fallacy), or the possibility that the person never originally had a true illness. Placebo is a substance or procedure a patient accepts as medicine or therapy but which has no specific therapeutic activity The regression (or regressive) fallacy is an Informal fallacy. [39] CAM proponents point out this may also apply in cases where conventional treatments have been used. To this, CAM critics point out that this does not account for conventional medical success in double blind clinical trials. CAM proponents, however, do not typically question conventional medical successes revealed in double blind clinical trials.

Safety

Critics contend that people have been hurt or killed directly from the various alternative practices or indirectly by failed diagnoses or avoidance of conventional medicine. Proponents counter that harm from conventional medical practice, known as iatrogenesis, is a major cause of death and injury. The terms iatrogenesis and iatrogenic artifact refer to adverse effects or complications caused by or resulting from medical treatment or advice Deaths have been reported due to the use of alternative medicines such as colloidal silver. Colloidal silver is a Liquid suspension of Microscopic particles of Silver. [40] Colloidal silver was used before 1938 as an antibiotic, resulting in an "alarming increase"[41] in cases of Argyria. Argyria (ISV from Greek: ἄργυρος argyros Silver + -ia is a Condition caused by the ingestion of elemental Silver, silver Since 1995 it has been promoted as an alternative medicine, sparking heavy critique from a victim from the 1940s: "Colloidal silver (CSP) is not a new alternative remedy. It is an old, discarded traditional one that homeopaths and other people calling themselves "alternative health-care practitioners" have pulled out of the garbage pail of useless and dangerous drugs and therapies, things mainstream medicine threw away decades ago. "[42]

Alternative medicine critics agree with its proponents that people should be free to choose whatever method of healthcare they want, but stipulate that people must be informed as to the safety and efficacy of whatever method they choose. People who choose alternative medicine may think they are choosing a safe, effective medicine, while they may only be getting quack remedies. The use of Grapefruit seed extract is an example of quackery, since multiple studies demonstrate its universal antimicrobial effect is due to synthetic antimicrobial contamination. Grapefruit seed extract (GSE also known as citrus seed extract, is a liquid derived from the Seeds pulp, and white membranes of Grapefruit. [43][44][45][46][47]

Delay in seeking conventional medical treatment

Those who have experienced or perceived success with one alternative therapy for a minor ailment may be convinced of its efficacy and persuaded to extrapolate that success to some other alternative therapy for a more serious, possibly life-threatening illness. For this reason, critics contend that therapies that rely on the placebo effect to define success are very dangerous. According to Lilienfeld (2002) "unvalidated or scientifically unsupported mental health practices can lead individuals to forgo effective treatments" and refers to this as “opportunity cost. Opportunity cost or economic opportunity loss is the value of a product forgone to produce or obtain ” Individuals who spend large amounts of time and money on ineffective treatments may be left with precious little of either, and may forfeit the opportunity to obtain treatments that could be more helpful. In short, even innocuous treatments can indirectly produce negative outcomes. [48]

Danger can be increased when used as a complement to conventional medicine

A Norwegian multicentre study examined the association between the use of alternative medicine and cancer survival. 515 patients using standard medical care for cancer were followed for eight years. 22% of those patients used alternative medicine concurrently with their standard care. The study revealed that death rates were 30% higher in alternative medicine users than in those who did not use alternative medicine (AM): "The use of AM seems to predict a shorter survival from cancer. "[49]

Associate Professor Alastair MacLennan of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Adelaide University, Australia reports that a patient almost bled to death on the operating table. The University of Adelaide (colloquially Adelaide University or Adelaide Uni) is a Public university located in Adelaide, South Australia For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. She had failed to mention that she had been taking "natural" potions to "build up her strength" before the operation, including a powerful anticoagulant which nearly caused her death. [50]

To ABC Online, MacLennan also gives another possible mechanism:

"And lastly there’s the cynicism and disappointment and depression that some patients get from going on from one alternative medicine to the next, and they find after three months the placebo effect wears off, and they’re disappointed and they move on to the next one, and they’re disappointed and disillusioned, and that can create depression and make the eventual treatment of the patient with anything effective difficult, because you may not get compliance, because they’ve seen the failure so often in the past". [51]

Danger from undesired side-effects

Conventional treatments are subjected to testing for undesired side-effects, whereas alternative treatments generally are not subjected to such testing at all. In Medicine, an adverse effect is a harmful and undesired effect resulting from a medication or other intervention such as Chemotherapy or Surgery. However, any treatment — whether conventional or alternative — that has a biological or psychological impact on a patient may also have potentially dangerous biological or psychological side-effects. Nevertheless, attempts to refute this fact with regard to alternative treatments sometimes use the appeal to nature fallacy, i. Appeal to nature is a commonly seen Fallacy of relevance consisting of a claim that something is good or right because it is natural, or that e. "that which is natural cannot be harmful".

