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J
Jones of Baltimore, MD, asks:
Has alternative medicine become more accepted or simply more commercial?
Dr.
George Lundberg responds:
"Alternative medicine" has become more accepted, more used, and more
commercial in the United States in large part because of recent law
changes that allow the marketing of "nutritional supplements" with little
or no government regulation. Other forms of unorthodox (complementary,
supplementary) medicine (i.e., massage, manipulation, acupuncture, and
various other techniques) have also increased in use and have become
more commercial.
Dr.
Marcia Angell responds:
Alternative medicine has indeed become more accepted and a great deal
more commercial. Courses in alternative medicine are now offered in
nearly all medical schools, and alternative remedies are provided in
many hospitals and HMOs. These institutions find that offering alternative
medicine is a good marketing tool to attract the relatively affluent,
healthy population most drawn to these remedies. Alternative remedies
now constitute a multi-billion dollar industry, in which major pharmaceutical
companies are enthusiastically participating. It is no longer a matter
of David v. Goliath - just Goliath.
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