Clinical trials in complementary and alternative medicine – the myth of limitations

10.20883/161 ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 327
Author(s):  
Tomasz Rzepiński ◽  
Piotr Tabaczewski
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Risks And Benefits ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

The  paper aims to dispute common arguments put forward by practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in discussions against conducting clinical trials in CAM treatment protocols. It is argued that CAM therapies cannot be evaluated by the same criteria as those applied in conventional medicine due to specificity of CAM. This paper suggests that this line of thought undermines not only the validity of CAM therapies, but, importantly, is delaying understanding their therapeutical value. We also argue that despite apparent differences in approach both conventional medicine and CAM aim to improve human well being therefore CAM should be validated with well established and widely accepted process of balancing of risks and benefits of individual therapies as in conventional medicine clinical trials.

scholarly journals Clinical trials in complementary and alternative medicine – the myth of limitations

2016 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-329
Author(s):  
Tomasz Rzepiński ◽  
Piotr Tabaczewski
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Risks And Benefits ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

The  paper aims to dispute common arguments put forward by practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in discussions against conducting clinical trials in CAM treatment protocols. It is argued that CAM therapies cannot be evaluated by the same criteria as those applied in conventional medicine due to specificity of CAM. This paper suggests that this line of thought undermines not only the validity of CAM therapies, but, importantly, is delaying understanding their therapeutical value. We also argue that despite apparent differences in approach both conventional medicine and CAM aim to improve human well being therefore CAM should be validated with well established and widely accepted process of balancing of risks and benefits of individual therapies as in conventional medicine clinical trials.

scholarly journals A Qualitative Investigation of the Perceptions of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Among Adults in Hawaiʻi

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittany R Odegard ◽  
Mollie R Ferguson ◽  
Farah Naja ◽  
Jennifer Ayoub ◽  
Jinan Banna
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Data Saturation ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
The University ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Abstract Background: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is defined as a group of diverse medical and healthcare practices outside of conventional medicine modalities. The use of CAM is steadily increasing despite gaps in the scientific evidence supporting its use and the challenges of its regulation and integration into conventional healthcare practices. In this context, perceptions concerning CAM become important. The purpose of this study is to identify the perceptions of CAM among adult residents of Hawaiʻi.Methods: Two researchers conducted audio-recorded interviews at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa (UHM) campus. Participants were over the age of 18, spoke English fluently, and self-identified as Hawaiʻi residents. Interviews were conducted to the point of data saturation and audio recordings were transcribed verbatim. Researchers collaboratively developed a codebook and used NVivo 12 to analyze transcripts. New codes were added as required. Inter-rater reliability was determined by calculating Cohen’s kappa coefficient. Key themes were identified by both researchers individually and then discussed and evaluated together.Results: Participants were mostly female, white, and affiliated with UHM. Perceptions were categorized as positive, negative, and neutral. The majority of participants had positive perceptions of CAM with few reporting negative perceptions. The positive perceptions were related to CAM’s perceived effectiveness, the desirability of CAM compared to conventional medicine, and CAM’s ability to foster well-being. Negative perceptions were attributed to the lack of scientific evidence and ineffective outcomes of CAM use. Neutral perceptions of CAM related to its safety and natural characteristics. Conclusions: The finding of this study revealed mainly positive perceptions of CAM revealed among Hawaiʻi residents. Use of CAM is on the rise despite CAM lacking empirical evidence demonstrating efficacy. With insufficient data and understanding, CAM users place themselves at risk for harmful herb-herb and herb-drug interactions. These findings have implications for healthcare providers of both conventional medicine and CAM traditions.

