The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the U.S.

• Well regarded study in JAMA notes the use of these therapies by U.S. patients at greater than 40%; other studies show upwards of 60%. One study reported more visits to alternative practitioners last year than to conventional PCPs

• Growing body of clinical trials to study these therapies.

• The ?big seven? among CAM therapies are: acupuncture, traditional Chinese herbal medicine, western herbalism, homeopathy, chiropractic care, massage therapy, and diet and nutrition therapy.

• The most common complaints presented to unconventional practitioners are back pain, headache, anxiety, chronic pain, and cancer or tumors.

• Up to 70% of patients using CAM may not report their use to their primary care doctor. This creates a strong barrier to effective clinical care