CAM news

This page highlights news in complementary, alternative and integrative healthcare.

To let us know about news you think should appear on this page, e-mail editor@thefacts.org with the word NEWS in the title.

For conference information, please see our conferences list. You may also want to check out FACT news, our upcoming FACT events or the list of member events we maintain.

2009: DecOct Sep May Mar Feb  Jan  2008: Dec Nov Oct Sep (more news from 2008)

February 2010

Information resources

  • NCCAM and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) have partnered to create CAM on PubMed®, a subset of NLM's PubMed. PubMed provides access to citations from the MEDLINE database and additional life science journals. It also includes links to many full-text articles at journal Web sites and other related Web resources. Searches are free.
    Source: CAM on PubMed website

In the news

Research findings

  • An extensive review of past studies has lead researchers to conclude that acupuncture may be helpful in alleviating menstrual cramps. This supports other studies (example) that demonstrate the benefits of acupuncture for the relief of pain.
    Source: MSNBC website
  • Researchers from UCLA and the University of California examining the attitudes and beliefs of medical students about CAM therapies discovered that three-quarters of them felt conventional Western medicine would benefit by integrating more CAM therapies and ideas.
    Source: UCLA newsroom
  • A new NCCAM study looking at tai chi in older adults with knee osteoarthritis concludes that "Compared with the control group, tai chi patients had greater improvement in measures of pain, physical function, self-efficacy (belief in one's own abilities), depression, and health-related quality of life.".
    Source: NCCAM website

Information for researchers

  • The Holistic Health Research Foundation of Canada has established a designated Massage Therapy Research Fund to further high-calibre research in massage therapy. This year, there are two research competitions in massage therapy.
    1. First competition: deadline to receive submissions is Monday, March 1, 2010, at 5 p.m. ET. Applicants will be notified of the status of their applications by May 1, 2010.
    2. Second competition: deadline to receive submissions is Thursday, September 30, 2010, at 5 p.m. ET.
    Source: HHRFC website
  • Food Cure Research, a division of Knowledge Medical Research Charitable Trust, announces a funding opportunity and invites researchers to submit a one-page proposal for consideration, including evidence of product effectiveness, study timeline and budget. Please note that they are not interested in patented products or commercially available products.
    Source: KMR website

January 2010

In the news

  • A brief from a number of CAM agencies is now available online. Entitled Stimulating self-care in Canada: A proven case for significantly reducing health care costs, the report looks at medical expense reductions, suggesting the allowance of natural health products and other self-care products as a medically deductible expense.
    Source: Stimulating self-care in Canada (PDF)

December 2009

Research findings

  • A new study entitled "Evaluation of the effectiveness and efficacy of Iyengar yoga therapy on chronic low back pain" finds that yoga improves functional disability, pain intensity, and depression in adults with chronic low back pain. The study also revealed a clinically important trend for the yoga group to reduce their pain medication usage compared to the control group.
    Source: NCCAM and PubMed
  • A study appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2009;169[9]:858–866) entitled "A Randomized Trial Comparing Acupuncture, Simulated Acupuncture, and Usual Care for Chronic Low Back Pain" finds "people suffering from chronic low back pain who received acupuncture or simulated acupuncture treatments fared better than those receiving only conventional care according to a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study highlights central questions about the mechanisms of benefit seen in acupuncture studies.".
    Source: NCCAM
  • A study published in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews entitled "Chinese herbal medicines for people with impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting blood glucose" was inconclusive.
    Source: NCCAM and the Cochrane Library reviews
  • A study earlier this year examined "Using the Biopsychosocial Model to Understand the Health Benefits of Yoga" is positive yet concludes that "additional well-conducted research is required to further establish the efficacy of yoga for health states, and to understand how posture, breath and meditative activity affect the body, mind and spirit".
    Source: abstract

Information for researchers

  • December 15, 2009, is the deadline for applying for the Canadian CAM Research Fund Grant, a new grant competition funded by the Canadian CAM Research Fund to ensure continuity of funding opportunities for Canadian CAM researchers and research trainees. This fund will be administered through the Holistic Health Research Foundation of Canada. Announcements of grant recipients will be made in March 2010. For more information visit the IN-CAM website or the Holistic Health Research Foundation of Canada website. Pose questions or e-mail comments to Ania Kania or Keren Brown.
  • December 7, 2009, is the abstract submission deadline for the 5th International Conference on Complementary Medicine Research (ICCMR), to be held May 19-21 in Tromsø, Norway. For more information visit the website.

