Download Complementary and alternative medicine

Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Alternative medicine
- sound and safe?
Matti Rautalahti
Chief Medical Officer
Cancer Society of Finland
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Complementary and alternative
medicine (CAM)
Diverse medical and health care systems,
practices, and products that
are not presently considered to be part of
conventional medicine.
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
CAM’s
• Use with conventional therapy for cancer
• Use instead of conventional therapy for
cancer
• Use with conventional cancer therapy for
other purposes
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Complementary medicine
• used together with conventional medicine
• e.g. aromatherapy to help lessen a patient's
discomfort following surgery.
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Alternative medicine
• used instead of conventional medicine
• E.g. special diet to treat cancer instead of
surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Additional therapy
• Use with conventional cancer therapy for
other purposes
• E.g. herbal remedies for sleep disorders
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
"Alternative"
• Genuine
– comparable methods that have met the criteria
for safety and effectiveness.
• Experimental alternatives
– unproven but have a plausible rationale and are
undergoing responsible investigation.
• Questionable "alternatives"
– unproven and lack a scientifically plausible
rationale
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Alternative medicine?
• ”medicine”: the scientific study of the
prevention and cure of diseases and
disorders of the body
• ”alternative medicine” = misnomer?
• ”medicine man”: a witch doctor
• ”take one’s medicine”: to submit to
punishment for one’s wrongdoing
• ”belief treatment”
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
”Sound”?
• plausible rationale (scientific theory)
• undergone or undergoing responsible
investigation (experimental studies, clinical
trials)
• National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (NIH/NCCAM)
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
NCCAM
• Massage Therapy for Breast Cancer
Treatment-Related Swelling of the Arms
and Legs
• Healing Touch and Immunity in Advanced
Cervical Cancer Patients
• Efficacy of Distant Healing in Glioblastoma
Treatment
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
”Sound”?
• Swiss Study Group for Complementary and
Alternative Methods in Cancer, Swiss Cancer
League
• Complementary and Alternative Cancer Medicine
in Europe: Search and Evaluation through a
Network (CAM –CANCER)
• internet?
– 1800000 entries
– www.quackwatch.org, www.pitt.edu
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Safe?
• ”Free from risk or danger”
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Harm?
• Economic Harm
– individuals and families
– trap of "leaving no stone unturned" for a
remedy in hopeless cases.
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Harm?
• Direct Harm
–
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–
–
death
serious injury
unnecessary suffering
disfigurement
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Harm?
• Indirect Harm
– delay or failure to act
– overreliance upon dietary treatment
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Harm?
• Psychological Harm
– Misplaced trust - undermining trust in the
research and therapeutic establishment
– Stealing time
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
Harm?
• Harm to Society
– Limited resources wasted, if funds are used to
follow leads based on wishful thinking
Cancer Society of Finland
Matti Rautalahti
True or false
- short guide to quackery
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Incomplete or missing labelling
Manufacture’s address missing or incomplete
Costs a fortune
Marketing uses superlatives and difficult terminology
Marketed as ”almostmedicine”
Ads refer to scientific experiments, books, experts, and
research by official institutions
• Proof of effectiveness based on testimonials
• It is marketed as a remedy to a disease and it works on
many problems
• It sounds too good to be true!