Comparative Effectiveness Research and CAM

The efficacy paradox in randomized controlled trials of CAM and elsewhere: beware of the placebo trap.

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary MedicineVol. 6, No. 2 PerspectivesMethodological Problems of Clinical Research into Spiritual Healing: The Healer's PerspectiveCraig K. BrownCraig K. BrownSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:24 Sep 2007https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2000.6.171AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byEmpathy and mental health associated with non-conventional healing practices27 August 2020 | Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health, Vol. 24, No. 1Perceived outcomes of spiritual healing and explanations - a qualitative study on the perspectives of German healers and their clients12 July 2014 | BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 14, No. 1Key Issues in Clinical and Epidemiological Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine a Systematic Literature ReviewForschende Komplementärmedizin / Research in Complementary Medicine, Vol. 19, No. s2Treating Children With Therapeutic and Healing TouchPediatric Annals, Vol. 33, No. 4Sham in CAMEvidence-Based Integrative Medicine, Vol. 1, No. 4Outcomes research: costs and quality of lifeThe Clinical Effectiveness of Healing Touch5 July 2004 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 8, No. 1Introduction: therapeutic agents from ethnomedicineChronically Ill Patients Treated by Spiritual Healing Improve in Quality of Life: Results of a Randomized Waiting-List Controlled Study5 July 2004 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 7, No. 1Developing Research Methodology in Spiritual Healing: Definitions, Scope, and Limitations30 June 2004 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 6, No. 4The Lure of the Ghetto30 June 2004 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 6, No. 4 Volume 6Issue 2Apr 2000 InformationCopyright 2000, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Craig K. Brown.Methodological Problems of Clinical Research into Spiritual Healing: The Healer's Perspective.The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.Apr 2000.171-176.http://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2000.6.171Published in Volume: 6 Issue 2: September 24, 2007PDF download

A short history of acupuncture.

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary MedicineVol. 12, No. 4 EditorialsEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Back to BasicsRichard Hammerschlag and Heather ZwickeyRichard HammerschlagSearch for more papers by this author and Heather ZwickeySearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:24 May 2006https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2006.12.349AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail "Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Back to Basics." , 12(4), pp. 349–350FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited ByPoultry eggshell-derived antimicrobial materials: Current status and future perspectivesJournal of Environmental Management, Vol. 314Inter-Rater Agreement of Biofield Tuning: Testing a Novel Health Assessment Procedure Richard Hammerschlag, Eileen D. McKusick, Namuun Bat, David J. Muehsam, James McNames, and Shamini Jain8 October 2020 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 26, No. 10 Acupuncture versus Various Control Treatments in the Treatment of Migraine: A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials from the Past 10 Years 1 August 2020 | Journal of Pain Research, Vol. Volume 13Effects of Electroacupuncture for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 2016Der Blick über den Tellerrand – Fünf mutige Beispiele10 March 2015A Clinical Study of Integrating Acupuncture and Western Medicine in Treating Patients with Parkinson's DiseaseThe American Journal of Chinese Medicine, Vol. 43, No. 03Should systematic reviews assess the risk of bias from sham–placebo acupuncture control procedures?European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 6, No. 2Acupuncture Pain Research: Quantitative and Qualitative11 September 2013Traditional Korean medicine practitioners’ attitudes toward evidence based medicine: A qualitative studyEuropean Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 4, No. 4Acupuncture and the Emerging Evidence Base: Contrived Controversy and Rational DebateJournal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, Vol. 5, No. 4Acupuncture for the Trauma Spectrum Response: Scientific Foundations, Challenges to Implementation20 December 2011 | Medical Acupuncture, Vol. 23, No. 4Effects of GV20 Acupuncture on Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity of Middle Cerebral Artery and Anterior Cerebral Artery Territories, and CO2 Reactivity During Hypocapnia in Normal Subjects20 March 2011 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 3Paradoxes in Acupuncture Research: Strategies for Moving ForwardEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 2011Der Blick über den Tellerrand ‒ Fünf mutige BeispieleMainstreaming Acupuncture: Barriers and Solutions23 July 2010 | Complementary health practice review, Vol. 15, No. 1Time-variant fMRI activity in the brainstem and higher structures in response to acupunctureNeuroImage, Vol. 47, No. 1Developments in Acupuncture Research: Big-Picture Perspectives from the Leading Edge21 September 2008 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 14, No. 7Acupuncture modulates resting state connectivity in default and sensorimotor brain networksPain, Vol. 136, No. 3Evidence overviews: the role of systematic reviews and meta-analysesPhysiological dynamics of acupuncture: correlations and mechanismsNeuroimaging Acupuncture Effects in the Human Brain25 August 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 6The Importance of Early Phase Research28 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 4Acupuncture in an Outpatient Clinic in Fortaleza, Brazil: Patients' Characteristics and Prevailing Main Complaints4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Auriculotherapy with Magnetic Pellets Produces Longitudinal Changes in Sleep Patterns of Elderly Patients with Insomnia4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Image Cycling for Hands-on Healers4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Clinicians' Attitudes and Usage of Complementary and Alternative Integrative Medicine: A Survey at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institute4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Challenges of Integrating CAM and Biomedicine27 March 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Controversies In Acupuncture Research: Selection of Controls and Outcome Measures In Acupuncture Clinical Trials9 January 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 10Neuroimaging for the Evaluation of CAM MechanismsDer Blick über den Tellerrand — Fünf mutige Beispiele Volume 12Issue 4May 2006 InformationCopyright 2006, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Richard Hammerschlag and Heather Zwickey.Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Back to Basics.The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.May 2006.349-350.http://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2006.12.349Published in Volume: 12 Issue 4: May 24, 2006PDF download