Other news

  • The Ontario govenment passed the harmonised sales tax (HST) bill December 9, 2009. This major tax reform combines both the provincial and federal sales tax on products and services and applies to many products and services that had previously been tax-exempt. It will have financial implications for CAM and integrative healthcare practitioners. The new tax is scheduled to come into effec July 1, 2010.
    Source: CBC news

October 2009

Information resources

  • Dietary supplements labels database (US - NLM)
    The US National Library of Medicine offers free access to the Dietary Supplements Labels Database, which provides information about label ingredients for more than 3000 selected brands of dietary supplements, allowing users to compare label ingredients in different brands. Information is also provided on the "structure/function" claims made by manufacturers. Note that this information is American and the the US Food and Drug Administration has NOT evaluated these manufacturers’ claims.

Research

  • The Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine has recently published a number of studies, including the following:
    • Using the Behavioral Model for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The CAM Healthcare Model, which proposes that CAM use, with or without a provider, has the potential to affect how people use conventional health services by offering choices to healthcare consumers. The study concludes that these choices affect healthcare outcomes, research, health service delivery and policy, and emphasises the need for a model to study CAM within a health services context. abstract
    • The Effect of Tai Chi in Reducing Anxiety in an Ambulatory Population This pilot study demonstrated phenomenal reductions in the symptoms of anxiety. Patients also reported feeling more relaxed and peaceful. It is apparent that tai chi may be a clinically effective tool for reducing anxiety. abstract
    • A Review of Side Effects and Adverse Events of Non-Drug Medicine (Nonpharmaceutical Complementary and Alternative Medicine): Psychotherapy, Mind-Body Medicine and Clinical Holistic Medicine This review concludes that non-pharmaceutical medicine seems to be safe even for seriously physically and mentally ill patients and recommends it as a treatment of choice whenever efficient. abstract
    • Using the Biopsychosocial Model to Understand the Health Benefits of Yoga compares the physical, psychological and spiritual effects of practice as espoused in yogic traditions and the biopsychosocial model of health. This article reviews and presents a conceptual model of the potential biopsychosocial benefits of yoga, which may provide clues regarding the possible mechanisms of action of yoga upon well-being. abstract

Other news

  • The city of Toronto is holding public consultations on a proposed change to zoning bylaws that will affect home-based holistic practitioners. You can comment on the Zoning By-law of the City of Toronto until November 4, 2009. From the website, you can access the full text of the proposed change, make comments, view interactive maps relating to the proposed changes, and read the presentation created for open houses in June and September.
    David Pinto, an holistic practitioner in Toronto, sent us this letter summarising the changes he feels will affect our members. Thank you to David for bringing this to our attention.

September 2009

Other news

  • The Canadian federal government has passed bill C-6, despite a lot of opposition from practitioners and propents of complementary and alternative therapies. The bill was introduced in Parliament at first reading by the Minister of Health, The Hon. Leona Aglukkaq, on January 29, 2009, and received its third reading on June 12, 2009. The bill is slated to come into force on September 25, 2009. (source) It was debated 5 days in the House of Commons and 2 days in the Senate. You can read bill C-6 online.
    While the official Health Canada position is that “Bill C-6, also known as the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA), is proposed legislation that will help keep Canadian families safe from dangerous consumer products”, a number of CAM practitioners and advocates fear that this bill will oulaw herbs, supplements and vitamins and confer too much power on Health Canada. (source)
    Many natural health associations, such as the Natural Health Products Protection Association (NHPPA) and the International Organisation of Nutritional Consultants (IONC) have been vocal opponents of the bill.

May 2009

Other news

  • The Financial Services Commission of Ontario is recommending that the Ontario government change automobile insurance coverage caps. The proposed changes would cut insurance payouts for serious car-crash injuries drastically, capping medical and rehabilitation costs at $25,000, instead of the current $100,000 cap. (source)
    Information: See the website (created by a group of concerned healthcare providers, not affiliated with FACT). To contact the Premier of Ontario directly, visit his website.