scholarly journals Complementary and Alternative Medicine versus Conventional Medicine Use in Thalassemia Patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (16) ◽  
pp. 105-111
Author(s):  
Wan Ismahanisa Ismail ◽  
Mohamed Azmi Ahmad Hassali ◽  
Maryam Farooqui ◽  
Muhammad Nabil Fikri Roslan ◽  
Nazri Che Dom
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Publishing House ◽  
Medicine Use ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
International Publishing ◽  
Treatment Procedures ◽  
Open Access Article ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Background: This study explores thalassemia patients' perceptions concerning the effectiveness of conventional therapies for Thalassemia healthcare. Method: The semi-structured interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and translated into English. Results: Nearly all thalassemia patients reported to have relied on conventional treatment methods to treat and reduce the severity of their disease. Few patients reported not to comply with their treatment procedures due to fear of infection through blood transfusion, surgery and organ failure. Conclusions: In conclusion, patients showed positive views about the conventional therapies carried out for Thalassemia. Keywords:: Thalassemia; qualitative; conventional; complementary and alternative medicine eISSN: 2398-4287© 2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians/Africans/Arabians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/ebpj.v6i16.2665

scholarly journals Safety and Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Norway During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic Using an Adapted Version of the I-CAM-Q: A Cross-Sectional Survey

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agnete Egilsdatter Kristoffersen ◽  
Miek C. Jong ◽  
Johanna Hök Nordberg ◽  
Esther T. van der Werf ◽  
Trine Stub
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Fisher Exact Test ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

Abstract BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has had a profound impact on physical and mental well-being throughout the world. Previous studies have revealed that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used for, and can be potential beneficial for strengthening physical mental resilience. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence, associations and reasons for use of CAM during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic among a representative sample of the Norwegian population, and determine possible effects and adverse effects of the treatments. MethodsComputer assisted telephone interviews using a COVID-adapted I-CAM-Q questionnaire were conducted with 1008 randomly selected Norwegians aged 16 and above using multistage sampling during April and May 2020 applying age and sex quotas for each area. Descriptive statistics were carried out using Pearson’s Chi-square test, Fisher exact test, and Independent samples T-tests to identify group differences. ResultsThe study revealed that two thirds of the respondents (67%) had used CAM within the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular CAM modalities that did not involve a provider. Most used were natural remedies and dietary supplement (57%, mainly vitamins and minerals), but self-help practices like yoga and meditation were also widely used (24%). Women used CAM modalities significantly more than men (77% vs. 58%). Most of the respondents found the modalities they used beneficial, and 5% reported adverse effects of the treatments.ConclusionsThe first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has not profoundly changed the overall need of Norwegian citizens to seek care outside the conventional healthcare system, but rather caused a shift in the type of CAM modalities used. The risk profile of these modalities was generally low as only 5 % of the respondents reported adverse effects. Further studies are needed to confirm the change from provider based to self-administered CAM use.

scholarly journals Beyond a Generic Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Holistic Health Care- Conventional Medicine Continuum

2009 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 153-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anske Robinson ◽  
Janice Chesters ◽  
Simon Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Alternative Medicine ◽  
Complementary And Alternative Medicine ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Holistic Health ◽  
Natural Remedy ◽  
Health Care Beliefs ◽  
Holistic Health Care ◽  
Different Characteristics ◽  
Complementary And Alternative

This article explores whether complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) users view CAM as a unified concept or individualize the modalities. A survey about the beliefs and concerns surrounding the use of 22 CAM modalities was posted to a random sample of 1,308 people in five rural and two metropolitan localities in Victoria, Australia. The response rate was 40% (n = 459). Overall, 91% of respondents were found to either have used one CAM modality (85%, n = 386) or be open to future use (6%, n = 33). Respondents did not view CAM as a unified concept. Each modality was used by people with different characteristics and beliefs about health care. However, it was practical to divide the 22 CAM modalities into four categories that we have named natural remedy, wellness, accepted, and established modalities. The four categories lie along a set of continua extending from natural remedy modalities and ‘‘holistic health care’’ beliefs at one end to established modalities and a belief in the tenets of conventional medicine at the other. We were able to develop a model to show this diagrammatically.

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