Complementary & Alternative Medicine Hits the Mainstream
Author: Julian Tang
Complementary & Alternative Medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered to be part of conventional medicine. CAM includes acupuncture, biofeedback, neurofeedback, chiropractic, herbal supplements, meditation, and various forms of relaxation therapy. While scientific evidence exists regarding some CAM therapies, questions as to whether these therapies are safe and effective have always been a debate amongst patients and health professionals.

Results from the recently released National Health Interview Survey show that Americans are using complementary and alternative medicine with increasing frequency. According to the survey, Americans spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on CAM each year. Currently, CAM accounts for approximately 11.2% of total out-of-pocket expenditures on health care in the United States each year. Herbal supplements are among the most commonly used CAM therapies. The quarterly journal of the American Botanical Council, HerbalGram, reported that 2008 sales of herbal supplements in the United States reached $4.8 billion.

So, why the sudden increase after several years of declining sales? Some believe the economic downturn has caused patients to forgo expensive prescriptions in place of less-expensive herbal alternatives. There may also be a growing number of consumers who view herbal supplements as “all-natural” and safe to ingest. Other reasons for increased use may include the accessibility of herbal supplements and consumer dissatisfaction with prescription medications. Robert Murdoch, an acupuncture physician at Natural Family Physicians in Cape Coral, Florida, says that leading a healthy lifestyle coupled with alternative medicines can be just as effective as vaccines or other traditional treatments. "I think the immune system responds to our attitude," said Murdoch. "With a strong, positive outlook we really create a more powerful immune system."

The use of alternative medicine in Canada also saw an increase at an amazing pace since the Millennium. The first poll on this topic was conducted in 1995 by the National Population Health Survey, and found that 15% of Canadians reported using some form of alternative care. The number went up to 20% in an investigation in 2003 and, in 2009, 28% of Canadians declared that they use alternative care. The information was delivered by CTV.ca, by researchers of the Canadian Network for Alternative Medicine Research. Specialists who were consulted by local media pointed out that nearly a third of Canadians believe natural health products are safe and perhaps better than conventional medications. Teela Johnson, manager at Noah's Natural Foods, says that there is a greater interest among consumers in managing their own care and improving their health, while media and celebrity messages about eco and health-conscious lifestyles are the cause of the increasing popularity.

With increasing health claims of CAM, from treating allergies to curing cancers, more people will be intrigued by it all and be more willing to give it a go. More scientists are also seeing a connection between physical and spiritual health with many health educational facilities opening their doors to educating future healthcare professionals about alternative, complementary and integrative medical practices such as acupuncture and meditation. As such, we may see that this recent rise in the popularity of alternative therapies will be a continuing trend.

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About the Author
Author Julian Tang Julian holds a Degree in Pathology and is currently undertaking his postdoctoral studies in the field of Protein X-ray Crystallography and Structural Biology. He has written and published book chapters on bacterial pore-forming toxins. When he is not a careless scientist with an oversized labcoat by day, Julian has a particular interest in prevalent consumer trends and country pulses and writes freelance for a market intelligence company. He cites Salinger and Hemingway as his greatest influence and cooking and traveling as his greatest joy.
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