March 2009

Research

February 2009

Information sources

  • IN-CAM is requesting feedback on the usefulness of its Outcomes database, which provides practical and accessible information on outcome measures in a framework important to CAM researchers. If you have ever used the database, please take the 5 to 7-minute survey.
  • The Toronto Public Library has modified its health-related database holdings. The up-to-date list of health databases they now maintain and information on how to log into these free resources is available on our related links page.
    For your convenience, the list is reproduced here:
    • Natural Standard website of evidence-based CAM information
      Find it in the list of databases under "Health — Natural treatments and remedies". This resource, which rates the reliability of every article based on research, is divided into the following sections: Foods, herbs & supplements; Health & wellness; Comparative effectiveness; Medical conditions; Genomics & proteomics; Environmental resources; Brand names; and Interactive tools.
    • Alt-Health Watch
      Find it in the list of databases under "Alt-Health Watch". Access periodicals, peer-reviewed journals, academic and other professional publications on complementary, alternative and integrated approaches to health care and wellness.
    • Health — Consumer Health Complete
      Find it in the list of databases under "Health — Consumer Health Complete". It provides easily understandable health and medical information from medical encyclopedias, popular reference books and magazine articles.
    • Health and Wellness Resource Center
      Find it in the list of databases under "Health and Wellness Resource Center". It provides information on diseases and conditions, health assessment tool, dictionary, etc. (Note: Drug information is American and may not apply in Canada.)

Research

Funding opportunities

  • The NIH is offering a grant for Exploratory/Developmental Grant for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Studies of Humans (R21). Deadline: June 9, 2009.
    Information: See website.

Other news

  • In celebration of its tenth anniversary, the NCCAM will videocast the inaugural Stephen E. Strauss Distinguished Lecture in the science of CAM. Sherwin B. Nuland, MD, will speak on "Chinese Medicine, Western Science, and Acupuncture" on Tuesday, March 10, from 2-4 p.m., in Bethesda, Maryland.  You can attend a free, live videocast at this date and time (EST).
  • IN-CAM is now offering its symposium every second year (instead of annually). The next symposium will be held in Calgary in 2010.
  • The School of Biomedical and Health Sciences is seeking to appoint an Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer in Traditional Chinese Medicine/Complementary Medicine to oversee and lead course offerings in these areas. The appointee will be dynamic and enthusiastic, and willing to share in the future of the University of Western Sydney. The successful applicant will work closely with other staff in implementing existing undergraduate and postgraduate programs and in contributing to a range of new research and teaching initiatives. The appointee will also contribute to the University’s well-known Centre for Complementary Medicine Research (CompleMED).

January 2009

New information sources

  • New health-information resources are available online for free through the Toronto Public Library. (A library card — free to anyone who lives or works in Toronto — is required.)
    • You can now access the Natural Standard website of evidence-based CAM information. Find it in the list of databases under "Health — Natural treatments and remedies". (You still need to pay if you are not a member of TPL.)
      This resource, which rates the reliability of every article based on research, is divided into the following sections: Foods, herbs & supplements; Health & wellness; Comparative effectiveness; Medical conditions; Genomics & proteomics; Environmental resources; Brand names; and Interactive tools.
    • You can now access the complete, full-text of the Compendium of Pharmaceuticals (CPS), a standard drug-reference in Canada.
    • Instructions on how to access and search the database are available on the CHIS website.
    • Other health-information databases freely available through TPL include
      • Alt-Health Watch: periodicals, peer-reviewed journals, academic and other professional publications on complementary, alternative and integrated approaches to health care and wellness
      • Consumer Health — Complete: easily understandable health and medical information from medical encyclopedias, popular reference books and magazine articles
      • Health Source — Consumer Edition: Access to hundreds of periodicals intended for consumers, containing understandable health information
      • Health and Wellness Resource Center: information on diseases and conditions, health assessment tool, dictionary, etc. (Note: Drug information is American and may not apply in Canada.
  • The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (London, UK) has made the Global Library of Women's Medicine freely available to support doctors and other health professionals in their care of women. This open-access web library written by more than 650 specialists, supported by over 40,000 references, will be kept permanently up-to-date. While primarily designed for the medical profession, most of the information is also accessible by anyone, including a section on safer motherhood. Medical professionals can also register to access free professional information such as surgical videos, specialist colour atlases of visual medicine, comprehensive guidance to laboratory tests and the significance of their results. They also have the option to receive patient information handouts.
  • The Consumer Health Information Service (CHIS) at the Toronto Public Library are in the process of creating electronic bibliographies which link directly to online articles and websites. To find CAM articles and websites, click on the links under "CAM". CHIS also offers courses on how to find reliable health information on the Internet, free health talks and other events, and complete health reference services in Toronto (walk-in) and throughout the province of Ontario (toll-free outside the GTA: 1-800-667-1999). Their book collection on the third floor of the Toronto Reference Library features a huge selection of CAM and related information.

