This page includes links to CAM articles

• Funding and scientific research into CAM;
• Myths about modern medicine;
• Legal issues;
• Information websites;
• Links to articles on CAM;
• Overseas challenges to CAM
• Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM);
• Applied kinesiology (AK) and manual muscle testing (MMT);
• Cancer;
• Chiropractic;
• Homeopathy;
• Naturopathy/nutrition/iridiology;
• Osteopathy;
  
• Therapeutic touch;
• Vitamins and Supplements; and
  
• Yoga.

Funding and scientific research into CAM

In this section we will explore the state of publicly funded research on CAM.

• Since 2001, the NHRMC has provided almost $69 million for rigorous scientific research into complementary medicine and alternative interventions. It will be important to review the results of such research in the light of the already long history of similarly funded research in the US.
  
• The Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 budget for the NCCAM (US) includes $132,004,000, which is $3,213,000 more than the comparable FY 2010 appropriation of $128,791,000; Since their inception, NCCAM and its predecessor agencies have spent $1.6 billion.
• Studying complementary and alternative medicine; This is an important article which reviews and evaluates the results of these studies. It emerges that there is little evidence that the CAM interventions investigated have any significant effectiveness.
  

Myths about modern medicine

Legal issues

• Critical appraisal: court in the Act;
  
• Ethics & health law news; and
• Can anyone call themselves a doctor in Australia?
  

Information websites

• These natural therapies websites may be useful;
• NHS told to abandon alternative medicine;
• Cochrane Summaries(CAM);
• Cochrane Summaries (Complementary Medicine);
• TGA - List of evaluated registered complementary medicines; and
  
• Fact sheet from the Office of Dietary Supplements: National Institutes of Health.

Links to media on CAMs

• Richard Dawkins on alternative medicine and the nature of science;
• Richard Dawkins Visits the Alternative Health Fair;
• Alternative medicine, superstition at our age;
• Professor Edzard Ernst (Pulse);
• A Close Look at 'Alternative' medicine;
  
• Alternative Medicine - UK Guardian^*;
• Alternative Medicine meets Science^*;
• Complementary and Alternative Therapeutics: Rigorous Research is Needed to Support Claims;
• I've got nothing to lose by trying it;
• What's the harm? and
  
• What alternative health practitioners might not tell you.
  

Overseas challenges to CAMs

• The demise of Quackademia. Progress over the last 5 years leave Michael Driscoll and Geoffrey Petts isolated;
• Lie back and relax: reflexology and aromatherapy degrees are dropped;
• UK Universities drop alternative medicine degree programs;
• Complementary medicine courses in Universities: how I beat varsity quacks;
• Alternative Medicine - do the benefits match the claims? - Simon Singh; and
  
• Andy Lewis & Simon Singh discuss homeopathy & the 10:23 campaign for Center for Inquiry.

Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)

There are 43 reviews in the Cochrane library about acupuncture

• Acupuncture compared with placebo acupuncture in radiotherapy-induced nausea - a randomized controlled study.
• Stabbing Needles Into Children To Treat Asthma: Malpractice, Or Just A Very Bad Idea? (US): Prof Steven Salzberg discusses the abuse of children by using acupuncture as an intervention for asthma.
• An acupuncture meta-analysis; A meta-analysis of the Vickers et al has been effectively criticized by Steven Novella of the American Science-Based Medicine.
• Quackery and mumbo-jumbo in the US Military: Cupping, moxibustion, and battlefield acupuncture are endangering troups.
• A systematic review of acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome included 17 methodologically sound randomised controlled trials. Researchers found no evidence of an improvement in symptom severity or quality of life with acupuncture relative to sham acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome.
• Turf war over who can claim the title of acupuncturist;
• Acupuncture is nothing more than an elaborate placebo;
• Acupuncture for peripheral joint osteoarthritis;
• Acupuncturists angry at 'unfair' use of title;
• The Worst Quackery of 2011: Battlefield Acupuncture;
  
• Safety evaluation of commonly used herbal medicine during pregnancy in mice;
• 'Acupuncturist' title to be restricted;
• Acupuncture: does it alleviate pain and are there serious risks? A review of reviews(*);
• Acupuncture for smoking cessation;
• Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine for Women with Chronic Pelvic Pain;
• Does traditional Chinese medicine have a place in the health system?
• What alternative health practitioners might not tell you (TCM);
  
• Marcello Costa & Hubertus Jersmann: Chinese paradox; and
  
• Alarm bells sound on registration of Chinese medicine.

