| What is CAM? | | | | US; in UK, annually $230 million is spent on CAM ; |
| While we look at the controversies surrounding the | | | | Globally the current market for herbal medicines is |
| use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine | | | | over $60 billion and it is still growing. |
| (CAM), it may be worthwhile looking at what a well | | | | Is traditional medicine effective? |
| respected non-partisan organization like the World | | | | It is relevant to note that: |
| Health Organisation has to say about it. CAM is very | | | | Acupuncture is found to be effective in many |
| much a relative term and WHO recognizes that the | | | | instances such as treating postoperative pain, dental |
| term CAM in a particular country is in relation to the | | | | pain, nausea caused by chemotherapy and during |
| dominant health care system of that country; health | | | | pregnancy with very less side effects. It also lessens |
| care practices which are not integrated into it and | | | | panic disorders, anxiety and insomnia; |
| not in the tradition of that country are termed as | | | | Asthma attacks are reduced by Yoga; |
| CAM - complementary and alternative medicine. | | | | Artemisia annua which has been in use in China for |
| There are varied health practices indigenous to | | | | over 2000 years is found to effectively treat |
| different cultures, based on their own theories and | | | | resistant malaria; it could help prevent thousands of |
| experiences and traditionally they have been in use in | | | | deaths annually from severe malaria; |
| maintenance of physical and mental health in that | | | | 25% of modern medicines are made from plants first |
| culture. These can be termed as Traditional Medicine. | | | | used in traditional medicine system. |
| Such traditional medicine may get referred to as CAM | | | | Traditionally the plant Sutherlandia Microphylla is used |
| in countries with a different cultural backdrop. | | | | as tonic. In South Africa, studies are being conducted |
| Traditional medicine | | | | on its effectiveness in treating AIDS patients. This |
| Traditional medicine systems have evolved long | | | | plant may help HIV patients by increasing their |
| before the system of modern medicine and | | | | appetite, energy and body mass. |
| diagnostic practice came into being. Traditional | | | | It is recognized that popularity of the traditional |
| medicine refers to health care practices utilizing | | | | medicine systems in industrialized world is increasing. |
| medications based on plants, animals and minerals | | | | But inappropriate or unregulated use of the traditional |
| naturally occurring in that area or region and involving | | | | medical practices or products could pose serious |
| spiritual therapies, manipulative therapies, etc.; these | | | | danger, or may produce negative effects. Many |
| therapies may be used separately or jointly for | | | | cases of such occurrences caused by over dosage |
| prevention, diagnosis or treatment of an illness. | | | | or wrong species of plant being used have been |
| These traditional medicine systems go under various | | | | known. |
| names such as Ayurveda, Unani mediucine, Chinese | | | | It is recognized, therefore, randomized clinical trials of |
| Tibetan medicine, etc. and have been widely | | | | the various traditional medical products and practices |
| prevalent in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Latin America, | | | | are necessary for proving their efficacy and safety. |
| etc. Traditional medicine has been popular in the | | | | Some herbal medicines, some manual therapies and |
| developing countries and its use is spreading quite | | | | uses of acupuncture have been proven in this |
| rapidly in industrialized countries where it is considered | | | | manner, but further research is necessary for many |
| as CAM. | | | | other traditional practices and plants. |
| Safety and efficacy issues | | | | Apart from the need of establishing efficacy and |
| World Health Organisation (WHO) finds that traditional | | | | safety in the use of these traditional practices and |
| medicine is used quite widely in many parts of the | | | | products, it is also necessary to consider two other |
| world. | | | | important issues: |
| Preliminary treatment for majority of children in large | | | | 1. Growing market for herbal products and their |
| parts of Africa suffering from high malarial fever is | | | | commercial benefits might endanger biodiversity and |
| herbal medicine; 75% of people living with HIV/AIDS | | | | extinction of certain species; |
| in many parts of the industrialized world use | | | | 2. Present patent laws may not be able to protect |
| traditional medicine (CAM, for them); | | | | traditional knowledge and biodiversity. |
| Over 50% of people in North America, Europe, | | | | In 2002 the World Health Organisation launched a |
| Canada, Germany and other industrially advanced | | | | comprehensive strategy in regard to traditional |
| countries have used traditional medicine (CAM, for | | | | medicine and has been assisting many countries to |
| them) at least once; | | | | evolve national policies for evaluation and regulation |
| In USA, over 150 million of adults use complementary | | | | of traditional medicine, ensuring availability and |
| medicine. In 2000, $17 million were spent on CAM in | | | | affordability and sound use of traditional medicine. |