Research

  • The American Academy of Cancer Research reports that researchers determined that, in a laboratory setting, a commercially-available grape seed extract forces leukemia cells to die within 24 hours while leaving normal cells unaffected. (read more)
  • Researchers at the University of Laval have estimated that insomnia costs the province of Quebec about $6.5 billion a year, mostly through lost productivity among those who can't sleep. (read more)
  • An article published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute concludes that supplementation with vitamin C, vitamin E or beta carotene offers no overall benefits in the primary prevention of total cancer incidence or cancer mortality. The American study followed 8 171  women over an average period of 9.4 years. (abstract)
  • The journal Current issues in Education published an article examining the effect of trancendental meditation on ADHD in 11 to 14 year-olds. Results showed statistically significant reductions in stress, anxiety and improvements in ADHD symptoms and executive function. (read more)

Other news

  • The US National Institutes of Health have launched a new website, Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT), to provide a single access point for data, including information on NIH expenditures and the results of NIH-supported research, including a all NIH-funded projects related to each of 215 historically reported categories of disease, condition, or research area. In 2009, the NIH will also add the new Research, Condition, and Disease Categorization (RCDC) reports to the site. The meeting for January 14, from 1:30-3:00 p.m., will be videocast (free, registration required).

December 2008

New information sources

  • The NCCAM and the US National Institutes of Health launched a new website providing CAM health information to seniors. The website, launched December 4, provides a high-level overview CAM and CAM research, urges seniors to inform their healthcare provider about CAM therapies they use and answers frequently-asked questions. Videos are also available. (website)

Research

  • The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (Washington, D.C.) will publish the results of research to determine whether participation in a mind-body skills group program based on psychological self-care, mind-body techniques, and self-expression decreases symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To be published in January's edition of the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Postwar Kosovar Adolescents Using Mind-Body Skills Groups: A Randomized Controlled Trial study concludes that mind-body skills groups can reduce PTSD symptoms in war-traumatized high school students and can be effectively led by trained and supervised schoolteachers.
  • Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, published a study entitled Unexpected infant deaths associated with the use of
    cough and cold medications     which suggests that "an estimated 500 pediatric deaths a year may be associated with children's cold and cough medicines, including decongestants, expectorants, antihistamines and cough suppressants". (abstract)
  • Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have just completed a review entitled Acupuncture for the management of chronic headache: A systematic review, examining more than 30 acupuncture clinical trials where acupuncture was used for more than four weeks to treat adults with headaches. Results suggest that acupuncture may be more effective than medication in reducing chronic headache severity and frequency. (read more)
  • An article in Behavioural Brain Research reports on new research that shows "acupuncture-related changes in both of the brain's pain networks: the lateral network, which is associated with sensory aspects of pain perception, and the medial network, which is associated with affective aspects". (read more)
  • A new study in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that green tea may reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis by causing changes in various arthritis-related immune responses. (read more)
  • According to a study published in the American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, people diagnosed with early stage dementia can slow their physical, mental and psychological decline by taking part in therapeutic programs that combine counseling, support groups, tai chi and qigong. Some of the benefits of this approach are comparable to those achieved with anti-dementia medications. (read more)
  • A topical application of a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, inidgo naturalis, is a novel, safe, and effective therapy for plaque-type psoriasis, concludes a report in the Archives of Dermatology. (abstract)

