The following is a very selected group of useful resources on the Web. When you are surfing the Web, assess the credibility of the resources by following the suggestions at:
Find Good Health Information (Medical Library Association)
Advocacy Groups
- Alliance for Natural Health
- National Council Against Health Fraud is "a private nonprofit, voluntary health agency that focused upon health misinformation, fraud, and quackery as public health problems. (Its) positions were based upon the principles of science that underlie consumer protection law." The Web site still provides a weekly Consumer Health Digest as well as occasional papers and position papers.
- Foundation for the Alternative and Integrative Medicine FAIM "searches the world for effective, nontoxic, and low-cost alternative medical therapies."
- Integrated Healthcare Policy Consortium is "a broad, active coalition advocating public policy to ensure all Americans access to safe, high quality, integrated health care." The Web site explains the mission, objectives, the membership and guidelines for participation.
- Citizens for Health aims to improve access to health choices. It also provides links to resources that help make health choice decisions.
- Council for Responsible Nutrition is "a Washington-based trade association representing ingredient suppliers and manufacturers in the dietary supplement industry." Its mission is "to improve the environment for member companies to responsibly market dietary supplements by enhancing confidence among media, healthcare professionals, decision makers and consumers." The Web site provides summaries and analyses of legislation and regulations that would have an impact on the dietary supplement industry.
CAM Associations and Organizations
- Alternative Medicine Foundation is a non-profit organization aiming to "respond to the public and professional need for responsible and reliable education, information, and dialogue about the integration of alternative and conventional medicine." The Web site provides many useful resources, including HerbMed - "an interactive, electronic databases - provides hyperlinked access to the scientific data underlying the use of herbs for health," and resource guides to different CAM modalities and health issues.
- American Association of Naturopathic Physicians provides information on naturopathy, including what it is and what kind of education and licensing requirements practitioners have to meet. The Web site also includes a section on State and Federal Advocacy, which provides details of current legislation having impact on naturopathic medicine.
- American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine The Web site provides updates on business and professional issues, on educational issues, as well as legislative issues that have an impact on its members . It also includes a How to Find an Acupuncturist page.
- American Chiropractic Association has general information about chiropractic practices and its advocacy. The Legislative Action Center is a great resource for new legislation with an impact on chiropractic practices.
- American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) is "a not-for-profit medical society dedicated to educating physicians and other health care professionals on the latest findings and emerging procedures in preventive/nutritional medicine."
- American Holistic Medical Association (AHMA) "The mission of AHMA is to support physicians in their evolving personal and professional development as healers and practitioners of holistic medicine." The Web site has a member only section. The public side includes general information about holistic medicine, including FAQs and press releases.
- American Massage Therapy Association
- American Medical Association
- American Osteopathic Association is the primary certifying body for D.O.s and is the accrediting agency for all osteopathic medical colleges and health facilities.
- National Center for Homeopathy
- National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) The Web site includes a directory of nationally certified practitioners.
- National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) The Web site includes the NCCAOM Directory of Diplomates (Practitioners) who meet national requirements for board certification in one or more practice areas: Oriental medicine, acupuncture, Chinese herbology, or Asian bodywork therapy.
- Qigong Association of America
- Maryland University of Integrative Health The Web site provides information about its educational programs, as well as a "Find a Practitioner" search, among other things.
- Touch for Health Kinesiology Association of America
Research Centers and Institutes
Health Information
- Alternative Medicine (MedlinePlus: Trusted Health Information for you)
- Alternative Medicine for Your Child
- American Council on Science and Health "is a consumer education consortium concerned with issues related to food, nutrition, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, the environment and health."
- Claims That Can Be Made for Conventional Foods and Dietary Supplements
- Complementary and Alternative Therapies (Bandolier) is "intended to gather the best evidence available about complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) for sufferers and professionals. ...It contains stories from Bandolier, plus abstracts of systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or other studies about CAT."
- QuackWatch: Your Guide to Quackery, Health Fraud, and Intelligent Decisions
Tips for Dietary Supplement Users: Making Informed Decisions and Evaluating Information
Foreign & International Organizations
Other Useful Web Sites
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Journals is one of the most comprehensive lists of CAM journals.
