2.8: Alternative Medicine
- Page ID
- 55707
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Alternative Medicine generally lies outside of what’s traditionally taught in U.S. medical schools (conventional medicine). It includes methods such as aromatherapy, therapeutic touch, homeopathy, and herbal medicine. It evokes a soft and caring image, versus the impersonal, high-tech image of conventional medicine. Many people are frustrated with the failures of conventional medicine.
Conventional medicine relies on scientific evidence of efficacy, whereas much of alternative medicine does not. If and when an alternative medicine therapy proves its effectiveness in controlled studies, it becomes a part of conventional medicine.
Controlled studies of alternative medicine are in progress, particularly in the field of herbal medicine. Herbal extracts used in these studies are standardized so that a consistent product is used. In the marketplace, it’s hard, if not impossible, for consumers to tell exactly what they’re getting. Potencies and contaminants vary widely, and label information can be unreliable. Thus, if an herbal extract proves effective in controlled studies, consumers would best seek the specified and standardized product tested.
Herbal extracts are classed as dietary supplements, so are only loosely regulated. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 allows supplement manufacturers to sell products without proving safety or effectiveness, but only allows claims related to bodily structure or function. Disease‑related claims aren’t allowed on the label. For example, it’s okay to claim that a product promotes bone health (though it may not), but not okay to claim that it prevents osteoporosis (a disease).
It’s been ruled that aging, mild memory loss, pregnancy, morning sickness, menopause, premenstrual syndrome, and such, are not diseases, so claims can be made about these. Also, disease claims for supplements are often made in magazines and on websites (e.g., “shark cartilage cures cancer”), which are harder to scrutinize.
Consumers should maintain healthy skepticism. The key question is, how do you know that? Many claims have nothing but testimonials to support them. Ask for details. An advertisement for an herbal preparation that says, “A clinical trial showed improvement in 75% of the subjects,” can mean that it was given to four friends, and three of them said they felt better. Emphasis is on treatment. Diagnosis can be inaccurate, sketchy, or otherwise unreliable. In “conventional” studies, people must be verified to have cancer before claims can be made about their being cured of cancer.
Also, as noted earlier, placebo effects can be powerful. It’s estimated that at least 50% of physicians prescribe placebos to their patients in the form of vitamins, dietary supplements, drugs at very low doses, etc. It’s considered unethical to prescribe a sugar pill as a placebo without disclosing this to the patient.
Many in the U.S. use therapies outside of conventional medicine, mostly as complementary or integrative medicine. The terms used can be confusing. Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is used in addition to conventional medicine. Integrative medicine coordinates the use of complementary and conventional medicine.