Other news

  • A recent US government survey found that approximately 38% of U.S. adults and 12% of children use some type of complementary and alternative medicine. Over 23,000 adults and over 9,000 children were surveyed for the report, entitled "Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Adults and Children: United States, 2007". Other findings from the survey showed that more women (48.2%) than men (33.5%) use CAM, as do older and more educated and wealthier adults, and those living in the western part of the United States. (read more) (factsheet)
  • A recent PEW survey examining how the media covers health (in the United States) broadly examined the way the media covers health and health-related issues: where is health coverage on the priority list for the news media, which topics get the most coverage, how does coverage differ in print, on television and online. It also examined health coverage during the US presidential campaign. (read more)
  • A new study published in the open-access journal BMC Medicine systematically compares newspaper coverage of clinical trials for herbal remedies, a popular type of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), with clinical trials for pharmaceuticals using a comparative content analysis. It concludes that, for herbal products, "media coverage is not providing the public with the information necessary to make informed decisions about medical treatments". According to researchers, "Most concerning is the lack of disclosure of trial funding and conflicts of interest that could influence the outcome or reporting of trial results. This lack of reporting may impact the medical research community who have the most to lose by way of public trust and respect". (abstract) (study)
  • Researchers at the University of Bristol published an article in the British Medical Journal proving that Alexander Technique lessons have significant long-term benefits for back pain. It analysed National Health Service costs for the intervention, primary care contacts, outpatient appointments, in-patient hospital stays and medication, as well as personal and societal costs, and concluded that Alexander Technique lessons are an effective and cost-effective option for primary care providers treating patients with chronic non-specific low-back pain. (read more)
  • According to a review article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, a growing body of evidence suggests that a vitamin D deficiency may be associated not only with bone and muscle weakness but also with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. (read more)

November 2008

Funding opportunities

  • The Vancouver Foundation is offering a salary award to support a half-time investigator located in BC, starting January 2009. The recipient will receive $50,000 per year for one and a half years and receive funding to contribute to the hiring of a Statistical Consultant and a Research Coordinator. All family practice physicians and midwives residing and working in British Columbia are eligible to apply. The application deadline is Friday, November 14, 2008. Information: Phone 604-827-4185 or e-mail research.office@familymed.ubc.ca
  • The National Institutes of Health announced a new grant. Apply for this funding into the investigation of CAM approaches in the management of HIV disease and its complications, before March 27, 2009.
  • A new, short-term study may indicate that listening to relaxing music may lead to improved blood circulation. "Although this was just an acute [short-term] study, it suggests that laughter and listening to relaxing music may provide cardioprotection or be heart-healthy." (read more)

Research updates

  • The November edition of Inspire Health is now available. Feature article "Vitamin C and chemotherapy: Looking at the evidence" and other cancer and CAM-related research and reviews.
  • Researchers have halted the study EDTA chelation therapy for cardiovascular disease: a systematic review, a follow-up to an earlier study which found that EDTA chelation therapy to have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular risk profiles when compared to control, because because 3 of the 5 members in the placebo group dropped out due to a lack of improvement. 
  • JAMA published an article on a recent study examining the effect of ginko biloba on dementia, which found that the herbal product did not decrease the development of dementia in either normal elderly persons or those with mild cognitive impairment. (read the NCCAM description of this study)
  • New research published in Diabetes Care suggests that eating eggs may raise the risk for developing type 2 diabetes. (summary) (abstract)

Other news

  • You are invited to sign the petition for a Cochrane Library National License, which would mean that all Canadians would have access to this reliable source of evidence about what works in health care treatments. Encourage Canada to join Australia, England, Finland, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Sweden and Wales in supporting informed healthcare decisions.
    The Cochrane Library is an on-line resource that contains the best available evidence regarding the benefits and harms of health care treatments and health policy decisions. The 540 000 record library contains over 3 000 syntheses of research (called systematic reviews) that are considered the ‘gold standard’ of their kind, and reliable information from health research organizations around the world (abstracts of other systematic reviews, health technology assessments, economic evaluations, and individual clinical trials). All of this information supports evidence-informed health care decisions. For example, read a summary of a Cochrane database systemic review on Homeopathy for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder or hyperkinetic disorder.

