ABSTRACT
Up to now it is not clear whether many of the techniques actually work, cause harm, or are useless. Some procedures such as acupuncture appear effective and show some possibility of being considered by mainstream medicine (Baer 2001, 2010; Baer et al. 1998; Jackson and Scambler 2007). However, most evidence supporting the various types of alternative medicine is based upon personal observations or testimonials from satisfied patients, not scientific testing. The lack of scientific evidence, especially from randomized controlled clinical trials, has led critics to argue that CAM is no more effective than a placebo (Segar 2011). The Office of Alternative Medicine, now the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, was created in 1992 by Congress as part of the National Institutes of Health. The mission of the Center is to facilitate research and evaluation of CAM techniques and make this information readily available to practitioners and the public.