The 2018 Declaration of Astana* issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) represents a
\nlandmark step for all of primary health care, public health, and traditional
\ncomplementary and integrative medicine. It brings together the priorities of the
\nWHO’s 1978 Alma-Ata Declaration, the international importance of universal
\nhealth coverage, and the ongoing efforts of the global community to reach
\nUNICEF’s Sustainable Development Goals. It is the first global primary health
\ncare document to explicitly acknowledge the value and importance of traditional medicine systems in achieving successful primary health services;
\n‘success’ being underpinned by specific commitments and evaluated by key
\nsuccess measures**. The Declaration explicitly refers to the application of
\ntraditional knowledge and the appropriate inclusion of traditional medicines as
\nfactors that will drive the success of primary care. However, the Declaration
\nalso makes commitments and identifies other success drivers that, despite
\nnot being directly linked to traditional and integrative care, are equally relevant. These omissions represent potentially untapped and overlooked opportunities for meaningful engagement to improve primary care.

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary MedicineVol. 12, No. 9 EditorialAcupuncture Research: Time to Shift from Theoretical to Practical QuestionsHugh MacPhersonHugh MacPhersonSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:16 Nov 2006https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2006.12.837AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byInterdisciplinary Relationship Models for Complementary and Integrative Health: Perspectives of Chinese Medicine Practitioners in the United States Belinda J. Anderson, Sai Jurawanichkul, Benjamin E. Kligler, Paul R. Marantz, and Roni Evans16 March 2019 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 25, No. 3Evaluation of an antenatal acupuncture intervention as an adjunct therapy for antenatal depression (AcuAnteDep): study protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial17 February 2016 | Trials, Vol. 17, No. 1Critical Review of Data Evaluation in Teaching Clinics of Traditional Chinese Medicine Outside China: Implications for EducationEXPLORE, Vol. 12, No. 3Key Issues in Clinical and Epidemiological Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine a Systematic Literature ReviewForschende Komplementärmedizin / Research in Complementary Medicine, Vol. 19, No. s2Acupuncture as analgesia for low back pain, ankle sprain and migraine in emergency departments: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial15 November 2011 | Trials, Vol. 12, No. 1The Acupuncture Treatment for Postmenopausal Hot Flushes (Acuflash) Study: Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnoses and Acupuncture Points Used, and Their Relation to the Treatment Response12 December 2018 | Acupuncture in Medicine, Vol. 27, No. 3The Development of a Prospective Data Collection Process in a Traditional Chinese Medicine Teaching Clinic Michele Maiers, Eileen McKenzie, Roni Evans, and Mark McKenzie17 March 2009 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 3 Volume 12Issue 9Nov 2006 InformationCopyright 2006, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Hugh MacPherson.Acupuncture Research: Time to Shift from Theoretical to Practical Questions.The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.Nov 2006.837-839.http://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2006.12.837Published in Volume: 12 Issue 9: November 16, 2006PDF download

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Initiatives in Europe

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary MedicineVol. 14, No. 8 PHOTOESSAYCupping: An Alternative Surgical Procedure Used by Hippocratic PhysiciansHelen Christopoulou-Aletra and Niki PapavramidouHelen Christopoulou-AletraSearch for more papers by this author and Niki PapavramidouSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:6 Nov 2008https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.0238AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byThe medical life cycle of surgery in Iran: past and presentEffectiveness of wet cupping therapy on relieving pain in patients with chronic migraine: an observational study1 April 2021 | Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, Vol. 18, No. 3WET CUP TREATMENT REDUCES OXIDATIVE STRESS INDEX24 March 2021 | Ahi Evran Medical JournalCupping on ancient Greek coins: A numismatic case series and its relationship to dermatologyClinics in Dermatology, Vol. 14Baguan Therapy Is an Alternative in Treating Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Systematic Review Based on Existing Randomized Controlled Trials27 March 2019 | Complementary Medicine Research, Vol. 26, No. 2Pulsatile dry cupping in chronic low back pain – a randomized three-armed controlled clinical trial2 April 2018 | BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 18, No. 1Cupping therapy for treating ankylosing spondylitis: The evidence from systematic review and meta-analysisComplementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Vol. 32Cupping therapy for treating ankylosing spondylitis: Protocol for a systematic reviewEuropean Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 21Cupping Therapy: An Overview from a Modern Medicine PerspectiveJournal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, Vol. 11, No. 3Cupping Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Synthesis of Evidence16 July 2018 | Complementary Medicine Research, Vol. 25, No. 4Cupping in dermatology: a critical review and update30 June 2018 | Acta Dermatovenerologica Alpina Pannonica et Adriatica, Vol. 27, No. 2Cupping therapy: An analysis of the effects of suction on skin and the possible influence on human healthComplementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Vol. 29Cupping therapy for treating knee osteoarthritis: The evidence from systematic review and meta-analysisComplementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Vol. 28Cupping therapy for Treating Knee Osteoarthritis: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsEuropean Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 12History of cupping ( Hijama ): a narrative review of literatureJournal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 3Kupa Tedavisi ve Hacamat12 December 2016 | Ankara Medical Journal, Vol. 16, No. 4Effects of Wet Cupping on Blood Components Specially Skin-Related Parameters of Healthy Cases: A Case Control Metabonomic Study21 June 2016 | Journal of Skin and Stem Cell, Vol. In Press, No. In PressMalay Cupping Therapy: A Haematological Analysis Pilot Study25 March 2016Cupping therapy: A prudent remedy for a plethora of medical ailmentsJournal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 5, No. 3Unexpected lumbar abscess due to scarification wet cupping: A case reportComplementary Therapies in Medicine, Vol. 22, No. 4Adverse events related to cupping therapy in studies conducted in Korea: A systematic reviewEuropean Journal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 6, No. 4Hijamat in Traditional Persian Medicine25 February 2014 | Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Vol. 19, No. 2Pulsatile dry cupping in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee – a randomized controlled exploratory trial12 October 2012 | BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 1The study of the change of pressure and its relationship with the temperature inside the cup Volume 14Issue 8Oct 2008 Information© 2008 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Helen Christopoulou-Aletra and Niki Papavramidou.Cupping: An Alternative Surgical Procedure Used by Hippocratic Physicians.The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.Oct 2008.899-902.http://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2008.0238Published in Volume: 14 Issue 8: November 6, 2008Online Ahead of Print:October 17, 2008PDF download