Homeopathy, however, is insulated from direct side effects by the known laws of chemistry and physics. This article has been the subject of edit wars and has been placed on probation Homeopathic preparations, termed "remedies," are extremely dilute, often far beyond the point where a single molecule of the original active ingredient is likely to remain.


Issues of regulation

The production of modern pharmaceuticals is strictly regulated to ensure that every pill in every batch contains a standard quantity of active ingredients and is free from contamination. Alternative medicine products are not subject to such quality control regulation, and homogeneity at encapsulation and batch-to-batch consistency are sometimes compromised. This leads to uncertainty in the chemical content and biological activity of each pill. Additionally, alternative health products are sometimes adulterated or contaminated with prescription medications or toxic ingredients, such as lead. [24]

Critics contend that some branches of alternative medicine are often not properly regulated in some countries, making it difficult to impossible for consumers to evaluate practitioner training and expertise. Critics contend that governmental regulation of any particular alternative therapy does necessarily indicate that the therapy is safe and effective. The most sensible course in such a case could be to simply ensure that the sold treatment is not dangerous, but the problem would then remain to know if it does what its proponents say it does.

Critics' explanations for the appeal of alternative medicine

Critics cite both socio-cultural and psychological reasons to explain why people would chose to use alternative medicines in lieu of conventional medicine.

Socio-cultural reasons cited include
Psychological reasons cited include
Economic reasons include

