Complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) are treatments that are not used in the practice of conventional western medicine. CAMs can be used to treat the disease itself, lessen the side effects of another treatment, or improve a patient's quality of life. These treatments have either not gone through the process of rigorous scientific testing or have been tested and found to be ineffective. By definition, complementary medicines are used in combination with treatments administered by a medical doctor. Alternative medicines, on the other hand, are treatments used in place of what a doctor has recommended. There is also a branch of medicine referred to as integrative care because it involves a treatment plan designed by a health professional that utilizes both conventional western medicine and less proven complementary methods.
All treatments used by conventional western physicians in the U.S. undergo a rigorous testing process before being approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Products that exhibit a significant effect on any disease are considered drugs and are subject to strict regulation by the FDA. To gain approval, treatments must first exhibit beneficial effects in vitro, then in animals, and finally in humans. When these experiments are performed a detailed report is written. Each of these reports is published in a peer-reviewed journal and is held to a high standard of procedure and analysis. Numerous clinical trials must show that a treatment is safe and effective before it is accepted by conventional western medicine.
Many CAMs are touted as better treatments because they are natural . This does not mean that they are safe or effective. Any supplement can have negative side effects and may even interfere with treatment. This is why if you are planning on taking any complementary or alternative medicines you should talk with your doctor about the best possible options.
Complementary and alternative medicines are becoming increasingly popular among Americans. (1) To date, the largest survey involving CAM therapies showed that seventy-five percent of Americans use these therapies at least once in their life. These methods include prayer for health reasons, mind-body techniques, herbs, supplements, a specified diet, and more. (1) In 2002 Americans spent $34 Billion dollars on CAM therapies (for all diseases). (2) The cost of these treatments is nearly entirely out of pocket as insurance companies do not cover many CAM therapies. (3) CAM use is higher among cancer patients than average Americans. Different studies suggest that 63-83% of cancer patients report using CAMs as part of their treatment plan. (4)
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You can also view CAM treatment tables and additional resources.
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