I am excited to join with you for the beginning of a new era for The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (JACM). We plan to push the boundary of what a peer-reviewed ''CAM'' journal can mean for health and medicine. This column outlines some of my early, amendable thinking. Let me know your thoughts and responses.

The present editorial wants to draw your attention, once again, to the current European CAM research situation which has been stirred and – for some people maybe even – shaken by the start of CAMbrella, the pan-European research network for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), in Munich, in January 2010 [1]. Dieter Melchart already dedicated his editorial of the last issue of Forschende Komplementarmedizin / research in complementary medicine [2] to some of the controversial questions that seem to mushroom in the CAM field as soon as anything gets the go: envy-driven and so-called skeptical positions (as if, by definition, a CAM researcher was not a skeptic, i.e. a rational and scrutiny-driven person ...) say that first, you should not have started the thing at all, and second, it would have been better if the money had been granted to the skeptics. But this is of no big interest, or: as Karlsson-on-the-Roof, the famous little flying man in Astrid Lindgren’s children’s story used to say, when he was caught with a prank: ‘This does not make odds to a great mind!’ The much more interesting question is: What is going on in CAMbrella? For a general overview, you can consult the CAMbrella website (www.cambrella.eu) which gives detailed information on the entire working process and the different questions that will have to be answered by the end of 2012, when the final CAMbrella conference will be held in Brussels. In order to be informed on a regular basis, just subscribe to the quarterly newsletter; the first two issues are already available (www.cambrella.eu/newsletter). A major goal of the project is to deliver an informed proposal to the European public of how a definition of the various medicines could work that encompasses the whole of Europe (in its difference to North America or Asia) and at the same time does not eliminate the oddities and peculiarities of different regional traditions. Given the 27 member states and the 3 candidate countries (Croatia, Macedonia, Turkey), this is not a small task. For instance, is the term ‘Integrative Medicine’ suitable for the European patchwork situation? This notion is heavily doubted by the editor in chief of this journal, Harald Walach [3], for instance. Should we use a term that takes into account the European aspect, e.g. ‘Traditional European Medicine,’ a term which was coined to counterbalance the traditional Asiatic medicines like TCM or TTM, or should we stick to the NCCAM definition, for the sake of interrelatedness? How about the classical term of ‘Naturheilkunde’ in the German context or ‘Non-Conventional Medicine’ which seems to be more prevalent in the northern countries? One of CAMbrella’s tasks – in fact a fairly fundamental one – is the establishment of a glossary of CAM in Europe that includes a comprehensive definition of what CAM means in the European context. As one of the journals in the field – and the most relevant European one in that matter – Forschende Komplementarmedizin / research in complementary medicine wishes to offer particular input to that debate that was opened at the ISCMR [4] workshop ‘Complementary or Integrated? – Clarifying the Concepts’ at the ECIM congress in Berlin, in November 2009. At that workshop, Claudia Witt, Associate Editor, and Harald Walach, Editor in Chief of the present journal both gave topical statements regarding the definitional issues, and the ensuing discussion with the audience was a friendly and open, yet conceptionally sharp debate. ‘The targeted outcome’ of the Berlin workshop was to start ‘a series of, hopefully, clarifying discourses around the notion of integrative versus complementary medicine’ [5]. To continue this process for its own sake and the whole field as well as to give an informed input to the discussions that have to take place within the CAMbrella group, the Associate Editors of Forschende Komplementarmedizin / research in complementary medicine will share their ideas about that subject in one of the following issues of this journal.

