ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 576 / C&RL News ■ Septem ber 2002 IN T E R N E T R ESO U R C ES Complementary and alternative medicine All overview of nontraditional medicine on the Web by Julia K. Nims I n 2002, Americans are expected to spend with advertising or a shopping feature appear only if their content and reliability outweigh the commercial elements. Metasites • Alternative Medicine: Health Care In­ fo rm ation Resources. McMaster University’s Health Sciences Library is responsible for this massive collection of CAM links. Decidedly in­ ternational in scope, this site offers lengthy de­ scriptions o f a vast array o f alternative health- related Web sites. The first section directs visi­ tors to sources about complementary and al­ ternative medicine in general. Subsequent sec­ tions are listed by therapy and provide access to more specific resources. A ccess: http://www- hsl. mcmaster.ca ‚/tomflem/altmed. html. • The Alternative Medicine Homepage. Charles B. Wessel, a medical librarian at the Uni­ versity o f Pittsburgh’s Faulk Library o f Health Sciences, created this comprehensive site more than seven years ago. The site’s homepage has a brief, but thorough description o f what CAM is and how it is defined. The site has eight ma­ jo r topic areas-. AIDS and HIV, Databases, I n te rn e t R e s o u rc e s, M ailing Lists and Newsgroups, Government Resources, Pennsyl­ $50 billion dollars on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).1 Already four out of ten U.S. adults claim to have used some type of nonconventional treatment for an illness or condition.2 With the surge o f interest in non­ traditional medicine, it isn’t surprising that there are thousands o f Web sites devoted to differ­ ent CAM therapies, such as alternative health systems (homeopathic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine), mind-body medicine, herbal medicine and nutrition therapies, body-based therapies, and energy therapies.3 Although often grouped together, comple­ mentary and alternative therapies are different. Complementary therapies are used in conjunc­ tion with traditional Western medicine, while alternative therapies are used in place o f tradi­ tional medicine. The majority o f the sources listed below explore both complementary and alternative medicine and are considered CAM sites. Selection for this list was based on reliabil­ ity o f the site’s publisher or sponsor, the pur­ pose o f the site, the extent and origin o f con­ tent on the site, its currency, and its accessibil­ ity to the health care consumer. Web sites with­ out disclaimers, editorial policies, or explicit author­ ship were excluded. Sites About the author Julia K. Nims is information services librarian at Eastern Michigan University, e-mail: jnims@online.emich.edu http://www- mailto:jnims@online.emich.edu C&RL News ■ S ep tem b er 2002 / 5 7 7 vania Resources, Practitioners’ Directories, and Related Resources. Each item in a topic area has a b rie f d escrip tion . A c c e ss : http:// www.pitt.edu/~cbw/altm.html. • Ask NOAH A bout: C o m p le m e n ta ry an d A ltern ativ e M ed icine. NOAH (New York Online Access to Health) is a collabora­ tion among several libraries in New York City, including the New York Public Library and the City University o f New York (CUNY) Office of Library Services. This extensive site lists sev­ eral alternative therapies, such as “Apitherapy,” “Homeopathy,” and “Qi-Gong.” Under each therapy, users can select a subtopic under “The B asics” or “R esources.” The choices under “The Basics” lead users to descriptive and ex­ planatory information from other sites, includ­ ing government sites, associations, and online magazines. The “Resources” portion of each subtopic usually leads to associations, databases, and directories. A ccess: http://www.noah- health.org/english/alternative/alternative.html. Com plem entary and alternative m edicine sites • DrWeil.com. Andrew Weil is a physician, the author o f several books and articles, and the founder o f the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University o f Arizona Health Sciences Center in Tucson. His Web site offers information on health conditions and therapies, home health remedies, and nutrition and vita­ min tips. The site also features chats with Weil, community message boards, and an electronic newsletter. There are advertisements and a shopping section on the Web site. A ccess: http:///www.drweil.com. • H ealth W o rld O n lin e. Health World Online believes individuals should be major players in their own health care, and that inte­ grative medicine— the blending o f the best of alternative and conventional medicine— can help achieve wellness and health. Unlike most other CAM sites, H e a 11 h W o r 1 d Online lists con ­ ventional and alter­ native therapies for com m on health conditions side by side for easy com­ parison. Much of the content for the site comes from book ex­ cerpts, articles, and other Web sites Additional resources include provider directories, expert columns, and news centers. The site does ac­ cept some advertising. A ccess: http://www. healthy.net. • HerbMed. A project of the Alternative Medicine Foundation (see description below), this database o f herbs and their uses