Applied Kinesiology (AK) and manual muscle testing (MMT)

• Alternative diagnostics (CHOICE);
• Applied Kinesiology: How it's Done;
• What alternative practitioners might not tell you (AK);
• Disentangling manual muscle testing and Applied Kinesiology: critique and reinterpretation of a literature review;
• Applied kinesiology unreliable for assessing nutrient status; and
• Power Balance Bracelets on Today Tonight.
  

Cancer

• Effect of complementary and alternative medicine on the survival and health-related quality of life among terminally ill cancer patients: a prospective cohort study;
• Living after diagnosis: Median Cancer survival rates(*);
• Trends in cancer survival rates;
  
• GP condemned over cancer deaths;
• Holistic GP lost her way: tribunal;
• Dr Carolyn Giselle Cooke – reprimanded and conditions imposed by Medical Tribunal.
• Olivia Newton-John opens holistic cancer centre; &
• Talking heads with Peter Thompson: Olivia Newton-John;
  
• Cancer patients cleaned out;
• Supplements: Not mystical anticancer magic;
• GP tells of losing faith in Gawler;
• No battle lines in cancer ward;
• Gawler & Gawler Vs Gawler;
• Cancer Con;
• Coffee enemas don't cure cancer: the remarkable claims of Ian Gawler;
• Vitamin E and the Risk of Prostate Cancer;
  
• Loretta Marron busts a cancer quack;
• Homeopathy investigated;
• A helping hand? Vitamins may be dangerous for cancer patients;
• Multivitamins linked to breast cancer;
• The ill-effects of quackery v scientific evidence;
  
• Certain vitamins may increase the lung cancer risk, especially with smokers; and
  
• Vitamin C use in cure dismissed.

Chiropractic

• Vaccination and children:
  • Child spinal alignment adjustment - leg lengthening with the 'Activator'
  • Turf war over who can claim the title of acupuncturist;
  • Chiropractors continue to treat children despite lack of evidence;
  • The Chiro Kids
  • Vaccine myths rife amongst Australians;
    
  • Having a crack: What do chiropractors know about vaccination;
  • Mia Freedman: Vaccination can't protect babies against stupidity;
  • Call to report chiropractor over vax stance;
  • Call to probe rant on vaccines;
  • Chiro for Kids?;
    
  • Loretta Marron: Cracking the Chiropractic case;
    
  • Unvaccinated kids see chiros more; and
  • Call to probe rant on vaccines.

• Strokes:
  • Spinal manipulation for neck 'inadvisable';
  • Hidden Hercules: Actor Kevin Sorbo reveals his secret battle with stroke;
  • Manipulation is all wrong for necks;
  • What's the harm (Chiropractic);
  • Jeremy Youngblood's story;
  • Don't delay action on Strokes;
  • Chiropractors could increase stroke risk; and
  • BW&H Clients Receive $5.6 Million Verdict in Montgomery County Jury Trial

• FSM media:
  
  • The backlash against universities offering complementary medicine courses;
  • University chiro course 'legitimising anti-science';
  • Experts sign petition to stop Chiro degree; and
    
  • Shut down chiropractic clinic, govt urged.

• Miscellaneous:
  • After the storm: Edzard Ernst Award
  • X-rays for back pain called into question;
  • Scans for Back Pain Ineffective;
  • Why do ineffective treatments seem helpful? A brief overview.
    
  • Millions spent on suspect treatments;
  • Chiropractor's oxygen treatment created false hope from hot air;
  • Chiropractic adjustments can heal your DNA?
  • Chiropractic: crackers now and crackers way back when;
  • Real orthopaedic subluxations versus to imaginary chiropractic subluxations;
    
  • Credibility of chiro tribunals questioned;
  • Why we sued Simon Singh: the British Chiropractic Association speaks;
  • Chiropractic at a crossroad;
  • The rise of chiropractic therapy;
  • Chiropractic degree wins Bent Spoon;
  • Chiro device just a stick that goes click;
  • Chiropractic watchdog won't explain;
  • Complaint against chiro thrown out;
    
  • Chiro wins back 'Doctor' title;
  • No evidence that chiro therapy helps chronic low- back pain;
    
  • Chiropractic - a Cure-all or Con? and
    
  • Chiropractors moving in on GPs turf.

