The public's concept of health is broader than preventing and treating disease. Increasingly, Americans are using strategies that they can employ themselves to improve their health, maintain wellness, and improve quality of life. As part of this participatory approach to health, millions of people are using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Many of the leading U.S. medical institutions now offer integrative medicine services. These programs include personalized CAM interventions such as yoga, meditation, massage, and acupuncture. However, we know relatively little about the true potential of CAM to improve health and well being or to preempt disease, or about how best to use most CAM modalities. We also need to understand how CAM practices interact with other therapies and whether they are safe.

Given this consumer-driven call for better approaches to improved health and wellness, the medical research community has begun to explore promising CAM approaches and develop the scientific evidence base for CAM modalities that can be integrated as part of comprehensive health care. Using proven scientific methods and rigorous standards, NCCAM is building the research enterprise and the evidence base to better understand CAM. Through scientific investigation, research training programs, and outreach activities, NCCAM's efforts will support the rational integration of proven CAM approaches with conventional medicine.

It's been 10 years since a groundbreaking NIH conference on acupuncture. What has happened in acupuncture research since then? Where should the field go from here? A recent conference explored these questions.

The last thing people need when they are under stress is to get a cold--yet that's what often happens. Is there a scientific connection? A member of NCCAM's Advisory Council talks about some of his work in this area.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is actively involved in brain research, including research on mind-body medicine. Innovative use of imaging technology allows researchers to study the effects of specific CAM therapies on the brain. You can find out more about NCCAM's brain research efforts here.

"This rule helps to ensure the quality of dietary supplements so that consumers can be confident that the products they purchase contain what is on the label," said Commissioner of Food and Drugs Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D. "In addition, as a result of recent amendments to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, by the end of the year, industry will be required to report all serious dietary supplement related adverse events to FDA."

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine conducts and supports research on many types of diseases and disorders, including IBS. Researchers are studying the effects of acupuncture and the placebo effect on pain caused by IBS. The results have not been published yet.

A large core needle breast biopsy is usually an outpatient procedure that limits the use of anesthetic. Women having this procedure often experience anxiety because of the possibility of a cancer diagnosis in addition to the anxiety that patients typically experience during a medical procedure.

Tools That Are Transforming Discovery in CAM The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the nation's medical research agency—making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives. NIH-supported scientists study ways to prevent disease, as well as the causes, treatments, and cures for common and rare diseases. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), as a part of NIH, shares in these goals.

Getting To Know "Friendly Bacteria"
Probiotics, also known as "friendly bacteria" or "good bacteria," are found in certain foods and supplements. Find out more about these products and the evidence on their health benefits.

Deadline: August 22, 2006

Licorice root has been used as a dietary supplement for stomach ulcers, bronchitis, and sore throat, as well as infections caused by viruses, such as hepatitis.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to purchase or consume Zimaxx, Libidus, Neophase, Nasutra, Vigor-25, Actra-Rx, or 4EVERON. These products are promoted and sold on web sites as "dietary supplements" for treating erectile dysfunction (ED) and enhancing sexual performance, but they are in fact illegal drugs that contain potentially harmful undeclared ingredients. These products have not been approved by FDA, and there is no guarantee of their safety and effectiveness, or of the purity of their ingredients.

FDA advises consumers who have used any of these products to discontinue use and to consult their health care provider. FDA encourages anyone experiencing ED to seek guidance from a health care provider before purchasing a product to treat this medical condition.

"These products threaten the public health because they contain undeclared chemicals that are similar or identical to the active ingredients used in several FDA-approved prescription drug products. This risk is even more serious because consumers may not know that these ingredients can interact with medications and dangerously lower their blood pressure," said Dr. Steven Galson, Director of FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

The Irresistible Treat That Might Help Resistance Many people enjoy dark chocolate for its taste. Could it have health benefits, too, for insulin resistance—a silent condition that increases one's chances of developing diabetes and heart disease?

Please register for the call by sending an e-mail to nccamdcrcinfo@mail.nih.gov. We will send you a call-in phone number and passcode to confirm.

The Council, which meets three times a year, is composed of physicians, scientists, licensed alternative and complementary medicine practitioners, and representatives of the public who contribute their time and expertise over a 4-year term. Council members offer advice and recommendations on the prioritization, conduct, and support of complementary and alternative medicine research, including research training and disseminating health information derived from NCCAM's research.