Complementary and alternative therapies have
been defi ned in various ways. These defi nitions
have evolved as our understanding and study of the
fi eld have been refi ned. The defi nitions of complementary
and alternative therapies vary with the
organization that defi nes them and shift over time.
In 1999 NCCAM described CAM as treatments and
health care practices not taught widely in medical
schools, not generally used in hospitals, and not
usually reimbursed by medical insurance companies.”
7 This defi nition was acknowledged to be
broad and evolving.8 For that reason, in 2007
NCCAM defi ned CAM “. . . as a group of diverse
medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be
part of conventional medicine. Conventional medicine
is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D.
(medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy)
degrees and by allied health professionals, such as
physical therapists, psychologists, and registered
nurses.”