USA

$13 million spent on Alternative Medicine in the USA

In the USA, the National Institute of Health Office of Alternative Medicine, along with 17 other Public Health Service agencies were reported to be giving away $13 million to fund research into alternative medicines. Some of the studies being funded include:
• Chiropractic versus physiotherapy treatment of back pain.
• Acupuncture for the treatment of cocaine addiction.
• Herbal medicines and anti-HIV compounds.

Rest assured we will do our best to keep you updated of the results as and when they become available.

Alternative & Complementary Therapies (October 1994)1;1, 52

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Doctors attitudes to complementary/alternative therapies

Researchers at the University of Maryland, Baltimore USA conducted a survey of 295 family doctors in the Chesapeake region to find out about the doctors’ knowledge, usage and training in natural medicines and alternative/complementary therapies. 

Of the 180 doctors who responded to the survey, 70-90 per cent considered diet and exercise, behavioural medicine, counselling, psychotherapy and hypnotherapy to be legitimate therapeutic practices although homœopathy, native American Indian medicine and traditional oriental medicine were not considered to be legitimate practices in medicine. 

The survey also found that there was a strong interest in alternative medicine with over 70 per cent of the doctors indicating that they would like to learn more about the available therapies. 

Once again, another survey confirms the growing interest of American doctors in alternative/complementary therapies.

Berman BM et al. Physicians’ attitudes towards complementary or alternative medicine: a regional survey. J Am Board Fam Pract 8(5) 361-6 Sept/Oct 1995

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Canada

Canadian Doctors attitudes to complementary/alternative therapies

According to a recent study conducted by the Department of Community Health Sciences at the faculty of Medicine University of Calgary, the majority of Canadian doctors in the Alberta and Ontario regions show a keen interest in alternative medicines. 

400 GPs were randomly selected and sent questionnaires. Two hundred doctors returned completed questionnaires of which 73 per cent stated that they wanted to know more about the major alternative therapies. 65 per cent stated that they thought that their patients wanted to use alternative therapies (especially chiropractic). The doctors also thought that alternative therapies were most needed for chronic pain or illness and musculo-skeletal disorders. The most effective therapies for chronic pain were thought by the doctors to be chiropractic, hypnosis and acupuncture.

Verhoef MJ, Sutherland LR. General practitioners assessment of and interest in alternative medicine in Canada. Soc Sci Med. 41(4) 511-515. 

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This page was last updated on 02 July 2005 00:00:00