Alternative therapies / Sylvia Engdahl, book editor.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Ch. 1: Is the Growing Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapies Beneficial? Overview: What is complementary and alternative medicine? / National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine -- Yes: Complementary and alternative therapies serve needs not met by conventional medicine. Cost-effective alternative therapies are being employed by integrative medicine / Deepak Chopra, Dean Ornish, Rustum Roy, and Andrew Weil -- Alternative therapies do good but should not be integrated with conventional medicine / Bruce G. Charlton -- Complementary and alternative therapies are helpful even if they are placebos / William Grassie -- No: Most complementary and alternative therapies are unproven and sometimes harmful. Complementary and alternative therapies are based on pseudoscience / Narendra Nayak -- Promotion of complementary and alternative therapies is deceptive / Marilynn Marchione -- ch. 2: Are the Major Alternatives to Conventional Medicine Safe and Effective? Chapter preface -- Acupuncture is suitable for treating a wide range of conditions / Douglas Dupler, Teresa G. Odle, and David Edward Newton -- Acupuncture produces no greater effect than a placebo / Richard Saint Cyr -- Homeopathic medicines are worthless and should not be sold as drugs / Stephen Barrett -- Many patients are being helped by chiropractic care / Julie Deardorff -- Chiropractic spine manipulation may do more harm than good / J.D. Haines -- Ayurveda is a widely used traditional system of healing / National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine -- The effectiveness and safety of ayurvedic drugs has not been tested / Meera Nanda -- Naturopathy aims not only to treat disease but also to restore health / American Association of Naturopathic Physicians -- There is no evidence to support the claims of naturopathy / Robert T. Carroll -- ch. 3: Should the Government Restrict the Use of Alternative Therapies? Chapter preface -- Yes: The government should favor conventional medicine and judge alternatives by its standards. Protecting public health is the responsibility of the government / Brennen McKenzie -- The government should force minors to accept conventional medical treatment / Steven Novella -- Parents of children who die from reliance on alternative therapies should go to prison / Phil Plait -- The law exempting dietary supplements from regulation should be repealed / David H. Gorski -- No: Government interference with health care choices is a violation of personal freedom. Access to complementary and alternative therapies must be protected / Diane Miller -- The 2010 health care reform law hurts users of alternative therapies / Curt Levey and Jim Turner -- Opponents of CAM apply a double standard to evidence of its effectiveness / Richard A. Jaffe -- People have a right to make their own health care choices even if they are wrong / Jon Rappoport -- ch. 4: What Complementary Therapies Are Used with Conventional Medicine? Chapter preface -- Tai chi has many health benefits for people of all ages and conditions / HealthyWomen -- Music therapy is used in many ways to help patients heal / Pam Mellskog -- Creative arts are often used as therapy by health care institutions / Elaine Zablocki -- Dog therapy helps people recover from emotional illness / Jennifer Caprioli -- Glossary -- Organizations to contact.

"Alternative Therapies: Is the Growing Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapies Beneficial?; Are the Major Alternatives to Conventional Medicine Safe and Effective?; Should the Government Restrict the Use of Alternative Therapies?; What Complementary Therapies Are Used Along with Conventional Medicine?"-- Provided by publisher.