Alternative Medicine, Outline Example

1. Introduction

(Jones, 2010, p1)

a. Audience hook: It is estimated that this year over 80 million adults in the United

States will use some type of alternative medicine, either in the form of herbs, megavitamins, yoga, or acupuncture (Broad, 2008).

i. Currently, the federal government is focusing on developing more

understanding of these alternative medications to better diagnose their use and effectiveness (Broad, 2008).

ii. A core concern of policy makers is to ensure that alternative medications

are not dangerous for public use. The problem is data shows the high cost of efficient clinical trials makes it difficult to examine the extravagant claims of these alternative medication providers.

b. Thesis statement: Despite the fact that studies are currently underway to identify

the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine, the 2007 National Health Interview survey revealed that more and more Americans are using alternative medication; the increase in use of alternative medication is fueled by the misconception that this alternative health resource is more affordable than traditional medication, which the 2007 study also disproves.

c. Main points:

i. Current alternative medicine use estimated by the 2007 National Health Interview Survey reveals that 38% of adults and 12% of children used alternative medication (NIH, 2007, p.1).

ii. Costs of alternative medicine found by the survey noted that Americans spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on alternative medication (NIH, 2007, p1).

2. Current Alternative Medicine.

a. Artemisinin is a recently developed, active metabolite of Artemisia. It’s an herbal

extract. It popularly was used in China for centuries to treat fever (Debas, Laxminarayan & Straus, n.d., p.1288).

b. Acupuncture efficacy has been identified in two areas: (a) treatment for

postoperative nausea and emesis and (b) treatment for amelioration of the pain of chronic osteoarthritis (Debas, Laxminarayan & Straus, n.d., p.1288).

c. Chiropractic medicine and osteopathy focus on spinal manipulation. This is done

to treat multiple conditions. Most of these conditions are thought to form because of abnormal alignment of or stresses on vertebrae (Debas, Laxminarayan & Straus, n.d., p.1288).

d. Homeopathy has been put through randomized controlled trials have suggested

that it might be effective for treating influenza, allergies, and postoperative ileus (Debas, Laxminarayan & Straus, n.d., p.1288).

e. Mind-Body Intervention notes that appropriate psychotherapy

reduced depression, anxiety, and coping skills. It was also found to have saved money by reducing the number of office visits, diagnostic tests, medical procedures, and hospital admittances (Debas, Laxminarayan & Straus, n.d., p.1288).

3. Economics aspect.

a. Economic factors that influence the use of complementary and alternative medicine and traditional medicine include the cost of treatment, which is presumed to be significantly smaller for alternative medications than for traditional. Several studies found that complementary and alternative medicine cost the same as traditional (Debas, Laxminarayan & Straus, n.d., p1286).

i. Debas, Laximinarayan and Straus note that the average cost of seeking treatment from a Navajo healer in the U.S. can reach prices as much as $388, but this is actually nothing compared to the average cost of traditional treatment in the U.S., which Debas and authors note on average can cost as

j. much as one fifth and average families annual household income (Debas, Laxminarayan & Straus, n.d., p1283).

(Love Heals Body Mind Community, 2011)

4. Conclusion

a. Restatement of thesis: Despite the fact that studies are currently underway to identify the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine, the 2007 National Health Interview survey revealed that more and more Americans are using alternative medication; the increase in use of alternative medication is fueled by the misconception that this alternative health resource is more affordable than traditional medication, which the 2007 study also disproves.

b. Identifying the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine, the 2007 National Health Interview survey revealed that more and more Americans are using alternative medication. While the benefits alternative medicine and service provider’s claim are very promising more research needs to be done to validate their safety and effectiveness. Data shows that contrary to popular belief, alternative medicine does not cost more than traditional medical services, but is more accessible, thereby making it appears to be more affordable.

5. Summary of Main Points

a. Closing comments: Alternative medicine is growing in use, despite the fact that their effectiveness is highly questionable. Data presented in this article has shown that the rise in alternative medication use largely stems from misinformation surrounding the effectiveness of these alternative services and healing properties. The economic aspects of alternative medication verses traditional cost of healthcare is also covered and they are both found to be surprisingly equal.

b. Alternative medications and alternative medical services cover a wide range of epistemologies, and while they are used more commonly, there is growing need for better research detailing their actual function and side effects.

Work Cited:

Broad, W. (2008). Applying Science to Alternative Medicine. The New York Times, Retrieved from:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/30/health/research/30tria.html?_r=0 [Accessed: 15 Jan 2013].

Debas, H. et al. (n.d.). Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. [e-book] pp.1281-1291.http://files.dcp2.org/pdf/DCP/DCP69.pdf [Accessed: 15 Jan 2013].

Jones, S. (2010). Alternative Medicine or Conventional Medicine ~ What Does It Mean To You?

http://www.healthtourismmagazine.com/article/alternative-medicine-or-conventional-medicine-what-does-it-mean-to-you-.html [Accessed: 15 Jan 2013].

National Institute of Health, (2007). NIH Fact Sheets – Complementary and Alternative Medicine. [online] Retrieved from:http://report.nih.gov/NIHfactsheets/ViewFactSheet.aspx?csid=85 [Accessed: 15 Jan 2013].

World Health Organization (2001). Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review . [e-book] pp.65-71. http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/pdf/h2943e/h2943e.pdf [Accessed: 15 Jan 2013].

Question: Why would people choose alternative medication over traditional?

Answer: Depending on one’s financial situation, they might not have access to traditional healthcare. While studies do show the costs of alternative medication and alternative medication services are similar to the costs of traditional medication and medication services, this data does not account for the factor of convenience. For individuals on a tight budget, a monthly health insurance bill can seem economically wasteful compared to the notion of paying for alternative healthcare services whenever the need should arise. In comparison a doctor’s appointment or dental appointment can be much more costly, without health coverage, than would be a trip to the chiropractor or yoga instructor (Debas, Laxminarayan & Straus, n.d., p1283).While the affects might not be the same, the proposed benefits of these alternative methods suggest they treat everything from stress to cancer and the placebo effect must be taken into account.

Question: What happens when an alternative medication does more damage than good?

Answer: For the most part, the Food and Drug administration strictly regulates the use of alternative medications, the same way they regulate most consumer products that come on to the market (NIH, 2007, p.1). While the trial tests are loosely based on standards that might be outdated or have access to little resources compared to traditional drugs or services placed on the market, when the side effects of a certain drug become significantly noticeable by the public and they start to outweigh the benefits, the products are swiftly taken off the market.

Questions: What are the current laws to regulate alternative medication?

Answer: In 1991, Congress setup the Office of Alternative Medicine within the National Institutes of Health to encourage research in alternative medicines. The National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of June 1993 (140) was a significant precedent (World Health Organization, 2001, p.65).” The United States regulatory controls on complementary and alternative medicine are based on six main areas of law. These areas are licensing, scope of practice, malpractice, professional discipline, third-party reimbursement, and access to treatments. State laws control the first five areas. Federal laws, specifically food and drug laws, largely control the sixth. Legal rules attempt to safeguard consumers against fraud, as well as to and guarantee patient protection against dangerous practices and practitioners (World Health Organization, 2001, p.66).