October 2008

October is chiropractic month and breast cancer awareness month.

Studies examining CAM use:

  • A recent survey by the American Hospital Association determined that 37% of US hospitals offered some sort of complementary and alternative health care in 2007. This is a 40% increase in the number of hospitals offering at least some CAM services. (article)
  • A new study examining the use of CAM by African Americans aged 60 and older telephoned participants to ask them about their use of eight common alternative modalities (individual prayer, herbal or home remedies, group spiritual practices, meditation and visualization, health massages, chiropractic, acupuncture and relaxation or biofeedback) in the last year. Researchers found 88.4% surveyed used them (individual prayer at 96%, herbal or home remedies at 29.5%, and group spiritual practices at 17%). For more information, read the study: Complementary and alternative medicine use among older urban African Americans: Individual and neighborhood associations.
  • The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) has found that more people are turning to traditional acupuncture to alleviate symptoms caused by the emotional strains of everyday life. The study found that the top three emotional issues for which acupuncture treatment is sought are depression (18%), anxiety (13%) and insomnia (10%) with stress following closely behind. (read more)
  • This past August, a study from researchers at the American Cancer Society finds many cancer patients use complementary and alternative methods. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Cancer, the study also finds that women, younger survivors, whites, individuals with higher income, and those with more education were more likely to use complementary methods. (read more)
  • A study examining the effectiveness of combined Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture in the treatment of atopic dermatitis concluded that the combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine have a beneficial effect on patients with atopic dermatitis and may offer better results than Chinese herbal medicine alone. (read more)
  • The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine published a Western and alternative medicine: a comparison of paradigms and methods, and another on Qigong: bio-energy medicine while Elsevier published 'Homeopathy': untangling the debate. 

New research reported this month:

  • The National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has added four new research centres. The new centres examine the neuroscience and psychophysiology of meditation, the metabolic and immunologic effects of meditation, CAM as countermeasures against infectious and inflammatory disease, and herbal research on colorectal cancer.(article)
  • NCCAM research has discovered that half the 679 US physicians they surveyed prescribe placebos on a regular basis (62% of physicians surveyed think this practice is ethical). Results were also published in the British Medical Journal.

"For the purposes of this survey, placebo was defined as a treatment physicians recommend because they think a patient will benefit from positive expectations, not because they think the treatment will have a physiological effect on the patient's particular condition. Among physicians who prescribed placebos, few said they used inert treatments such as saline injections or sugar pills; they were more likely to recommend over-the-counter analgesics (41%) or vitamins (38%), and some used antibiotics (13%) or sedatives (13%) as placebos." (article)

  • The NCCAM published the results of a large trial, the Herbal Alternatives (HALT) for Menopause Study, a year-long, randomized, double-blind trial compared several herbal regimens and menopausal hormone therapy to placebo. It failed to identify significant differences between the women using the herbal supplement black cohosh and a placebo. For more information, read the NIA press release.
  • An initial independent review of data from the selenium and vitamin E prostate cancer prevention trial (SELECT) study looked at whether selenium and vitamin E supplements prevented prostate cancer. It found they had no benefit, taken either together or alone. (read more)
  • A new study from the University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center suggest that vitamin E may play an important role in preventing lung cancer. (summary) (article)
  • A Cochrane Systematic Review backs up previous research that showed the plant extract is effective in treating mild to moderate depressive disorders. "Overall, we found that the St. John's wort extracts tested in the trials were superior to placebos and as effective as standard antidepressants, with fewer side effects," says lead researcher, Klaus Linde of the Centre for Complementary Medicine in Munich, Germany. (source) (study)
  • A new study concludes that the antioxidant-rich Brazilian palm berry (acai berry) is effectively absorbed in humans when consumed in either juice or pulp form, reports the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. (read more)
  • A new study, published British Journal of Health Psychology, found that people who visualised themselves going through the actions involved in a specific health behaviour were then more likely to intend to carry out the behaviour. It examined the effects of mental simulation on subsequent intentions (the intention to give blood), finding that people who were asked to visualise themselves going through the actions involved in giving blood (making an appointment, taking the route, preparing to donate) were subsequently more likely to intend to donate blood than people who did not do this visualisation, or only visualised the outcome. (source) (study)
  • A Cochrane Systematic Review examines acupuncture and assisted conception. It concludes that acupuncture performed on the day of embryo transfer shows a beneficial effect on the live birth rate but cautions this could be attributed to placebo effect and the small number of women included in the trials. It goes on state that acupuncture should not be offered during the luteal phase in routine clinical practice until further evidence is available from sufficiently powered RCTs. (study)
  • A study of dietary patterns in 52 countries published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association found that the typical Western diet (fried foods, salty snacks and meat) accounts for about 30 percent of heart attack risk across the world. (read more)

