Exploring the Scientific Basis of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Stephen E. Straus, MD NCCAM/NIH Bethesda, MD, USA
Despite their access to sophisticated medical care systems, many people turn to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in search of additional longevity and quality of life. CAM includes herbal therapies, acupuncture, massage and meditation – highly disparate practices that are rooted in traditional natural healing methods, and that have not been proven scientifically to work. Over the past decade, the popularity of CAM in the United States has generated the widespread call, political support and resources for their careful and fair appraisal. This culminated in 1999 with the creation of a new component of the National Institutes of Health known as the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). This presentation will review the nature, appeal, promises and challenges of CAM. With input and encouragement of many stakeholders, NCCAM crafted a strategic plan that outlines its primary goals as supporting research and research training, facilitating the broader acceptance of practices that prove to be safe and effective, and disseminating information about these practices to healthcare practitioners and the public. NCCAMs agenda is a global one that aims to solicit and support the best science in pursuit of the best ideas, wherever they arise. This year, NCCAMs budget of $104 million is supporting some 200 research grants and training of over 70 fellows and faculty members at about 40 institutions. The projects supported range from basic studies of the molecular pharmacology of herbal products and brain imaging to elucidate mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia, to large multi-center randomized controlled trials of glucosamine for osteoarthritis, high-dose vitamins for prevention of prostate cancer, and ginkgo biloba to prevent dementia.
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