See also

Further reading

Dictionary definitions

World Health Organization publication

Journals dedicated to alternative medicine research

Further reading

External links

Criticism

Advocacy

Footnotes

  1. ^ Bratman, MD, Steven (1997). Mayo Clinic is a Non-profit medical practice Its headquarters the Mayo Medical School and its research facilities are in Rochester Minnesota in The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the Scientific American Frontiers was an American Television program primarily focused on informing the public about new technologies and discoveries Steven P Novella is an American clinical neurologist, assistant professor and Director of General Neurology at Yale University School of Medicine. The Alternative Medicine Sourcebook. Lowell House, p 7. ISBN 1565656261.  
  2. ^ a b CAM Use by U.S. Adults
  3. ^ U. S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. What is CAM?
  4. ^ Weil, Andrew. What is Integrative Medicine. Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of
  5. ^ Ernst E. "Obstacles to research in complementary and alternative medicine. " Medical Journal of Australia, 2003; 179 (6): 279-80. PMID 12964907 MJA online
  6. ^ a b Barnes, P. M. ; Powell-Griner, E. ; McFann, K. ; Nahin, R. L. (2004). "Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adults: United States, 2002". . National Center for Health Statistics
  7. ^ Reasons people use CAM
  8. ^ Astin JA "Why patients use alternative medicine: results of a national study" JAMA 1998; 279(19): 1548-1553
  9. ^ Ernst, E. National Center for Health Statistics ( NCHS) is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC which is part of the United States Department of ; A. White (2000-03). "The BBC Survey of Complementary Medicine use in the UK". Complementary Therapies in Medicine 8 (1): 32-36. PMID 10812758 doi:10.1016/S0965-2299(00)90833-1. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.  
  10. ^ Eisenberg, DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL "Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States 1990-1997. " JAMA, 1998; 280:1569-1575. PMID 9820257
  11. ^ House of Lords report on CAM
  12. ^ Traditional medicine. Fact sheet 134. World Health Organization (2003-05). Retrieved on 2008-03-06. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1079 - Omar Khayyám completes the Iranian calendar. 1454 - Thirteen Years' War: Delegates of
  13. ^ Michalsen A, Ludtke R, Buhring M. "Thermal hydrotherapy improves quality of life and hemodynamic function in patients with chronic heart failure. " Am Heart J, 2003; 146 (4):E11. PMID 14564334
  14. ^ Gonsalkorale WM, Miller V, Afzal A, Whorwell PJ. "Long term benefits of hypnotherapy for irritable bowel syndrome. " Gut, 2003; 52 (11):1623-9. PMID 14570733
  15. ^ Berga SL, Marcus MD, Loucks TL. "Recovery of ovarian activity in women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhea who were treated with cognitive behavior therapy. " Fertility and Sterility 2003; 80 (4): 976-981 Abstract
  16. ^ Kleijnen J, Knipschild P, ter Riet G. "Clinical trials of homoeopathy. " BMJ, 1991; 302:316-23. Erratum in: BMJ, 1991; 302:818. PMID 1825800
  17. ^ Linde K, Clausius N, Ramirez G. "Are the clinical effects of homeopathy placebo effects? A meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trials. " Lancet, 1997; 350:834-43. Erratum in: Lancet 1998 17 January;351(9097):220. Events 38 BC - Octavian marries Livia Drusilla. 1287 - King Alfonso III of Aragon invades Minorca PMID 9310601
  18. ^ Wetzel MS, Eisenberg DM, Kaptchuk TJ. "Courses involving complementary and alternative medicine at US medical schools. " JAMA 1998; 280 (9):784 -787. PMID 9729989
  19. ^ Saxon DW, Tunnicliff G, Brokaw JJ, Raess BU. "Status of complementary and alternative medicine in the osteopathic medical school curriculum. " J Am Osteopath Assoc 2004; 104 (3):121-6. PMID 15083987
  20. ^ Fenton MV, Morris DL. "The integration of holistic nursing practices and complementary and alternative modalities into curricula of schools of nursing. " Altern Ther Health Med, 2003; 9 (4):62-7. PMID 12868254
  21. ^ University of Arizona position on Alternative Medicine
  22. ^ COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS. General Comment No. 14 (2000) The right to the highest attainable standard of health : . 11/08/2000. E/C. 12/2000/4. http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(symbol)/E.C.12.2000.4.en
  23. ^ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=247&objectid=10449883
  24. ^ a b Agin, Dan (2006-10-03). Junk Science: how politicians, corporations, and other hucksters betray us. Thomas Dunne Books, Ch. 8. ISBN 978-0312352417.  
  25. ^ Alternative medicine--the risks of untested and unregulated remedies. Angell M, Kassirer JP. N Engl J Med 1998;339:839.
  26. ^ "There is no alternative medicine. There is only scientifically proven, evidence-based medicine supported by solid data or unproven medicine, for which scientific evidence is lacking. Whether a therapeutic practice is 'Eastern' or 'Western,' is unconventional or mainstream, or involves mind-body techniques or molecular genetics is largely irrelevant except for historical purposes and cultural interest. As believers in science and evidence, we must focus on fundamental issues—namely, the patient, the target disease or condition, the proposed or practiced treatment, and the need for convincing data on safety and therapeutic efficacy. Alternative medicine meets science. Fontanarosa P. B. , and Lundberg G. D. JAMA. 1998; 280: 1618-1619.
  27. ^ He defines alternative medicine as a ". . . set of practices which cannot be tested, refuse to be tested, or consistently fail tests. If a healing technique is demonstrated to have curative properties in properly controlled double-blind trials, it ceases to be alternative. The blind method is a part of the Scientific method, used to prevent research outcomes from being influenced by either the Placebo effect or the Observer It simply. . . becomes medicine. Simonyi Professorship web site
  28. ^ A callous world. Richard Holloway. Book review Richard Dawkins A Devil's Chaplain. The Guardian, February 15, 2003. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar.
  29. ^ There is no alternative medicine. There is only medicine that works and medicine that doesn't work. Dawkins, Richard (003). A Devil's Chaplain. Weidenfeld & Nicolson.  
  30. ^ argues that techniques currently labeled "alternative" should be reclassified as "genuine, experimental, or questionable. Genuine alternatives are comparable methods that have met science-based criteria for safety and effectiveness. Experimental alternatives are unproven but have a plausible rationale and are undergoing responsible investigation. . . . Questionable alternatives are groundless and lack a scientifically plausible rationale. . . . Blurring these distinctions enables promoters of quackery to argue that because some practices labeled "alternative" have merit, the rest deserve equal consideration and respect. Enough is known, however, to conclude that most questionable "alternatives" are worthless. Barrett, Stephen. "Be Wary of "Alternative" Health Methods", Stephen Barrett, M.D., Quackwatch, February 10, 2004. Stephen J Barrett (born 1933 is a retired American Psychiatrist, Author, co-founder of the National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF Quackwatch, Inc is an American Non-profit organization founded by Stephen Barrett that aims to "combat health-related frauds myths fads fallacies Events 1355 - The St Scholastica's Day riot breaks out in Oxford, England, leaving 63 scholars and perhaps 30 locals dead "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Retrieved on 2008-03-03. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian  
  31. ^ The Cochrane Collaboration Complementary Medicine Field. Retrieved 5 August 2006. Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
  32. ^ The HealthWatch Award 2005: Prof. Edzard Ernst, Complementary medicine: the good the bad and the ugly. Retrieved 5 August 2006
  33. ^ "Complementary medicine is diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention which complements mainstream medicine by contributing to a common whole, by satisfying a demand not met by orthodoxy or by diversifying the conceptual frameworks of medicine. Events 642 - Battle of Maserfield - Penda of Mercia defeats and kills Oswald of Bernicia. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. " Ernst et al British General Practitioner 1995; 45:506.
  34. ^ Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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Dictionary

alternative medicine

-noun

  1. any of various medical methods and practices used in place of, or as well as, conventional medicine
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