|
COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: LOOKING TO SCIENCE FOR MORE ANSWERS
Clearly, CAM (Complementary And Alternative Medicine) is fast gaining popularity and respect among the highest levels of government, scientific and medical communities, and the population at large. However, though some CAM treatments are gaining credibility, this credibility must be tempered with good science. Testimonials, spontaneous remissions of disease, and claims by professionals with professional credentials and pseudocredentials are only as good as the research that supports the claims. Although slow in coming, the federal government and legislators have pushed for better science, increased funding, and an agency designed to help garner information useful to consumers.
In 1993 Congress paid heed by establishing the Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM) at the NIH. Recently renamed the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and with a budget of nearly 50 million dollars, it now is able to fund its own projects and has established research centers at universities and other institutions throughout the United States, where many clinical trials are being conducted. In addition, numerous other studies into alternative treatments for ailments from arthritis to depression to high blood cholesterol are taking place at institutions across the United States. One of the most promising aspects of this research is the enthusiastic support of professionals who have the training and laboratory expertise to actually measure the efficacy of current market-driven claims and ask the right questions of manufacturers.
*374/277/5*
GENERAL HEALTH
|
