The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Cost-effectiveness of natural supplements

      Researchers from the University of Toronto, in Ontario reviewed the evidence.

    First, the details.

    • The results of 9 out of 585 studies were worth reviewing.
      • 3 on postoperative complications
      • 2 on cardiovascular disease
      • 2 on gastrointestinal disorders
      • 1 on critically ill patients
      • 1 on urinary tract infections

    And, the results.

    • Evidence supports the cost effectiveness of natural. supplements in relation to postoperative surgery.
    • No evidence supported cost effectiveness for other conditions.

    The bottom line?

    Overall, the authors concluded, “The cost effectiveness of some natural health products is encouraging in certain areas but needs confirmation from further research.”

    The authors concede, “A principal limitation to this systematic review is the paucity and variability of the data.”

    “Given the number of studies, the different natural health products studied, and the variation in conditions of disease, it is impossible to combine our findings statistically in a meta-analysis.”

    8/10/09 20:20 JR

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