The Integrator blog recently published an article on the US presidential race with a focus on Obama's and McCain's thoughts on CAM therapies. The blog author also polled practitioners for their thoughts. This excellent blog is always insightful.

The ETC Group, an international advocacy organization based in Ottawa, released a 48-page report entitled "Who owns Nature?". It examines market share and industry rankings to determine corporate concentration in commercial food, farming, health and the strategic push to commodify the planet's remaining natural resources. (download report)

September 2008

September is Healthy Aging month. There were a number of topical research projects this month:

  • The NCCAM launched a new website, Time to Talk, encouraging people over 50 to talk to their health-care providers about CAM, and to tell them about the CAM treatments they are receiving. The website includes tools for practitioners, doctors, patients and professional or community organisations. Also available in Spanish.
  • A new study examined the effect of glucosamine and chondroitin in the slowing of knee osteoarthritis. It concluded that they were no more effective than a placebo. (story)
  • The US National Institute of Health announced that it will establish a multisite research network to conduct clinical trials of promising treatments for the most common symptoms of the menopausal transition. Possible treatments to be studied during the five-year project period include: antidepressants, paced respiration (relaxation breathing) yoga; low-dose estradiol (patch and gel), and exercise programs (both moderate and vigorous). (story)

IN-CAM launched the new HomeoNet website. "HomeoNet is a newly formed research network dedicated to the advancement of research in homeopathic medicine in Canada. Its goals are to facilitate high quality Canadian homeopathic research, to build communication avenues between a wide variety of homeopathic stakeholders, and to build partnerships amongst a wide range of researchers and practitioners involved in homeopathy research". It works in collaboration with IN-CAM a well-established CAM research network.

In other news, the American Hospital Association reports that a growing number of American hospitals are offering complementary and alternative medicine services alongside their more conventional medical services. According to the survey, "more than 37 percent of responding hospitals indicated they offer one or more CAM therapies, up from 26.5 percent in 2005.". (source) For more information, read the AHA press release, see a summary and analysis on the Integrator blog or purchase the report from the Health Forum online store.

The US Federal Trade Commission has launched a new website, Cure-ious, to help protect consumers from fraudulent cancer products being sold online. The site tells consumers how to spot and report bogus claims they see online, and urges people with cancer to talk to their treatment team about any products they'd like to try. It features a video and includes a list of resources on cancer treatments from a variety of agencies within the US federal government. Information is provided in English and Spanish. (site)

The NCCAM recently published a study showing that hypnosis may reduce hot flashed in breast cancer survivors. According to the study "The women who received hypnosis had a 68-percent reduction in self-reported hot flash frequency/severity and experienced an average of 4.39 fewer hot flashes per day. Compared with controls, they also had significant improvements in self-reported anxiety, depression, interference with daily activities, and sleep." This study adds to the growing body of information on CAM and menopause published by the NCCAM. (study) (more information)

The Department of Paediatrics, Institute of Health and Caring Sciences (Stockholm, Sweden) published a study, Effects of minimal acupuncture in children with infantile colic : A prospective, quasi-randomised single blind controlled trial, which suggests that four treatments with light needling on one point in the hand may alleviate crying and pain related behaviour without any noted side effects.

A new study looks at the effects of smell on dreams. The Impact of Olfactory Stimulation on Dreams, was published in the August 2008 edition of Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery.

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