Researchers at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington conducted CAM workshops to study the value of standardized patients on knowledge and clinical skills of third-year medical students. Continue reading Standardized patient histories improve CAM knowledge among medical students
Category Archives: CAM Education
Does published research affect supplement sales?
It depends on what’s being reported.
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Mayo Clinic reviewed sales of 5 popular supplements in light of emerging negative evidence. Continue reading Does published research affect supplement sales?
Educating families to keep their kids fit
Researchers at the University of Florida in Gainesville report that obese children lose weight when their parents receive training on nutrition, exercise, and behavior management.
It also helps when the kids participate. Continue reading Educating families to keep their kids fit
The Cure Within
Here’s a vignette from Anne Harrington’s book, The Cure Within: A History of Mind-Body Medicine, that sums the attraction of CAM for many people with cancer.
I’ve taken it from a review by Jerome Groopman in The New York Times. Continue reading The Cure Within
Integrating CAM throughout the pharmacy curriculum
 The School of Pharmacy at Griffith University Gold Coast in Australia instituted an integrated approach to teaching evidence-based CAM during their pharmacy curriculum. Continue reading Integrating CAM throughout the pharmacy curriculum
Behavioral counseling prevents sexually transmitted infections
Evidence suggests that behavioral counseling in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) clinics and primary care offices reduces STIs in “at-risk” adults and adolescents. Continue reading Behavioral counseling prevents sexually transmitted infections
Opportunities for CAM in healthcare reform
 Dr. Mark Hyman is Editor-in-Chief of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, a professional journal on integrative medicine and alternative medicine.
Here are his recommendations for any healthcare reform proposal being considered by lawmakers in Washington. Continue reading Opportunities for CAM in healthcare reform
Medical residents don’t know dietary supplements
That’s the result from a survey of internal medicine residency programs in the US. Continue reading Medical residents don’t know dietary supplements
Nursing School Search rates top 50 homeopathy blogs
And guess what?
In the category of “Homeopathy and Alternative Medicine,” The C.A.M. Report ranked 3rd. Continue reading Nursing School Search rates top 50 homeopathy blogs
Benefits of individualized asthma care
 Spending just 30 minutes with the patient improved adherence to asthma treatment and control over the disease, according to researchers at the University of California, San Francisco. Continue reading Benefits of individualized asthma care
Best websites for black cohosh info
 It’s nice when people appreciate your work.
Bessed is a new website that lists the best of this, that, and other things. Here’s their list of the 6 best websites for information about black cohosh. Continue reading Best websites for black cohosh info
The limits of choice in selecting healthy meals
Simply “adding 1 or 2 healthy items to a menu is essentially the worst thing you can do,” according to researchers from Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina in a press release.
What are the implications for school food programs? Continue reading The limits of choice in selecting healthy meals
Stop testing Chinese and homeopathic treatments
 For these healing disciplines where the interaction between therapist and patient are so closely entwined and it’s difficult to show consistent benefit over sham or placebo, I propose we stop testing these treatments.
We would do better to test the therapists. Continue reading Stop testing Chinese and homeopathic treatments
NIH stimulus funds
 The prevailing view (not shared by me) is that better research in CAM requires more funding.
All righty then. Here are a few opportunities to get the big bucks, thanks to the recent stimulus bill. Continue reading NIH stimulus funds
Pediatric oncologists’ views of CAM
Young patients with cancer commonly use CAM, yet only about half of them discuss CAM with their oncologist, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York.
What’s a pediatric oncologist to do? Continue reading Pediatric oncologists’ views of CAM
Quality of chiropractic research of upper extremity conditions
Most publications are anecdotal case histories.
Readers weigh in, and I respond. Continue reading Quality of chiropractic research of upper extremity conditions
Australian pharmacy students rate CAM
Pharmacy students view education about CAM as a core and integral part of their professional degree. Continue reading Australian pharmacy students rate CAM
NIH starts CAM for seniors website
 NIHSeniorHealth is a website that features health and wellness information for older adults from the National Institutes of Health.
Now, it’s added a CAM link. Continue reading NIH starts CAM for seniors website
CAMophobia at Medscape
 Here’s the link to a brief review written by Dr. Jonathan Silver from New York University School of Medicine.
You need read no further than the first paragraph to see the bias. Continue reading CAMophobia at Medscape
What does it take to design a “good” study?
 When I criticize studies for their poor design, I sometimes receive emails from readers defending the researchers.
The arguments are predictable. “They don’t have the money.” “Only big bad pharmaceutical companies can afford to do ‘good’ studies,” etc.
Baloney. Continue reading What does it take to design a “good” study?