abnormalities (Meeker and Haldeman, 2002). Massage therapy is another example of a body-based therapy.

The final category described by NCCAM is energy therapies which include the manipulation and application of energy fields to the body. In addition to electromagnetic fields outside of the body, it is hypothesized that energy fields exist within the body. The existence of these biofields has not been experimentally proven; however, a number of therapies include them, such as qi gong, Reiki, and therapeutic touch.

A different approach to classifying CAM modalities is a descriptive taxonomy that groups therapies according to their philosophical and theoretical identities (Kaptchuk and Eisenberg, 2001). Practices are divided into two groups. The first group appeals to the general public and has become popularly known as CAM. This group includes professionalized or distinct medical systems (e.g., chiropratic, acupuncture, homeopathy), popular health reform (e.g., dietary supplement use and specialized diets), New Age healing (e.g., qi gong, Reiki, magnets), psychological interventions, and nonnormative scientific enterprises (conventional therapies used in unconventional ways or unconventional therapies used by conventionally trained medical or scientific professionals). The second group includes practices that are more relevant to specific populations, such as ethnic or religious groups (e.g., Native American traditional medicine, Puerto Rican spiritis, folk medicine, and religious healing).

This discussion of definitions shows that no clear and consistent definition of CAM exists, nor is there a recognized taxonomy to organize the field, although the one proposed by NCCAM is commonly used. Given the committee’s charge and focus, for the purposes of this report, the committee has chosen to use as its working definition of CAM a modification of the definition proposed by the Panel on Definition and Description at a 1995 NIH research methodology conference (Defining and describing complementary and alternative medicine, 1997). This modified definition states that

The committee chose this definition for several reasons. First, this broad definition reflects the scope and essence of CAM as used by the American public. Second, it avoids excluding common practices from the research

Front Matter (R1-R22)

Executive Summary (1-12)

1 Introduction (13-33)

2 Prevalence, Cost, and Patterns of CAM Use (34-73)

3 Contemporary Approaches to Evidence of Treatment Effectiveness: A Context for CAM Research (74-107)

4 Need for Innovative Designs in Research on CAM and Conventional Medicine (108-128)

5 State of Emerging Evidence on CAM (129-167)

6 An Ethical Framework for CAM Research, Practice, and Policy (168-195)

7 Integration of CAM and Conventional Medicine (196-225)

8 Educational Programs in CAM (226-252)

9 Dietary Supplements (253-277)

10 Conclusion (278-282)

Appendix A: CAM Therapies, Practices, and Systems (283-292)

Appendix B: Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine (293-294)

Appendix C: Table 1-1 List of Abbreviations (295-295)

Appendix D: Liaison Panel Organizations (296-297)

Appendix E: Model Guidelines for the Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Medical Practice (298-306)

Appendix F: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Centers (307-309)

Appendix G: Public Meetings (310-318)

Appendix H: Committee Biosketches (319-326)

Index (327-338)