399 The subject of acupuncture is surrounded, in some circles, with notions of mysticism and movements of energy through meridian channels invisible to the naked eye and a nomenclature for the internal organs that perplexes many Western-trained scientists confronted with the Chinese literature. While a large number of randomized controlled trials provides growing evidence of the clinical efficacy of acupuncture for treating a variety of medical conditions (National Institutes of Health, 1997; Ernst and White, 1999; Stux and Hammerschlag, 2001) a reliance on apparently unverifiable concepts of energy gives rise to considerable skepticism of this alternative medical modality. Anecdotal reports of patient improvement may be sufficient to persuade the health care consumer but failure to completely demonstrate the relationship of Oriental Medicine to known physiologic systems limits the acceptance of acupuncture in mainstream medicine. Physicians who practice medical acupuncture often provide considerable benefit to patients who have reportedly “failed” to respond to contemporary Western medicine. Thus, these physicians appreciate the enormous clinical value of acupuncture. Nonetheless, historical accounts in Europe and America of such supposedly effective medical cures as “bloodletting” and “mysterious elixirs” led Western physicians to doubt medical procedures not grounded in well-researched, biologic mechanisms and continue to fuel Western cynicism toward Oriental Medicine. However, advances in sophisticated technology utilized in the fields of neuroscience and molecular biology have the potential to lead to greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying the effects of acupuncture. In their paper “A Pilot Study of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain During Manual and Electroacupuncture Stimulation of Acupuncture Point (LI-4 Hegu) in Normal Subjects Reveals Differential Brain Activation Between Methods” (pages 411–419), Jian Kong et al. demonstrate the complexity of researching even the basic process of needling a major acupuncture point, Large Intestine 4 (LI 4). Nevertheless, their endeavor to explore the centrally mediated effects of acupuncture using functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) brain imaging techniques takes advantage of an opportunity that Chinese doctors from the past

Alternative and Complementary TherapiesVol. 9, No. 1 CorrectionCorrectionPublished Online:5 Jul 2004https://doi.org/10.1089/10762800360520820AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail "Correction." , 9(1), p. 50FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byPrevalence of Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Herbal Remedy Use in Hispanic and Non-Hispanic White Women: Results from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Robin R. Green, Nanette Santoro, Amanda A. Allshouse, Genevieve Neal-Perry, and Carol Derby1 October 2017 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 23, No. 10Complementary and Integrative Health Practices Among Hispanics Diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer: Utilization and Communication with Physicians David S. Black, Chun Nok Lam, Nathalie T. Nguyen, Ugonna Ihenacho, and Jane C. Figueiredo17 June 2016 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 22, No. 6A Sociobehavioral Wellness Model of Acupuncture Use in the United States, 2007 Dawn M. Upchurch and Bethany Wexler Rainisch23 January 2014 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 20, No. 1Chronic pain management by ethnically and racially diverse older adults: pharmacological and nonpharmacological pain therapiesPain Management, Vol. 3, No. 6Effect of Back Massage Intervention on Anxiety, Comfort, and Physiologic Responses in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure Wei-Ling Chen, Gin-Jen Liu, Shu-Hui Yeh, Ming-Chu Chiang, Mao-Young Fu, and Yuan-Kai Hsieh7 May 2013 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 19, No. 5Complementary or controversial care? The opinions of professionals on complementary and alternative interventions for Autistic Spectrum Disorder26 February 2012 | Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol. 17, No. 4Prevalence and Correlates of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Services Use in Low-Income African Americans and Whites: A Report from the Southern Community Cohort Study Yong Cui, Margaret K. Hargreaves, Xiao-Ou Shu, Jianguo Liu, Donna M. Kenerson, Lisa B. Signorello, and William J. Blot27 August 2012 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 18, No. 9“ I Have Not a Want But a Hunger to Feel No Pain” Mexican Immigrant Women with Chronic Pain: Narratives and Psychotherapeutic ImplicationsWomen & Therapy, Vol. 35, No. 1-2Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Asian Indians in the United States: A National Study Ranjita Misra, Padmini Balagopal, Maryanna Klatt, and Maureen Geraghty9 August 2010 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 16, No. 8A Multivariate Test of an Expanded Andersen Health Care Utilization Model for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Use in African Americans Carolyn Brown, Jamie Barner, Tom Bohman, and Kristin Richards13 August 2009 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 8Health Practices and Vaginal Microbicide Acceptability among Urban Black Women Marian Reiff, Christine Wade, Maria T. Chao, Fredi Kronenberg, and Linda F. Cushman21 September 2010 | Journal of Women's Health, Vol. 17, No. 8If You Build It, Will They Come? A Free-Care Acupuncture Clinic for Minority Adolescents in an Urban Hospital Ellen Silver Highfield, Linda Barnes, Lisa Spellman, and Robert B. Saper6 August 2008 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 14, No. 6Patterns of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in African Americans Carolyn M. Brown, Jamie C. Barner, Kristin M. Richards, and Thomas M. Bohman11 October 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 7The role of complementary therapies in cardiac care: Where are we now?British Journal of Cardiac Nursing, Vol. 2, No. 2Alternative therapies in critical care areas: The limitations and benefitsBritish Journal of Cardiac Nursing, Vol. 2, No. 1Acupuncture Use in the United States: Findings from the National Health Interview Survey Adam Burke, Dawn M. Upchurch, Claire Dye, and Laura Chyu13 September 2006 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 7Changes in Blood Pressure After Various Forms of Therapeutic Massage: A Preliminary Study Jerrilyn A. Cambron, Jennifer Dexheimer, and Patricia Coe22 February 2006 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 1 Volume 9Issue 1Feb 2003 To cite this article:Correction.Alternative and Complementary Therapies.Feb 2003.50-50.http://doi.org/10.1089/10762800360520820Published in Volume: 9 Issue 1: July 5, 2004PDF download