Homeopathy

• Complaints about homeopathy websites;
• Has regulation finally caught up with homeopathy in the UK?:
• Doctor's orders: debunking homeopathy once and for all;
• Budget: Review of private rebates for homeopathy;
  
• James Randi explains homeopathy;
• Against Homeopathy - a utilitarian perspective^*;
  
• Why I changed my mind about homeopathy;
• Homeopathy plus! Focus on fresh TGA crackdown;
  
• Public health expert says homeopathic vaccines need regulation;
• Warning on homoeopathy vaccines;
• Homeopathy is worthless... says an expert in the subject as he claims it is unethical to prescribe treatments on NHS;
• A systematic review of systematic reviews of homeopathy;
• Homeopathy: what does the "best" evidence tell us?
  
• Against homeopathy - a utilitarian perspective;
  
• MP's urge Government to withdraw NHS funding and MHRA Licensing of Homeopathy (UK);
  
• No to homeopathy placebo;
• Steve Jobs a victim of homeopathy, says expert;
• Cancer death puts homeopathy in dock;
• Parents guilty of manslaughter over daughter's eczema death;
• Top British scientist warns homeopathic medicine puts lives at risk;
• Taking on homeopathy in Germany;
• Watchdog blast homeopathy site over whooping cough;
• Homeopath's radiation remedy 'rubbish' says health experts;
• Who cares about the dangers of homeopathy?
• Homeopathy and the developing world: dangers and lessons;
  
• Homeopathy investigated; and
  
• Cases dropped against malaria homeopaths.
  

Naturopathy/nutrition/iridology

• British Advertising Standards Authority: Adjudication on College of Naturopathic Medicine (2013)
• Confessions of a former iridologist;
• Organic food no better for you: study;
• Alternative diagnostics (CHOICE);
• Herbal UTI pill claims 'misleading': panel;
• Longer life through drinking coffee;
• Can you eat your pain away? Maybe so, in some cases..;
• Natural healing claims to face test;
• Increased heart disease and stroke for Atkins diet devotees;
• The effectiveness and cost effectiveness of dark chocolate consumption as prevention therapy in people at high risk of cardiovascular disease: best case scenario analysis using a Markov Model;
  
• Supported by science?: what Canadian naturopaths advertise to the public;
• Natural Remedies 'Seldom effective';
  
• Food therapists 'give poor advice'; and
  
• Are Nutritional Therapists gambling with your health^*?

Osteopathy

• Osteopathy of 'no benefit' to Children with Cerebral Palsy, research finds;
  
• Millions spent on suspect treatments;
• Cranial osteopathy: its fate seems clear; and
  
• Science, Medicine and the Cranial Rhythm.
  

Therapeutic touch (TT)

• A close look at therapeutic touch; and
  
• What alternative health practitioners might not tell you (TT).
  

Vitamins and Supplements

• Forget about ginkgo to ward off Alzheimer's: Another large trial has failed to find long-term ginkgo biloba supplements effective at preventing Alzheimer's disease. More than 10,000 patients have now been involved in clinical trials of ginkgo biloba with no reported benefits.
• The Consequences of Ineffective Regulation of Dietary Supplements
• A bit fishy: nutraceuticals, marketing and procedural justice:
• Can calcium supplements cause heart disease?;
• Alternative medicines and supplements;
• Medicine woman is just the tonic;
• Swisse secret: Clinical trial academic is chief executive's father, Avni Sali;
• Vitamins: a hazard to life-saver or your wealth;
• Potions, Pills and Promises;
• Vitamins firm to contest advert ban;
• Vitamins supplements not a valuable as touted;
• A helping hand? Vitamins may be dangerous for cancer patients;
• Multivitamins linked to breast cancer;
• Dietary supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women;
  
• Vitamins may increase Women's risk of dying research finds; and
• Vascular events in healthy older women receiving calcium supplementation: randomised controlled trial.
  

Yoga

• Untangling the benefits, and hype, surrounding Yoga.