Dear All
Forgive me being obvious but I have never seen the point of these phrases
'alternative', 'complimentary' etc. Archie Cochrane said 'Use anything that
works'. Medicine it seems to me should include anything that works and
exclude anything that doesn't.
The tricky bit is when we have things that don't seem to do much good or
much obvious harm, or approaches which have not yet been properly
researched, when traditional medicine has the benefit of being vaguely
understood by the establishment practitioners but non traditional does not
have that benefit. The non-traditional then has to jump through the evidence
hoops before becoming part of the establishment, whereas traditional just
sticks there 'till someone blows it out of the water.
It's tough, but I see no easy way around it. We are gradually getting to the
sacred cows of traditional medicine (mixed metaphor heaven).
Norman Vetter
Department of Epidemiology
UWCM
Heath Park
Cardiff CF4 4XN
44 (0)29 20744196
Business Page: http://www.vetter.bizland.com/
Homepage: http://www.uwcm.ac.uk/uwcm/ei/vetter/
Pubwise: http://www.vetter.bizland.com/Pubwise/
----- Original Message -----
From: Stephen M. Perle, D.C. <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: 07 June 2000 19:57
Subject: Re: Alternative Medicine
The NIH Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine describes CAM
as:
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) covers a broad range of
healing philosophies, approaches, and therapies. Generally , it is
defined as those treatments and healthcare practices not taught widely
in medical schools, not generally used in hospitals, and not usually
reimbursed by medical insurance companies.
Many therapies are termed "holistic," which generally means that the
healthcare practitioner considers the whole person, including physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Many therapies are also known
as "preventive," which means that the practitioner educates and treats
the person to prevent health problems from arising, rather than treating
symptoms after problems have occurred.
People use these treatments and therapies in a variety of ways.
Therapies are used alone (often referred to as alternative), in
combination with other alternative therapies, or in addition to
conventional therapies (sometimes referred to as complementary).
Some approaches are consistent with physiological principles of Western
medicine, while others constitute healing systems with a different
origin. While some therapies are far outside the realm of accepted
Western medical theory and practice, others are becoming established in
mainstream medicine.
http://nccam.nih.gov/nccam/fcp/faq/#what-is
Arturo Marti-Carvajal wrote:
>
> Dear Madam/Sir:
>
> I am performing a proposal research on Complementary and Alternative
> Medicine Use in order to determine the prevalence and characteristics ad
hoc.
> The study will be carry on in Valencia, Carabobo State, 150 km west
> Caracas, VENEZUELA. Valencia is the main private industrial pole in this
> country.
>
> Please, does anyone know some official definition of Complementary and
> Alternative medicine?
>
> Thank so much in advance
>
> Arturo Martí-Carvajal
> [log in to unmask]
> fax: 58-41-712883
> Universidad de Carabobo
--
_____________________________________________________________________
Stephen M. Perle, D.C. "A man who knows that
Assistant Professor of Clinical Sciences he is a fool is not
University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic a great fool."
Bridgeport, CT 06601 Chuang Tzu
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.bridgeport.edu/chiro/
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