NCCAM Facts-at-a-Glance and Mission
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the Federal Government’s lead agency for scientific research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). We are 1 of the 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Our Mission
The mission of NCCAM is to define, through rigorous scientific investigation, the usefulness and safety of complementary and alternative medicine interventions and their roles in improving health and health care.
Our Vision
Scientific evidence informs decision making by the public, by health care professionals, and by health policymakers regarding use and integration of complementary and alternative medicine.
What We Do
NCCAM sponsors and conducts research using scientific methods and advanced technologies to study CAM. CAM is defined simply as a group of diverse medical and health care interventions, practices, products, or disciplines that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine.
NCCAM has four primary areas of focus:
- Advancing scientific research
We fund research projects at scientific institutions across the United States and around the world. - Training CAM researchers
We support training for new researchers as well as encourage experienced researchers to study CAM. - Sharing news and information
We provide timely and accurate information about CAM research in many ways, such as through our Web site, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media tools, our information clearinghouse, fact sheets, Lecture Series, and continuing medical education programs. - Supporting integration of proven CAM therapies
Our research helps the public and health professionals understand which CAM therapies have been proven to be safe and effective.