Evidence-based medicine or best practices are phrases used regularly within the acupuncture and Oriental medicine profession. Some might even say they are the Holy Grail for AOM and other alternative medicines to gain legitimacy. However, it can be time-consuming to sort through all the data and compare treatments for efficacy, particularly for a busy clinician with patients who all expect solutions right away.
The solution might be as close as your nearest acadmic library or hospital. Natural Standard (www.naturalstandard.com) is a nonprofit "international research collaboration that aggregates and synthesizes data on complementary and alternative therapies." The organization sifts through mounds of scientific data by using a grading scale in order to create information databases that are "evidence-based, consensus-based, and peer-reviewed, tapping into the collective expertise of a multidisciplinary Editorial Board." While these databases are not available to individuals on their home or practice computers, they can be acessed via academic university libraries or hospital systems.
What this means for the average practitioner is that they now have the ability to take advantage of the work Natural Standard has already done. They can now easily and quickly compare efficacy for various treatments in terms of scientific strength and validity. The Web site's mission, in line with this, is to "provide objective, reliable information that aids clinicians, patients and healthcare institutions to make more informed and safer therapeutic decisions." You can download a demo and view examples by clicking on the "Demo" button on the right-hand side of the homepage.
There are three different monographs available, as well as news updates, patient handouts and two comparison databases. As an example of one comparative efficacy chart, Natural Standards gives yoga a B ("Good Scientific Evidence") rating for treating anxiety conditions.
The editorial board features an extensive list of people in alternative medicine, including:
Do you receive text messages from companies letting you know about offers or giveaways, or simply sharing news? If your answer is yes, then you have opted in for SMS (short message service) text-message marketing. SMS text-message marketing uses various platforms and software to send personalized, timely and sometimes interactive messages.
The Oregon College of Oriental Medicine (OCOM) has announced it is closing after 41 years. Pending accreditor approval, OCOM will cease offering classes after September (fourth-year OCOM students graduate Aug. 26). All current / incoming OCOM students have the option of continuing their education at the National University of Natural Medicine or Five Branches University, or transferring to another school altogether.
| Digital Exclusive
The end of cancer treatment does not necessarily signal a return to good health. Cancer survivors report poorer health and well-being than people who have not had cancer; many suffer chronic consequences of cancer and its treatments. Some may also develop new symptoms many years after treatment has ended.