Alternative and Complementary TherapiesVol. 3, No. 1 Clinic Close-Up Wellness Under One RoofThe Pittsburgh Center for Natural HealthAnne H. CoulterAnne H. CoulterSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:3 Feb 2009https://doi.org/10.1089/act.1997.3.33AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byThe Development of a Prospective Data Collection Process in a Traditional Chinese Medicine Teaching Clinic Michele Maiers, Eileen McKenzie, Roni Evans, and Mark McKenzie17 March 2009 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 3Clinicians' Attitudes and Usage of Complementary and Alternative Integrative Medicine: A Survey at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institute Mi-Yeon Song, Majnu John, and Adrian S. Dobs4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Auriculotherapy with Magnetic Pellets Produces Longitudinal Changes in Sleep Patterns of Elderly Patients with Insomnia Lorna K.P. Suen and Eric M.C. Wong4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Acupuncture in an Outpatient Clinic in Fortaleza, Brazil: Patients' Characteristics and Prevailing Main Complaints Sergio Botelho Guimarães4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Challenges of Integrating CAM and Biomedicine Michele Sewell27 March 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Image Cycling for Hands-on Healers Donald G. Murphy and William F. Bengston4 May 2007 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 13, No. 3Reporting Traditional Chinese Medicine Morbidity—A University of Technology, Sydney, Project with an Emphasis on Developing Standards for Testing and Reporting Data Peter C. Meier and Carole Rogers2 August 2006 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 12, No. 6Incorporation of Fasting Therapy in an Integrative Medicine Ward: Evaluation of Outcome, Safety, and Effects on Lifestyle Adherence in a Large Prospective Cohort Study Andreas Michalsen, Barbara Hoffmann, Susanne Moebus, Markus Bäcker, Jost Langhorst, and Gustav J. Dobos30 August 2005 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 11, No. 4Patient Characteristics for Outpatient Acupuncture in Beijing, China Vitaly Napadow and Ted J. Kaptchuk25 August 2004 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 10, No. 3"Quality Profiling" for Complementary Medicine: The Example of a Hospital for Traditional Chinese Medicine Dieter Melchart, Wolfgang Weidenhammer, Klaus Linde, and Reinhard Saller5 July 2004 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 9, No. 2Use of traditional drugs in a hospital of Chinese medicine in GermanyPharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, Vol. 8, No. 2 Volume 3Issue 1Feb 1997 To cite this article:Anne H. Coulter.Clinic Close-Up Wellness Under One Roof.Alternative and Complementary Therapies.Feb 1997.33-36.http://doi.org/10.1089/act.1997.3.33Published in Volume: 3 Issue 1: February 3, 2009PDF download

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary MedicineVol. 23, No. 2 EditorialChinese TCM Renaissance and the Global Movement for Integrative Health and MedicineJohn WeeksJohn WeeksSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:1 Feb 2017https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2017.29019.jjwAboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB Permissions & CitationsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View articleFiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byChinese herbal therapy in the management of rhinosinusitis—A systematic review and meta-analysis1 December 2022 | PLOS ONE, Vol. 17, No. 12Body constitution of traditional Chinese medicine caused a significant effect on depression in adult womenComplementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, Vol. 42Association between dry eye and traditional Chinese medicine body constitutions15 January 2021 | Medicine, Vol. 100, No. 2Estimated Number of Acupuncture Practitioners in Mainland China in 2018: Multiperspectives Arthur Yin Fan, Deguang He, Sherman Gu, Haihe Tian, Hui Ouyang, Hui Wei, Changzhen Gong, Sarah Faggert Alemi, and Xiaoyin Zhao19 October 2020 | Medical Acupuncture, Vol. 32, No. 5Chinese herbal medicine for COVID-19: Current evidence with systematic review and meta-analysisJournal of Integrative Medicine, Vol. 18, No. 5Universities of Chinese Medicine Enter the Global Stage of Best Universities Rankings in 2020 Arthur Yin Fan, Hui Wei, Haihe Tian, Jane Huang, and Sarah Faggert Alemi16 June 2020 | Medical Acupuncture, Vol. 32, No. 3Chinese Herbal Medicines for Rheumatoid Arthritis: Text-Mining the Classical Literature for Potentially Effective Natural ProductsEvidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol. 2020Challenges for the Future and the Role of Industrial Policy4 August 2020Chinese herbal medicine for vascular cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease2 October 2020 | Medicine, Vol. 99, No. 40Chinese Herbal Medicine for Mild Cognitive Impairment Using Montreal Cognitive Assessment: A Systematic Review Lin Dong, Anna J. Hyde, Anthony Lin Zhang, Charlie Changli Xue, and Brian H. May4 June 2019 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 25, No. 6Doing Better with What We've Got: Implementation Science in Integrative Health Amidst New Attention to Health Services Research John Weeks14 December 2018 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 24, No. 12Distribution of licensed acupuncturists and educational institutions in the United States at the start of 2018Complementary Therapies in Medicine, Vol. 41The Capabilities of Nurses for Complementary and Traditional Medicine Integration in Africa Razak Mohammed Gyasi, Kabila Abass, Samuel Adu-Gyamfi, Burnett Tetteh Accam, and Victoria Mensah Nyamadi1 March 2018 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 24, No. 3Re: “Chinese TCM Renaissance and the Global Movement for Integrative Health and Medicine” by Weeks (J Altern Complement Med 2017;23:79–81) Arthur Yin Fan and Sarah Faggert1 November 2017 | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 23, No. 11 Volume 23Issue 2Feb 2017 InformationCopyright 2017, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:John Weeks.Chinese TCM Renaissance and the Global Movement for Integrative Health and Medicine.The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.Feb 2017.79-81.http://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2017.29019.jjwPublished in Volume: 23 Issue 2: February 1, 2017PDF download

