From acupuncture to yoga, the increasing popularity of unconventional medical therapies has risen sharply during the past decade. Consumers are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for a variety of reasons and are spending billions annually for treatments. Recognizing the growing need to locate authoritative CAM information, award-winning author Alan M. Rees has compiled a first-stop resource for those seeking information to guide their decisions. Noted health information expert Alan Rees organizes the best of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) information resources in this new guide for librarians and patients. The book is divided into twelve sections beginning with an overview of CAM terminology, safety concerns, ongoing research and education, and the movement towards integrative medicine. Best of lists of books, magazines, newsletters, CD-ROMs, and professional publications are augmented with contact information for several hundred CAM associations and professional groups, an extensive section on the Internet as a source of CAM-related information, and reviews of 355 popular books on CAM. Librarians will use the Source Book as a collection development tool. Consumers and students will find it an easy-to-use guide for locating hard-to-find resources about the latest in alternative medical therapies and treatments. This unique volume brings together in one volume print and electronic resources pertaining to an in-demand topi, provides recommendations of authoritative sources of current information on a wide variety of unconventional medical therapies, will fill the information gap in the rapidly growing field of CAM.

From acupuncture to yoga, the increasing popularity of unconventional medical therapies has risen sharply during the past decade. Consumers are turning to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for a variety of reasons and are spending billions annually for treatments. Recognizing the growing need to locate authoritative CAM information, award-winning author Alan M. Rees has compiled a first-stop resource for those seeking information to guide their decisions. Noted health information expert Alan Rees organizes the best of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) information resources in this new guide for librarians and patients. The book is divided into twelve sections beginning with an overview of CAM terminology, safety concerns, ongoing research and education, and the movement towards integrative medicine. Best of lists of books, magazines, newsletters, CD-ROMs, and professional publications are augmented with contact information for several hundred CAM associations and professional groups, an extensive section on the Internet as a source of CAM-related information, and reviews of 355 popular books on CAM. Librarians will use the Source Book as a collection development tool. Consumers and students will find it an easy-to-use guide for locating hard-to-find resources about the latest in alternative medical therapies and treatments. This unique volume brings together in one volume print and electronic resources pertaining to an in-demand topi, provides recommendations of authoritative sources of current information on a wide variety of unconventional medical therapies, will fill the information gap in the rapidly growing field of CAM.

Provides basic consumer health information about complementary and alternative medical therapies.

Integration of complementary and alternative medicine therapies (CAM) with conventional medicine is occurring in hospitals and physicians offices, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are covering CAM therapies, insurance coverage for CAM is increasing, and integrative medicine centers and clinics are being established, many with close ties to medical schools and teaching hospitals. In determining what care to provide, the goal should be comprehensive care that uses the best scientific evidence available regarding benefits and harm, encourages a focus on healing, recognizes the importance of compassion and caring, emphasizes the centrality of relationship-based care, encourages patients to share in decision making about therapeutic options, and promotes choices in care that can include complementary therapies where appropriate. Numerous approaches to delivering integrative medicine have evolved. Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States identifies an urgent need for health systems research that focuses on identifying the elements of these models, the outcomes of care delivered in these models, and whether these models are cost-effective when compared to conventional practice settings. It outlines areas of research in convention and CAM therapies, ways of integrating these therapies, development of curriculum that provides further education to health professionals, and an amendment of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act to improve quality, accurate labeling, research into use of supplements, incentives for privately funded research into their efficacy, and consumer protection against all potential hazards.

The best evidence-based guide to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for practicing physicians! This new resource provides the comprehensive guidance on CAM therapies physicians need to responsibly counsel their patients and integrate these techniques into their own practices. Features:

Complementary and Alternative Medicine is a comprehensive introduction to the most commonly used complementary disciplines, covering theory, practical aspects, safety and current scientific thinking. The book is divided into four parts:* general aspects of complementary and alternative medicine * therapies involving the use of medicines, with guidance as to how they may be integrated into practice * traditional medicine * other complementary therapies and diagnostic procedures. This second edition has been updated and expanded. It has three important new chapters covering integrative medicine, pharmacovigilance and complementary and alternative medicine in the United States.Written for healthcare professionals, students, pharmacists and patients interested in this discipline, this book provides an excellent guide to complementary and alternative medicine.Steven Kayne is Honorary Consultant Pharmacist, Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital and Honorary Lecturer, University of Strathclyde School of Pharmacy, UK.