Are You Considering Complementary Medicine?

Millions of Americans use some form of complementary medicine. Like any decision concerning your health, decisions about whether to use complementary therapies are important. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has developed this fact sheet to assist you in your decisionmaking about complementary practices and products.

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• Key Points
• What Do “Complementary,” “Integrative,” and “Alternative” Mean?
• How can I get reliable information about a complementary therapy?
• Are complementary therapies safe? How can I minimize risks in using these therapies?
• How can I determine whether statements made about the effectiveness of a complementary therapy are true?
• Are complementary therapies tested to see if they work?
• I am interested in a therapy that involves treatment from a complementary medicine practitioner. How do I go about selecting a practitioner?
• Can I receive treatment or a referral to a complementary medicine practitioner from NCCAM?
• Can I participate in a clinical trial of a complementary therapy?