Many people are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as part of their healthcare practice. Modest estimates from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) suggest that 36% of people in the United States are using some form of CAM.1 Particularly popular with persons with cancer, CAM refers to therapies that are not considered part of conventional or standard healthcare treatment. These therapies include acupuncture, aromatherapy, herbal supplements, meditation, and a host of others. CAM therapies can be used in concert with standard treatments or as an alternative to traditional approaches. As CAM therapies grow in their popularity and scope, this issue of Family & Community Health (31.3) seeks to educate healthcare professionals about the various aspects of CAM and the complexities that encompass its efficacy and safety.
The NCCAM encourages patients and healthcare professionals to fully explore risks, potential benefits, and scientific evidence to ensure their health and safety.
Scientific research on many CAM therapies is relatively new, so this kind of information may not be available for every therapy. However, many studies on CAM treatments are under way, including those that NCCAM supports, and our knowledge and understanding of CAM is increasing.1
The amount of information available concerning CAM continues to burgeon, and as it does, the central task for healthcare providers and their patients becomes assessing the quality of that information. A CAM therapy is certainly not a one-size-fits-all treatment model, and choices to implement CAM in a regimen of care should be based on sound research, the individualized needs of each patient, and the potential impact of CAM therapies on other treatments.
CAM therapies can certainly elicit a great deal of skepticism, but despite individual misgivings, statistics continue to show that they are growing in popularity. Although many CAM therapies may not cure or prevent disease, it is imperative that healthcare professionals increase their understanding of these therapies as more people turn to them for treatment.
A question for each of us to ask is: How many of us mix CAM therapies with those of conventional medicine? I know my medicine cabinet has a hearty mix of CAM and allopathic remedies, and many of us participate in CAM interventions such as yoga, massage, biofeedback, or acupuncture to name a few. It is important when we add CAM therapies to our daily lives to inform the healthcare professionals who care for us so that they can determine whether or not there are any possible negative interactions from the combination. I think you will enjoy and learn from reading this interesting set of articles.
Jeanette Lancaster
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