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) covers a heterogeneous spectrum of ancient to new-age approaches that purport to prevent or treat disease. By definition, CAM practices are not part of conventional western-style medicine because there is a perception of insufficient proof that they are safe and effective or because they are not taught in conventional medical and nursing schools. Complementary interventions are typically used together with conventional western-style treatments, whereas alternative interventions are used instead of conventional approaches. When combined with conventional practices they are often labeled Integrative Medicine (IM). Many people in the United States (US) use CAM and IM modalities1–7 and its use is increasing.2 In 1990, a national survey estimated that 33.8% of US adults used CAM modalities in the previous year,7 which increased to 42.1% in 19973 and 62% in the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).1 These surveys included spiritual healing and "folk" medicine (remedies common, ethnically derived remedies used at home), in the CAM modality definition. Recently published results of the 2007 NHIS used a different CAM modality taxonomy and excluded these practices.2,8,9 When prayer specifically for health reasons was excluded, the 2002 and 2007 NHIS found 36% and 38.3%, respectively, of US adults reported using some form of CAM modality in the last 12 months.1,2 These national surveys only include civilian, noninstitutionalized individuals; they do not include our 1.8 million active duty military personnel and families. In the last 10 years, there has been an increase in interest and use of CAM modalities and IM in the military.9 This important segment of the US population receives health care from both military and civilian practitioners; and is subject to similar health risks as civilians plus additional physical, emotional, and cognitive stress of deployment with associated family separations for both the active duty member and families, and the consequences of combat.10,11 It would not be unexpected for military personnel to seek to improve their health through complementary practitioners, potentially at a greater extent due to health and performance expectations,10 and for the same reasons reported by civilians.1,2,11,12 This interest in CAM has been accelerated by the surge of chronic pain, chronic stress, and chronic symptoms associated with trauma and injuries from over a decade of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.13 However, until recently there were little data to determine which CAM modalities are being used, how often, by whom, and for what purposes. Recently, these informational gaps are being filled in and the current picture is summarized below. USE OF CAM IN THE MILITARY The use of CAM in the military is higher than in the civilian population. Samueli Institute and Research Triangle International conducted the largest and most comprehensive survey of CAM use in over 16,000 active duty service members in all branches stationed both in the United States and overseas.14 Data were drawn from the 2005 Department of Defense (DoD) Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel, which draws on a worldwide, random sample of over 40,000 service members from all branches, sexes, races, and ranks.15 It asked about overall CAM use and 19 specific CAM therapies using a methodology that closely matched the NHIS used by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.16 This military survey showed that approximately 45% of active duty military personnel reported using at least 1 CAM type in the previous 12 months. CAM use when not counting self-prayer was approximately 36%. The 8 most frequently reported CAM approaches included 4 mind body therapies (prayer for your own health: 24.4%; relaxation techniques: 10.8%; art/music therapy: 7.7%; exercise/movement therapy: 6.8%), 2 biologically based therapies (herbal medicine: 8.9%; high-dose megavitamins: 8.4%), and 2 manipulative and body-based methods (massage therapy: 14.1%; chiropractic: 5.2%). Eleven CAM types were used by <5.0% of respondents and 6 types were used by <1% of personnel. When both surveys were adjusted for the 2000 census bureau demographics, CAM use by military personnel was significantly higher than that of the general population (44.5% vs. 36.0% and 38.3% in the 2 NHIS surveys, respectively, P<0.001). Significantly more military personnel reported use of energy healing, guided imagery therapy, massage therapy, hypnosis, and relaxation techniques than civilians in both NHIS surveys (P<0.001) with more reported use of "folk" remedies, high-dose megavitamins, and spiritual healing by others than the 2002 NHIS survey (P<0.001) and more frequent use of biofeedback than the 2002 NHIS and 2007 NHIS surveys (P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively). There were no statistical differences in reported use of acupuncture and homeopathy. Overall, the prevalence of CAM use in this study was consistent with smaller military surveys where 49.6% CAM use was reported by military veterans in the Southwestern United States,17 and with 37.2% use of 12 CAM modalities (excluding prayer) in US Navy and Marine Corps personnel.18 The vast majority of CAM health care occurs outside the military health system, some of it provided by TRICARE, the military's health insurance program. However, as in the civilian population, most CAM is paid for out of pocket by military personnel as TRICARE covers very few CAM modalities. Massage therapy, used by 14% or an estimated 137,000 personnel, is not a covered benefit, whereas biofeedback (for certain conditions) is covered. Chiropractic is the only CAM modality that is currently included in a systematic manner in the military health system; however, access to chiropractic practitioners is limited. In 2005, 54% of active duty personnel resided in areas served by chiropractic clinics, and the remaining 46% were not served by clinics because of living overseas (14%), in remote areas (5%), or in US