Stephen E. Straus, M.D., Director, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NIH
Dr. Straus noted that consumers and the market drive complementary and alternative medicine use. Alternative medicines are scientifically unproven and are not incorporated into the training and practice of mainstream American physicians. Doctors and patients use most alternative approaches as an adjunct to mainstream medical approaches. Patients often seek alternative therapies to improve their outcome for chronic degenerative or fatal illnesses where mainstream therapies and preventative measures have fallen short.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine defines alternative approaches into the following five groups:
- entirely alternative medical systems.
- mind-body interventions.
- biologically-based treatments.
- manipulation and body-based methods.
- energy therapies.
In 1998 Congress mandated NCCAM's creation to conduct and support basic and applied research and training. NCCAM's budget has grown rapidly in recent years though it is still relatively small. Since NCCAM's creation, its budget has grown from $49 million to $89 million. The President has requested $100.1 million for this coming year.
The research involves four centers doing basic pharmacology of botanical products. There are other centers nationwide examining a variety of health conditions. NCCAM is conducting Phase III controlled trials, such as a trial on St. John's wort with Duke University. Through NCI's community based cooperative oncology program, NCCAM is conducting a study of adjunctive therapy with shark cartilage for non-small cell lung cancer. To create cadres of competent investigators, NCCAM is supporting pre-doctoral, post-doctoral, and career awards oriented toward clinical research.
NCCAM's current structure supports about 100 research projects, largely studying the use of several botanical substances for use in prevention and treatment of a variety of infectious diseases, HIV, immunology, and asthma. A series of NCCAM initiatives call for more work in this area, including an initiative on botanical and drug interactions. NCCAM is reviewing grants to fund private companies to make standardized products for use in clinical trials and calling for applications to study alternative medicines as end of life care options in AIDS and cancer.
Dr. Straus said he sees a number of potential collaborations. He has been gratified by the enthusiastic responses he has received and he welcomes the opportunity to consider areas of shared interest with NIAID. |