Complementary and alternative medicine: Difference between revisions
imported>Tom Morris (New page: '''Alternative medicine''' is a set of therapies that advocates claim are either alternatives to, or complements of what they see as conventional medicine. These practices include [[homeop...) |
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'''Alternative medicine''' is a set of therapies that advocates claim are either alternatives to, or complements of what they see as conventional medicine. These practices include [[homeopathy]], [[herbal medicine]], [[faith healing]], [[chiropractic]] and [[prayer]]. Critics argue that these practices are not scientifically or clinically verified, and can lead patients to harm in delaying treatment, and point to evidence of [[scams]] and [[fraud]] perpetuated by practitioners of alternative medicine. | '''Alternative medicine''' is a set of therapies that advocates claim are either alternatives to, or complements of what they see as conventional medicine. These practices include [[homeopathy]], [[herbal medicine]], [[faith healing]], [[chiropractic]] and [[prayer]]. Critics argue that these practices are not scientifically or clinically verified, and can lead patients to harm in delaying treatment, and point to evidence of [[scams]] and [[fraud]] perpetuated by practitioners of alternative medicine. | ||
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* [[Rebirthing]] | * [[Rebirthing]] | ||
* [[Traditional Chinese medicine]] | * [[Traditional Chinese medicine]] | ||
Revision as of 14:50, 13 April 2008
Alternative medicine is a set of therapies that advocates claim are either alternatives to, or complements of what they see as conventional medicine. These practices include homeopathy, herbal medicine, faith healing, chiropractic and prayer. Critics argue that these practices are not scientifically or clinically verified, and can lead patients to harm in delaying treatment, and point to evidence of scams and fraud perpetuated by practitioners of alternative medicine.
Criticism
Critics of alternative medicine seek alternative explanations for the claims that advocates of such therapies make, mostly in the use of the placebo effect, a surprisingly powerful psychological effect where a person who thinks that a medical intervention is effective boosts their own health. Along with this, patients of alternative treatments are said to exhibit a self-delusional bias, where they accept successes and disregard failures for their favorite alternative practices while not doing similarly for mainstream medicine (confirmation bias).