Paths to Reliable Information on Alternative Medicine
When I’m sick or just want to feel healthier, the type of advice typically offered by traditional doctors doesn’t offer all of the options I want to explore. But as I explore alternative therapies, I also don’t want to waste time and money on untested remedies.
Fortunately, the field of alternative medicine is evolving quickly into an area that medical experts now refer to as “complementary” or “integrative” medicine. As the name implies, this field explores ways in which herbs, acupuncture and other unconventional therapies can be used in tandem with mainstream medicine.
The growing acceptance of this field can be seen in the decision of the National Institutes of Health to establish the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The center is dedicated to evaluating the safety and effectiveness of natural products and practices, from herbal remedies and dietary supplements, to chiropractic care and acupuncture. The center also sponsors research on how natural remedies and standard treatments work--or don’t work--when used together.
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Searching through the increasing number of sites that offer information on complementary medicine, I found three that looked the best.
* National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (https://nccan.nih.gov): If you’re a newcomer to alternative medicine, this site is a good first stop to get oriented, with lots of good background information. The FAQ (frequently asked questions) section includes information on how to evaluate alternative therapies and how they can complement conventional treatments, as well as suggestions on locating alternative practitioners in your city. The Citation Index, a database of articles on alternative therapies, is culled from the federal government’s Medline database and other journals.
Using the Citation Index should save you time and yield better results than going straight to Medline. In addition, the Combined Health Information Database links you to information that is not publicly available through Medline or other libraries.
The center’s Web site definitely has the potential of becoming a great resource. But it’s not there yet: The information is skimpy and the navigation awkward in places. For example, when you click on “Fact Sheets,” there are only three subjects covered: acupuncture, St. John’s wort and hepatitis C. The information seems embarrassingly scant for a destination intended to be a clearinghouse.
Anita Greene, a spokeswoman for the center, said new fact sheets will be added regularly.And the site will be enhanced with improved navigation, which is a good move because I couldn’t return to the home page by clicking on the NCCAM logo.
* Vicus (https://www.vicus.com): Vicus is chock-full of clear and comprehensive information. The site’s content on alternative health trends and treatments is screened by a well-credentialed editorial board and staff of more than 50 writers and editors. The company is headquartered in Rancho Mirage.
The lack of product advertising not only means less clutter, but also less potential for outside bias or influence. One of Vicus’ many strengths is its emphasis on research-based remedies.
In its Reference Center section, under the “health concerns” sub-category, I selected attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. I quickly had information on the scientifically based recommendations to increase magnesium and vitamin B6, complete with references to dosage and clinical study results. The Reference Center also includes a “glossapedia,” a glossary and encyclopedia that defines alternative medicine terminology, the American Botanical Council’s herbal reference guide and information on drug and herbal interactions.
The finder not only compares products, but also asks you to enter the maker’s name and the dosage for a more accurate assessment.
* Vitalcast (https://www.vitalcast.com): This site provides comprehensive resources on alternative health therapies, a large collection of audio casts on various subjects and other useful information. It also has its drawbacks. While the search function is generally useful, the way in which results are displayed includes descriptions that are distracting and confusing. I suggest just clicking on the titles. The extensive and well-written content is one why I would return to this site.
As with Vicus, the real gems are the information about proper dosage for vitamins and dietary supplements, as well as access to scientific papers and studies about alternative therapies. Unfortunately, the advertising here is intrusive. While listening to the audiocast of “Natural Home,” which had information on how to enhance your home by taking advantage of natural lighting and other such things, I was bombarded with a toll-free number to subscribe to the magazine before I even got to the program.
But I’m glad there’s such an increasing focus on ferreting out the evidence-based alternative health information from all the rest. It’s a dark, murky tub of bathwater sometimes, but these sites are three precious “babies” I’m definitely not throwing out.
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Marla Bolotsky is managing editor and director of online information for the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. She can be reached at marla.bolotsky@latimes.com. Your Health Online runs the first and third Monday of the month in Health.