allows users to browse by scientific or common name. Information about each herb may contain its efficacy, how it is prepared, herb activity, and warnings or contraindications. The majority of the information comes from PubMed and other research sites available on the Web. A ccess: http://www.herbmed.org. • I n te r n e t H e a lth L ib ra ry . This site claims to be the United Kingdom’s largest al­ ternative medicine, complementary therapy, and natural health care resource. Visitors can learn about the different therapies, how they work, their use in treatments, and how they can help a variety of ailments and conditions. Searching by health problem leads to information about causes, symptoms, diagnosis, additional infor­ mation, and conventional treatments. This site also features a “Homeopathic Library,“ health news, and links to organizations. There is some ad vertising on the site. A c c e ss : http:// www.internethealthlibrary.com/. •WholeHealthMD.com. WholeHealthMD. com is sponsored by two healthcare companies: American WholeHealth, a provider of integrative medicine, and Rebus, a health and wellness pub­ lishing company. It endeavors to provide high- quality, credible information on integrative medicine and general health for consumers. In the “Healing Center,” users can search by ail­ ment or condition and find causes, dietary ad­ vice, self-care techniques and lifestyle tips, con­ ventional treatments, alternative therapies, and additional resources. The “Resource Library” provides explanations o f alternative and complementary therapies and information on prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Also available are opportunities to e-mail questions to experts, links to health news, and a vitamin and supplem ent section . A ccess: http:// www.wholehealthmd.com/. G eneral health site s w ith CAM inform ation • In teliH ealth. InteliHealth is a subsid­ iary of Aetna, Inc., a health benefit provider corporation. It has cooperated with Harvard Medical School and the University of Pennsyl- http://www.pitt.edu/~cbw/altm.html http://www.noah- http:///www.drweil.com http://www http://www.herbmed.org http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/ http://www.wholehealthmd.com/ 578 / C&RL N ew s ■ S e p te m b e r 2002 vania School o f Dental Medicine to provide much o f the content for the site. Information on complementary and alternative therapies, which conditions benefit from their use, and how the therapies w ork are available in the “Healthy Lifestyle” section. The site also pro­ vides tips on how to find a doctor/practitio­ ner, an “ask the expert” column, and links to federal agencies and some private organizations. Access.-http://www.intelihealth.com. • WebMD H ealth . WebMD.com collects, organizes, and presents credible, reliable health- related information available over the Web. Searching and browsing its “Health” section re­ turns basic background information about al­ ternative and complementary medicine, differ­ ent therapies, and information on their use and effectiveness. Users can also read news items, ask an expert a question, chat, or post to mes­ sage boards. Most o f the articles on the site indicate the author, the author’s credentials, and the name o f the reviewer. This site does accept advertising. A ccess: http://my.webmd.com/. Government-sponsored sites • CAM o n PubMed. The National Library o f M edicine and the National C enter for Com plem entary and Alternative M edicine jointly created CAM on PubMed. CAM on PubMed search es a su bset o f PubMed, an onlin e version o f the MEDLINE database. Entering CAM on PubMed automatically lim­ its search results to items that deal with comple­ mentary medicine. A ccess: http://www.nlm. nih.gov/nccam/camonpubmed.html. • C o m p le m e n ta r y a n d A lte rn a tiv e M e d ic in e f o r S e rio u s I lln e s s : D e fin i­ tio n s . The Center for D isease Control at Co­ lumbia University is seeking information from individuals and health care providers about the use of CAM therapies in the treat­ m ent o f serious illnesses. This site is worth visiting for its definitions o f CAM modalities and diseases even if you do not have an experience to share. A ccess: http:// www. camreports. hs. columbia.edu/diseases. html. • h e a lth f in d e r — Y o u r G uide to R eli­ ab le H ealth In fo rm a tio n . If you are a con ­ sumer looking for health information, consider starting your search at healthfinder. Developed by various U.S. government agencies to help consumers locate reliable health information, healthfinder lets users sea rch a d a ta b a se o f health information from governm ent a g en cies, Web sites, online publica­ tions, and sele c t n o n ­ profit organizations. The “Health Library” portion permits browsing by the general topic o f “Al­ ternative Medicine,” with subtopics arranged in a lp h a b e tica l order. A c c e ss : http://www. healthfinder.gov. • M ED LIN Eplus: A lte r n a tiv e M edi­ c in e . A service o f the N ational Library o f M edicine, the MEDLINEplus section on Al­ ternative Medicine contains links to the latest news about CAM from the media, articles and statements about CAM from the National In­ stitutes o f Health, information on related clini­ cal trails, and recent research. This