installations without chiropractic clinics (28%).19 Herbal medicines and high-dose vitamins also are not covered by military health care. However, many military installations include a General Nutrition Center store on the premises where these products readily are available. Three CAM modalities (yoga, massage, and imagery), which are commonly used for stress management were used by military populations at an estimated 2.5–7 times the rate of civilians. The fact that military members and their families are seeking and personally paying for these therapies outside both direct military care system and the TRICARE System may reflect access problems in Military Treatment Facilities (MTF), a preference for CAM/IM over traditional modalities (ie, not turning away from traditional medicine but rather turning toward and preferring CAM/IM), growing concern about the results of traditional pharmacologically based treatments, and an increasing interest in and need for appropriate access to CAM modalities within the military health system to decrease symptoms and improve function for military members suffering from the "wounds of war." Unmonitored and uninformed use of CAM modalities in the military may have negative consequences on health and military performance. A number of large randomized, placebo controlled trials of herbal treatments20–22 and acupuncture7,23,24 have been negative, making the substitution of these CAM modalities for proven therapies risky. In addition, some CAM therapies, particularly herbal supplements, have been associated with potential harm through toxicity and herb/pharmaceutical interactions.25,26 Herbal medicines and nutrients in doses well above the Dietary Reference Intakes27 are 2 of the CAM modalities most commonly used by military personnel. With 45% of the over 1million active duty personnel reportedly using CAM modalities, and a steady increase globally, it is important to understand why military personnel are using CAM, the role these therapies should play in their health care, and for military health care providers to recognize, monitor, and integrate CAM modalities into their health care practices. OFFERINGS OF CAM IN MTF Two recent surveys have assessed the use of CAM across DoD medical facilities and evaluated their reported effects and attitudes by health care leaders in military MTFs. The first is in a report entitled "Integrative medicine in the military health system report to congress" by the DoD Undersecretary of Personnel and Readiness (P&R).28 In this survey, 29% (120) of 421 MTFs reported offering a total of 275 CAM programs including 213,515 CAM patient visits in calendar year 2012 for active duty members. The most visits were for chiropractic care (73%) and acupuncture therapy (11%). The report states that, of those doing evaluation of CAM they have found: (1) patients reporting a reduction in anxiety levels and improved sleep with meditation; (2) breath-based practices reportedly helped patients to remain sober and reduced overall stress levels; (3) patients using massage therapy noted 75% improvement of symptoms, including pain; and, (4) overall positive outcomes were reported by 50%–90% of patients using massage therapy. The Report also states that patients practicing yoga had declines in psychological symptoms and improvement in overall health. Over 30 research projects have been funded by DoD and have reported improvements in symptoms and sleep, reduction in anxiety and psychological symptoms across a number of CAM practices being used. The Report concluded that: "There is wide-spread use of CAM therapies across the [Military Health System] MHS. Providers and patients were interested in using CAM therapies even though many are not evidence-based. Some providers have added CAM therapies as an adjunct to conventional therapies for a holistic approach to patient management." The second survey, completed by Samueli Institute did a more in-depth survey of CAM availability across a more limited sample of both MTFs and morale, welfare, and recreation (MWRs) centers. The study examined the CAM services offered during the year 2013 in 47 DoD MTFs, and MWRs locations across all military service branches.29 Information was collected on the prevalence of CAM modalities provided; the attitudes and beliefs towards CAM among the leadership in the different facilities; the obstacles and barriers to access in military facilities; the funding sources for CAM offered at military facilities; and, whether CAM is part of the strategic plan for the future of health care delivery. In addition, information was collected on the provision of CAM treatments for highly prevalent conditions in military personnel (pain, combat-related stress, and rehabilitation), how beneficial medical leaders thought CAM was, and how practitioners were accredited to practice CAM modalities. The results of this survey showed that 30 (70%) of the 47 facilities surveyed provided some type of CAM service with most being provided for active duty service members (70%), followed by family members (43%) and retirees (36%). Less than 9% of the participants reported providing CAM services to federal employees, contractors, or members in the community. Overall, acupuncture and chiropractic were among the top 3 most prevalent practices followed by yoga and massage. For pain management the primary CAM modalities were acupuncture (36.2%), chiropractic or osteopathic medicine (27.7%), and breathing exercises (25.5%). For stress and stress-related conditions, the top modalities were acupuncture (25.5%), breathing exercises (21.3%), and biofeedback (17%). For wellness and fitness, offerings included weight management, diet-based therapies, and movement practices. In this Samueli Institute survey, 57% of medical leaders felt that CAM practices were either beneficial (40%) or highly beneficial (17%) with 40% being neutral on the benefit and 3.3% feeling CAM practices were not beneficial. Despite this generally favorable response, over 75% had no provision or guidelines for CAM use in their strategic plans. Still, 