Teaching evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: 3. Asking the questions and identifying the information

Student and faculty perspective toward the role and value of integration of natural product information into the pharmacy curriculum

BACKGROUND

Consumer use of natural products is a mainstay in our society and continues to grow in prevalence. As pharmacists are viewed as drug experts and are easily accessible to patients, it is important for them to have basic knowledge of natural products.

METHODS

Students and faculty members participating in a natural product elective were surveyed upon completion of the course about their perspectives regarding incorporation of covered information into the required curriculum.

RESULTS

The majority of students and faculty members agree with the necessity of natural product content in the pharmacy curriculum. Their ideas for ways of incorporating this information, however, differ.

CONCLUSION

Healthcare students and faculty are beginning to recognize the need for incorporation of Natural Product information into the curriculum and healthcare programs in the country should begin to rise to the occasion.

Attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine among pharmacy faculty and students

OBJECTIVES

To determine pharmacy faculty members' and students' attitudes and perceptions regarding the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

METHODS

A survey was used to obtain data on the following information concerning CAM: general attitudes, perceived barriers to use, training received and desired, personal use, and information sources used.

RESULTS

In general, attitudes of pharmacy faculty members and students towards CAM were positive. Lack of evidence for CAM practices was considered the greatest barrier to the use of CAM by faculty members and students. Many CAM therapies were perceived to be effective. A high percentage of students desire more training in the areas of herbal medicine and nutritional supplements. Faculty members and students believe that CAM should be included in the curriculum.

CONCLUSIONS

General attitudes towards CAM are positive among pharmacy faculty members and students, and most believe that CAM should be taught in the pharmacy curriculum. More resources and training of faculty members may be necessary.

Complementary and alternative medicine in pediatric oncology

Children with cancer and their families use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to reduce symptoms, cope with life-threatening illness, and improve overall well-being. Despite numerous published surveys on the use of CAM in pediatric oncology, few studies have tested CAM therapies for safety and efficacy. A growing body of literature in adult oncology provides evidence for the role of CAM to help manage symptoms and reduce distress. Translating this research to children requires studies with new models that address family roles and include measurement of outcomes relevant to children's developmental stages and unique responses. One of the limitations in pediatrics is the small samples available to single institutions. Conducting clinical trials through the cooperative group mechanism is one way of obtaining sufficient sample sizes to determine effectiveness and safety of CAM therapies. This article summarizes research to date and describes a beginning approach to measuring outcomes of supportive CAM therapies in children with cancer.

n-of-1 randomized controlled trials: an opportunity for complementary and alternative medicine evaluation

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practice has traditionally relied on expert opinion and case examples to evaluate the outcome of a particular therapeutic treatment. Such trials are subject to bias, leading to the formation of erroneous conclusions about the effectiveness of most treatments. This paper reviews the feasibility of n-of-1 trials to better evaluate the clinical and statistical significance of CAM therapies. In particular: (1) problems arising from the use of standard therapeutic trials; (2) the n-of-1 trial and data analysis; (3) clinical use and advantages of the n-of-1 trial in conventional medicine; (4) potential clinical uses of the n-of-1 trial in CAM; (5) preliminary guidelines for the use of the n-of-1 trial in CAM; (6) constraints on the use of the n-of-1 trial in CAM; and (7) ethical issues in the conduct of the n-of-1 trial.