Editorial
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The Other Healthcare Reform
Abstract
With the passage of the healthcare bill, even as Americans continue to debate health care reform, several components of this giant monster are under scrutiny. However, one important element of the industry is all but forgotten. It is common knowledge that in 2008, the nation spent $2.3 trillion1 on healthcare which represented 1/6th of America's gross national product of $14.26 trillion.2 What is somewhat elusive is the unknown cost of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which is generic for diverse therapies used either in conjunction with (“complementary”) or in place of (“alternative”) conventional medical therapy. In 2005 alone, the sale of dietary supplements (one form of CAM) amounted to $18 billion and continues to grow. The National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) estimated that 38% of all adults used some form of CAM in 2007.3This is a multibillion dollar industry that has attracted the attention of multinational companies and investors worldwide. It is against this backdrop that the article titled “A Possible Case of Saw Palmetto–Induced Pancreatitis” in this issue of the Journal serves as a timely reminder4 that the broader issue of detailing a safety profile of CAMs and instituting stricter control on their manufacture, marketing, and use is not only a public health imperative but also an economic necessity.This content is limited to qualifying members.
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