46% funded CAM services out of their general budget, with 12% receiving money from the Office of the Army Surgeon General, 8% receiving congressional money, and 4% private money for CAM. Only 10% reported any research or evaluation of CAM going on in their facility. This survey also examined the challenges to improving access to these practices. Although the majority of leadership responses (57%) rated CAM modalities as highly favorable or favorable, the identified obstacles and barriers for access to CAM in military facilities included (in order of frequency): (1) inadequate space to provide services; (2) patients do not know to ask for CAM; (3) CAM costs too much; (4) CAM is too time consuming; and (5) CAM does not contribute to workload coverage. The prevalence of CAM practices provided by MTFs and MWR across DoD shows 75% availability within MTFs, and 33% within MWR facilities and programs. There were no appreciable differences in availability of CAM across military branches. MINDING THE GAP: ALIGNING PATIENTS, PRACTICE, AND POLICY In the report to Congress by DoD P&R, it was recommended to evaluate CAM programs for safety and effectiveness, as well as cost-effectiveness and consider widespread implementation in the military health system if cost-effective. The criteria for how to do this are specified. Part 199 of Title 32, CFR, governs TRICARE benefits and restricts services to those medically necessary drugs, devices, treatments, or procedures for which safety and efficacy have been proven to be comparable or superior to established therapies. Established criteria state that unproven drugs, devices, treatments, or procedures may not be covered: (1) unless reliable evidence shows that any medical treatment or procedure has undergone well-controlled clinical studies that show maximum tolerated dose, toxicity, safety, or efficacy compared with standard treatment or diagnosis; (2) if the available reliable evidence is considered inadequate by experts who recommend further studies or clinical trials are needed. The criteria for making a determination of proven safe and effective to nationally accepted medical standards are evidence that comes from: (1) well-controlled studies of clinically meaningful endpoints published in referred medical literature; (2) published formal technology assessments; (3) published reports of national professional medical associations; and (4) published reports of national expert opinion organizations. However, these guidelines and criteria and not being applied appropriately to CAM modalities. Biofeedback is the only CAM practice currently covered under TRICARE guidelines, and TRICARE only covers biofeedback therapy for nerve injury, not stress management. The 2 most widely used CAM modalities (chiropractic and acupuncture) are excluded in Title 32 CFR section 199.4 (g) even though neither has been evaluated using TRICARE guidelines. In other words, none of the CAM modalities (with the possible exception of biofeedback) have been evaluated by the DoD or TRICARE using their own guidelines for determining which practices should be covered. Despite this, TRICARE declines to pay for acupuncture but will pay for biofeedback. Chiropractic (which also has not been evaluated by TRICARE guidelines) is provided to DoD beneficiates through MTFs but not through TRICARE. Chiropractic is currently being implemented across DoD even though research on the effectiveness of chiropractic in the DoD is only recently underway because of a Congressional mandate and special appropriation.30 Acupuncture is both widely accepted and used in the DoD and currently the Defense and Veteran's Pain Task Force is training medical practitioners in "Battlefield Acupuncture" (BA). BA is a specific auricular acupuncture protocol developed by Col (Ret) Richard Niemtzow, an Air Force physician, seeking to add a simple nonpharmacological pain management technique that could be used by a broad array of first responders and primary care providers to help reduce pain, reduce medication load, and improve function.31 Acupuncture has been shown to be superior to conventional therapy for several chronic conditions prevalent in the military, and has also been shown not to be due only to placebo effects.32 Samueli Institute has performed a comprehensive systematic review of acupuncture for the Trauma Spectrum Response, an important collection of comorbidities often experienced by service members after deployment.33 Recently, a comprehensive review of self-care CAM modalities for pain has been published in a special issue of Pain Medicine in which reasonable evidence for use of yoga, tai chi, and music were found for the treatment of pain.34 These areas are ripe for evaluation by the military and TRICARE Systems for possible inclusion into the array of services provided. CONCLUSIONS Over a decade of war has left hundreds of thousands of our service members and their families suffering from a range of psychological and physical injuries, many leading to or exacerbating chronic pain. They and their health care providers have surged ahead in seeking out drug-free and self-care healing practices to help them recover and return to wholeness in peacetime. The availability of efficacious CAM modalities adds needed access to a cadre of promising services and practices that promote healing and improved function with less medication and fewer unwanted side effects. However, DoD policy and priorities have not kept up with this surge, leaving the majority of active duty service members, veterans, and their families to fend for themselves, to pay for or go without the beneficial effects of CAM and IM practices. As stated in the DoD P&R report to Congress, "At this time, there are insufficient internal evaluations and reported results to determine whether the CAM programs being provided in the MTFs meet these [TRICARE] criteria." It is time for the DoD to step up their efforts to complete these evaluations and ensure that "sufficient evaluation" occurs in a more timely manner. Our long-suffering heroes deserve nothing less!