Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Briefs

2008

Insurance Companies' Fears of Covering Acupuncture Appear Unfounded — 2008

This fact sheet describes how patients' use of acupuncture affects use of conventional medical services and suggests that acupuncture often substitutes for other, more expensive services, thereby reducing total medical costs.

2003

Ephedra: Is It Worth the Risk? — 2003

Products that contain the herb ephedra have been promoted and used in the United States since the 1980s to increase weight loss and enhance athletic performance. Yet despite manufacturers' claims, little research has been done to assess whether the products are safe, and the research studies that have been done have been too small to allow any firm conclusions to be drawn.

2001

Changing Views of Chiropractic ...and a National Reappraisal of Nontraditional Health Care — 2001

AMA policy now states that it is ethical for physicians not only to associate professionally with chiropractors but also to refer patients to them for diagnostic or therapeutic services.