Entry #9 - Three Drawbacks of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

 

Three Drawbacks of Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine, often called complementary medicine (From now on, CAM), refers to treatments for illnesses and conditions used instead of biomedicine. CAM may include remedies, brews, meditation, and other practices often rooted in tradition, religion, or anecdotes, and is commonly used among people who believe modern medicine is unreliable and untrustworthy. Although alternative medicine has been prevalent throughout human history, it presents three drawbacks in the medical field: it is ineffective, unsafe, and wasteful.

CAM’s first drawback is that treatments are often ineffective. Many alternative therapies are based on pseudoscience and superstitions stemming from ancient beliefs and traditions with no scientific basis. Angell and Kassirer (1998) argued that the reliance of CAM on testimonies and loosely formulated hypotheses, rather than science, renders it not a true form of medicine. Furthermore, because they are entirely arbitrary, CAM practices often fail when tested in clinical trials. Herbal remedies and therapies cannot be scientifically proven to be effective, as they rely on speculation and anecdotes. Moreover, CAM practitioners rely on the placebo effect to “cure” their patients. By being convinced the treatment they are undergoing will cure them, a person may be compelled to believe it is having the desired effect and “feel better,” but this is purely a psychological effect (Hróbjartsson & Gøtzsche, 2001). These reasons are why the scientific community agrees that CAM methods are ineffective.

Equally important, CAM practices may be harmful to patients. For example, chiropractic, which involves twisting and contorting a patient to “cure” all sorts of illnesses, is severely damaging to patients with bone conditions, and may even cause problems in healthy people, as the human body is not supposed to be manipulated in such a way (Solimene et al., 2005). Additionally, it is widely known that certain CAM practices interfere with medical treatments. Zeller et al. (2012) concluded that herbal remedies said to help the healing process in cancer patients inhibited the efficacy of prescription drugs, leading to complications. These practices and remedies might be unsafe, especially for individuals currently receiving medical treatment.

Another drawback of complementary and alternative medicine is the financial resources being spent on it. Universities across the United States have now incorporated CAM into their study programs (National Academies Press (US), 2005), and some health policies in the country require clinics and hospitals to provide alternative treatments. This leads organizations to pour resources into research, equipment, and personnel dedicated to CAM that could be better utilized to advance biomedicine. Additionally, patients in need of care unwittingly help fund these practices by undergoing alternative treatments, as many of them are desperate for affordable care. CAM diverts too many resources away from biomedicine, slowing down medical advancements.

 For the general populace, it is of extreme importance to know and understand what complementary and alternative medicine is. While some biomedicine treatments originated in CAM, the wide array of practices in this industry is unreliable. Not only is CAM held back by its shortcomings, but it may also negatively impact public health by being potentially ineffective, unsafe, and wasteful. Always prioritize biomedicine treatments and consult a professional doctor before choosing to undergo complementary or alternative medicine.

 

Angell, M., M. D., & Kassirer, J. P., M. D. (1998). Alternative medicine -- the risks of untested and unregulated remedies. The New England Journal of Medicine, 339(12). https://kitsrus.com/pdf/nejm_998.pdf

Hróbjartsson, A., & Gøtzsche, P. C. (2010). Placebo interventions for all clinical conditions. Cochrane Library. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.cd003974.pub3

National Academies Press (US). (2005). Educational programs in CAM. Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK83809/

Solimene, U., Bedah, A. A., Amigoni, M., Behiat, S., Caizzi, A., Camara, M., Coats, M., Discalzi, A., Eleke, I., Fox, M., Fujikawa, R., Lee, E., Meersseman, J., Minelli, E., Nakagaki, K., Nordling, S., Scrabbi, L., Shoukhov, W., Sweaney, J., & Win, U. (2005). WHO guidelines on basic training and safety in chiropractic. World Health Organization. https://air.unimi.it/handle/2434/46008

Zeller, T., Muenstedt, K., Stoll, C., Schweder, J., Senf, B., Ruckhaeberle, E., Becker, S., Serve, H., & Huebner, J. (2012). Potential interactions of complementary and alternative medicine with cancer therapy in outpatients with gynecological cancer in a comprehensive cancer center. Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, 139(3), 357–365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-012-1336-6