Alternative Systems of Medical Practice: Internet Resources: Alternative Medicine

Health care ranging from self-care according to folk principles, to care rendered in an organized health care system based on alternative traditions or practices includes: acupuncture; ayurveda; environmental medicine; homeopathic medicine; Latin America rural practices; Native American practices; natural products; naturopathic medicine; past life therapy; Tibetan medicine; Tradional Chinese Medicine.

• Acupuncture, National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
• Acupuncture.com: acupuncture, herbology, Chinese Therapies, and comparison of western and eastern medicine, maintained by Al Stone.
• Alternative Medicine Connection, dedicated to the scientific and political interests of the holistic health community
• ALTVETMED: Complementary, Alternative and Holistic Veterinary Medicine collaborative effort of Jan Agar Bergeron, V.M.D. and Susan Gayle Wynn, D.V.M.
• American Academy of Environmental Medicine: "proactive and preventive strategic approach to medical care dedicated to the evaluation, management, and prevention of the adverse consequences resulting from environmentally triggered illnesses
• Ask Dr. Weil: top-rated program on the HotWired Network, main feature of program is where Dr. Weil answers your questions every day.
• Association of American Indian Physicians, links to Native American health, plant, medicine, food and herb resources
• British Homoeopathic Library at Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital: library services in homoeopathy, The Hom-Inform Database of indexed literature references in homoeopathy is produced by this library. It is now searchable free online.
• CAM Glossary: description of complementary and alternative medicine terminology, Foundation for the Advancement of Innovative Medicine
• Center for Studying Health System Change Washington D.C.: High Cost of Medical Care Prompts Consumers to Seek Alternatives, Data Bulletin No. 28 December 2004, Ha T. Tu, J. Lee Hargraves
• Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field, [ "to help promote and facilitate the production of systematic reviews in topics such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, herbal medicine, homeopathy and mind-body therapy" ] University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Center for Integrative Medicine
• Global Initiative for Traditional Systems of Health Home Page (GIFTS): "focal point for policy, research and public awareness of the health needs of the majority of the world's population, who rely on indigenous or traditional medicine for their health and well-being"
• HANS The Health Action Network Society: registered non-profit charity in Burnaby, BC Canada, mandate is to provide information about alternative health care.
• The Healing Spectrum: "a range of resources that support healing in all its aspects": links to many alternative sites
• Homeopathy Home : resource page listing organizations, books, homeopathic remedies, mailing lists, and discussion groups, produced by Nick Haworth,Cambridge, England.
• Homeopathy Online bulletin board service for the homeopathic community.
• IPOS Reid Poll a Canadian survey/study which includes: Part 1. Use of alternative medicines and practices. Use and dangers of alternative medicine and practices. Part 2. User Profile, Reasons For Using Alternative Medicines and Practices, Health Care Responsibility
• Institute of Medicine, [mission of the Institute of Medicine is to advance and disseminate scientific knowledge to improve human health. The Institute provides objective, timely, authoritative information and advice concerning health and science policy to government, the corporate sector, the professions and the public] Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (HPDP) Project: Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) by the American Public
• The International Feng Shui Guild art of placement and the flow of vital energy in the environment
• International Institute of Islamic Medicine an undertaking of the Islamic Medical Association of North America "to enrich professional knowledge and learn about the theory and practice of Islamic medical ethics"
• International Iridology Practitioners Association study of the eyes, specifically the colored part of the eye or iris, to locate the specific body part or condition of a body system that may be congested with toxins, and to identify future health problems
• Journals & Articles
  • Advances in Mind-Body Medicine [journal]: "explores the relationship between mind, body, spirit, and health; the human experience of health, illness, and medical care; and the clinical, social, and personal implications of a medicine that acknowledges the whole person."
  • Alternative Medicine Review: A Journal of Clinical Therapeutics " peer-reviewed journal dedicated to providing accurate, timely and clinically relevant original articles, abstracts and literature reviews to the practicing preventive health-care professional," publisher Thorne Research, Inc.
  • BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, PubMed Central/BioMed Central
  • BMJ [British Medical Journal]:Complementary Medicine articles
  • Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, PubMed Central
  • Homeopathy Online: a journal of homeopathic medicine: the publication of the Homeopathy Mailing List
  • Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.: indexed in MEDLINE and provides a table of content service
  • Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine: an international forum for evidence-based practices "peer-reviewed, all-electronic journal, publishing research focusing on different aspects of evidence-based approach towards complementary and alternative medical (CAM) practices/ interventions and natural health products. This mandate also covers publications about whole systems of health care, including their integration with allopathic/orthodox medicine"
  • Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy, Haworth Press: view table of contents and free email table of contents notification service
  • Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine and Aberrant Medical Practices : "is the only peer-reviewed journal devoted exclusively to objectively analyzing the claims of "alternative medicine." Its purpose is to apply the best tools of science and reason to determine whether hypotheses are valid and treatments are effective" published by the Commission for Scientific Medicine and Mental Health
  • The Scientific Review of Mental Health Practice "is the only peer-reviewed journal devoted exclusively to distinguishing scientifically -supported claims from scientifically-unsupported claims in clinical psychology, psychiatry, social work, and allied disciplines" published by the Commission for Scientific Medicine and Mental Health
  • Townsend Letter the Examiner of Alternative Medicine : " regular columns on different aspects of alternative health care: homeopathy, nutrition, exercise, women's health, phytomedicines and the constantly changing politics of alternative medicine. Reviews of current alternative medical literature and newly published books relating to health and healing are also included, as well as an extensive Letters-to-the-Editor section, calendar of events and health-related classified advertising".
• Landmark Healthcare, Inc: nationwide alternative managed care company specializing in the provision of clinically supported alternative care therapies
  • Landmark Report II on HMOs and Alternative Care
  • Landmark Report I on Public Perception of Alternative Care
• Milbank Memorial Fund: Enhancing the Accountability of Alternative Medicine, January 1998
• National Center for Homeopathy "promote health through homeopathy by providing general education to the public about homeopathy and specific education to homeopaths"
• National Indian Health Board, Denver, Colorado: "represents Tribal Governments operating their own health care delivery systems
• NaturalHealthLine newsletter addressing natural/alternative health issues and a town hall addressing legislative/jurisprudence issues
• Naturopathic Medicine Network: guide to natural medicine and alternative health care, contains newsletter, naturopathic physicians directory, natural pharmacy.
• The Physicians' Association for Anthroposophical Medicine "holistic and human-centered approach to medicine using modern medicine's anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and diagnosis and the knowledge of the laws of the living organism these studies were outlined by Rudolf Steiner [description adpated from site]
• PostiveHealth Article Index: contains a wide variety of articles on CAM modalities and systems with many articles containg links to web resources
• TibetMed™, Alternative Medicine Foundation: schools, conference and resources
• Tibetan Medicine and Astrology, The Office of Tibet, the official agency of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in London
• Understanding Chinese Medicine, Doc Misha's Chicken Soup Chinese Medicine: basic information Chinese Medicine with resources on choosing a practitioner, accredted schools, insurnace companies
• The Wealth of the Rainforest Pharmacy to the World : Raintree Nutrition, Inc. is the leading specialist in Rainforest botanical sources and products involved in the research, documentation, information publication, sustainable harvesting, importation, and product manufacturing of over 100 medicinal plants and oils from the Amazon Rainforest, maintains a tropical plant database
• World Health Organization
  • Facts Sheets - Traditional Medicine
  • Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy (EDM): includes traditional medicine
  • Publications - Traditional medicine

Revision: January 2008.

For additions or comments please respond to "The Alternative Medicine Homepage" ©1994-2008. Charles B. Wessel, M.L.S., cbw@pitt.edu - Falk Library of the Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261

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