A Way Out of the Maze: Federal Agency Preemption of State Licensing and Regulation of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Practitioners

2001 ◽  
Vol 27 (2-3) ◽  
pp. 329-344
Author(s):  
Peter J. Van Hemel
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Health Care Needs ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Mainstream Medicine ◽  
Two Sides ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

In recent years, complementary and alternative medicine (“CAM”) has grown in both popularity and economic import across all segments of society and is now an established presence in the lives of millions of Americans. It has generated its own field of adherents, practitioners, opponents, lobbyists and counter-lobbyists, case law, and regulations. On one side of the CAM equation stand the advocates of CAM: its practitioners and satisfied patients. On the other stand its detractors: its dissatisfied patients, groups within the established or mainstream medical community, and historically, the American Medical Association (“AMA”). In the aggregate, the two sides engage in large scale scientific and philosophical battles over how best to treat or address the health care needs of patients. On a smaller scale, individuals on each side are essentially lobbying to protect their professions and their jobs. The struggle between the two warring camps fills volumes of medical, legal and popular scholarship. However, it is not the point of this Note to address the validity of the debate between CAM and mainstream medicine.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Foundations, Ethics, and Law

2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M. Sade
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Scientific Medicine ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
American Health Care System ◽  
Objective Evidence ◽  
American Health Care ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

It is doubtful that any feature of the American health care system in the last several decades has had as profound an effect on the way Americans pursue their perceived health needs as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Almost half of all Americans take care of some of their health care needs outside of contemporary scientific medicine. The number of visits to CAM practitioners was estimated 6 years ago to be 629 million a year, with expenditures of $27 billion a year. The use of CAM has been expanding rapidly despite little objective evidence of its safety or effectiveness. Little more than a decade ago CAM was viewed by the traditional medical community as a nuisance that offered unproven treatments at best and as outright quackery at worst. In any case, alternative medicine, as it was known at that time, seemed unworthy of serious attention.

The Medical Education Priorities of Parents Who Use Complementary and Alternative Medicine

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 70-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maree O’Keefe ◽  
Suzette Coat ◽  
Alison Jones
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Health Care Experiences ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Many parents use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for their children. A number of medical schools are introducing CAM teaching, and this study was undertaken to explore the medical education priorities of parents who use CAM for their children. A total of 27 parents (25 females, 2 males) participated in 1 of 6 focus group discussions. Transcripts were analyzed using an iterative process of concept identification, hypothesis testing, and detailed comparisons. Participant preferences for health care for their children were complex and informed by previous health care experiences and current family health care needs. Using CAM allowed parents choice and control in managing their family’s health care. Many participant priorities for medical education in CAM echoed key principles of patient-centered care in addition to specific suggestions for curriculum development. Participating parents believed that it was important to increase medical students’ knowledge and understanding of both CAM modalities and the perspectives of parents.

Complementary and alternative medicine

2020 ◽  
pp. 201-206
Author(s):  
Edzard Ernst
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Spinal Manipulation ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Vast Array ◽  
Mainstream Medicine ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Complementary and alternative medicine can be defined as 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. It is popular; hence doctors should know about it. The term covers a vast array of treatments and diagnostic techniques which have little in common except that they are not part of mainstream medicine. The most important modalities are acupuncture, phytotherapy, homeopathy, and spinal manipulation. In industrialized countries, typical users of complementary and alternative medicine are middle-aged, female, well-educated members of a high socioeconomic class. Indications range from chronic benign conditions where mainstream medicine does not offer a cure (e.g. back pain) to life-threatening diseases like cancer and AIDS.

scholarly journals Applications and Therapeutic Actions of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Women with Genital Infection

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenfang Liu ◽  
Yuehui Zhang ◽  
Sai Kong ◽  
Ilene Tsui ◽  
Yang Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Vaginal Bleeding ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Medical Community ◽  
Genital Infection ◽  
Gut Flora ◽  
Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Genital infection is a common worldwide disease among females with clinical features such as bilateral lower abdominal tenderness, abnormal vaginal or cervical discharge, fever, abnormal vaginal bleeding, dyspareunia, vaginal itching, and adnexal tenderness, which can significantly impair women’s health and quality of life. Genital infection is commonly treated with antibiotics, leading to an imbalance in gut flora due to prolonged use of antibiotics. Therefore, it is necessary to discover safe and efficacious alternative treatment strategies for patients with genital infection. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is becoming increasingly prevalent among women with genital infection. CAM has interested the western mainstream medical community because of its less invasive, safe, effective, economical, and convenient therapies. CAM focuses on the prevention and treatment of disease and has become an important force in treating chronic disease. During the last few decades, the popularity of CAM has gradually increased. To further understand the efficacy of CAM in treating genital infection, our paper will review the current progress of treating genital infection including vulvitis, vaginitis, cervicitis, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) with CAM therapies. Several CAM strategies including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture, Psychology interference, and physical therapy are introduced in this review.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Oncology

1999 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-239
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Torma
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Mainstream Medicine ◽  
And Cartilage ◽  
Treatment Related Problems ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has reentered mainstream medicine and is gaining interest with cancer patients for the treatment of their disease. The use of CAM by cancer patients varies depending on survey, but has been reported as high as 54 percent. As pharmacists we are expected to educate and counsel patients on herbal, pharmacologic and immunologic therapies. Several therapies that claim to treat cancer include laetrile, iscador, essiac, antineoplastins, immunoaugmentative therapy, IP6, PC-SPES, and cartilage products; these therapies and their limitations are discussed. Cancer patients are a unique population with special considerations when patients are utilizing CAM because disease and treatment related problems, such as bleeding, nutrition, and quality-of-life, could be worsened. Resources for pharmacists and cancer patients on CAM are outlined.

Complementary and alternative medicine

2010 ◽  
pp. 65-70
Author(s):  
E. Ernst
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Conceptual Frameworks ◽  
Mainstream Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can be positively defined as 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. It is popular, hence doctors should know about it....

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