ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION More than 70% of the world’s population uses some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including natural products as well as other therapeutic interventions (1), with more modest but growing usage rates of 25% to 35% in the United States (2,3). Despite improved funding for clinical and basic research on these therapies, and the growing inclusion of CAM in medical education curricula, most physicians feel unprepared to advise patients who are using or wish to learn about alternative treatments, and many practitioners remain skeptical of their effectiveness.
