MedifocusHealth

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) defines complementary and alternative medicine as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be a part of conventional medicine". The term complementary medicine refers to the use of CAM therapies in addition to or in conjunction with conventional mainstream treatments in an "integrative" approach to treatment. The term alternative medicine, on the other hand, refers to the use of CAM therapies as a substitute for or in place of conventional mainstream treatments.

Although the terms "complementary" and "alternative" are often used interchangeably by many people when referring to CAM therapies, health care professionals usually make a clear distinction between these two terms. In general, conventional physicians will keep an open mind and tend to support the use of "complementary" therapies in conjunction with standard mainstream treatments while they may resist suggestions for using "alternative" therapies as a substitute for conventional treatments. In fact, many cancer centers in the United States have incorporated select complementary therapies along with standard cancer treatments (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery) in an emerging field of cancer care known as integrative oncology. It is important for patients and their families to keep in mind the very important distinction between the terms "complementary" and "alternative" when discussing the issue of CAM therapies with their health care provider in order to avoid confusion and misunderstandings and ensure effective patient-doctor communication.

The definition of CAM adapted by the NCCAM, which basically defines CAM as any treatment modality, philosophy, or product that falls outside the realm of conventional or standard medical care is well-suited for most Western countries where conventional, modern medicine is the prevailing or predominant health system adapted by the people who live in that culture. For example, conventional or standard treatments for cancer in most modern Western countries include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, and surgery. Other treatment modalities such as acupuncture, hypnotherapy, or the use of shark cartilage would be considered as being outside the realm of conventional medicine and falling under the general umbrella of CAM. The definition of CAM adapted by the NCCAM, however, is more problematic in countries or cultures where a particular form of CAM, such as Traditional Chinese medicine in China or Ayurvedic medicine in India, represent major health care systems that are recognized, accepted, and utilized by the general population of those countries or cultures.