site also di­ rects users to information on specific condi­ tions and therapies published by government a g en cies and other organizations. A ccess: h ttp :/ / w w w .n lm .n ih .g o v / m e d lin e p lu s/ alternativemedicine.html. • N a tio n a l C e n te r f o r C o m p le m e n ­ t a r y a n d A l t e r n a t i v e M e d i c i n e (NCCAM). NCCAM, which was established in 1998, is part o f the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Its mission is to explore and investi­ gate alternative and complementary therapies. Visitors to the site can find inform ation ad­ dressing what CAM is and treatment informa­ tion by CAM therapy or by ailment. Other ar­ eas o f the site include recent and upcoming research, training opportunities, information on clinical trials, and news and events. CAM on PubM ed, a su b set o f th e p u b lic a c ce s s MEDLINE database, and CHID (C om bined National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine Health Information Database), a bibliographic database produced by health-related agencies o f the U.S. government, are available from this site. A ccess: http://nccam.nih.gov/. • W h i t e H o u s e C o m m i s s i o n o n C o m p le m e n ta r y a n d A lte rn a tiv e M edi­ c in e P o lic y F in a l R e p o r t. In March 2000, President Bill Clinton established the White House Commission on Complementary and Al­ ternative Medicine Policy. The commission was charged with investigating the state of research http://www.intelihealth.com http://my.webmd.com/ http://www.nlm http://www http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ http://nccam.nih.gov/ C&RL N ew s ■ S e p te m b e r 20 02 / 579 on CAM therapies and products, how CAM in­ formation and services are disseminated to the public, and how CAM practitioners are educated and licensed. In addition to the com m ission’s “Final Report,” visitors can read the transcripts o f the c o m m issio n ’s 14 m eetings. A c c e s s : http://www.whccamp.hhs.gov/. University-related sites • H e a lth W e b : A lte r n a tiv e M e d ic in e . H ealthW eb is a p ro ject o f the N ational Net­ w ork o f Libraries o f M edicine’s G reater Mid­ west Region and the Committee on Institutional Cooperation, and is funded in part by the Na­ tional Library o f Medicine. The site was devel­ o p ed to organize cred ib le, noncom m ercial, health-related Web sites. The section on alter­ native m edicine, w hich is m aintained by the University o f W isconsin’s Health Sciences Li­ braries, leads to sites on various types o f thera­ pies, online publications, and therapies for spe­ c if i c h e a lth c o n d itio n s . A c c e s s : http:// www.healthweb.org/. • M. D. A n d e r s o n C a n c e r C e n t e r : C o m p l e m e n t a r y / I n t e g r a t iv e M e d icin e . Affiliated with the University o f Texas, the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is committed to provid­ ing current information on all possible cancer treat­ ments to their patients and the public. This site provides evidence-based reviews o f various complementary and integrative therapies and of­ fers a glossary, a drug interaction advisory, and a list of selected links and additional resources. A c­ cess: http://www.mdanderson.org/departments/ cimer/. • R i c h a r d a n d H in d a R o s e n th a l C e n ­ t e r f o r C o m p le m e n ta r y a n d A lte rn a tiv e M e d ic in e . C reated in 1993, the R osenthal Center w as on e o f the first centers at a m ajor medical school developed to study alternative and complementary medicine and train medi­ cal professionals in their use. Affiliated with Co­ lumbia University, it also aims to becom e a rec­ ognized source o f information on alternative and complementary medicine. Health consum­ ers may be interested in their pages on specific therapies, their directory o f databases, their in­ formation on training and education, and their list o f general CAM resources. A ccess: http:// www.rosenthal.hs.columbia.edu. News and bulletins • A lte r n a tiv e H e a lth N ew s O n lin e . Frank Grazian, a communications emeritus pro­ fessor at Rowan University and an award-win- ning journalist, created this site to educate the public about alternative therapies and preven­ tive medicine. This site, which is updated daily, seeks to provide up-to-date, reli­ able information about alternative health choices. It c o n s is ts o f 12 major categories, such as “W h at’s New,” “Health News Bulletins,” and “Alterna­ tive Medical Systems.” “Health News Bulletin” gives b rief synopses o f news items and links to the news source reporting it. The site’s search feature has links to five other health-related search engines, such as “PubMed,” “Medscape,” and “W e b M e d L it.” A c c e s s : http://w w w . altmedicine.com. A ssociations There are dozens o f professional associations for practitioners o f alternative and complemen­ tary therapies. Most target health care provid­ ers and offer inform ation about training and education, news and events, and membership. Few o ffered sig n ifican t inform ation for the health care consumer. • A c u p u n c t u r e a n d O r ie n ta l M ed i­ c i n e A l l i a n c e . A c c e s s : h ttp :/ / w w w . acupuncturealliance.org/. • A lte r n a tiv e M e d ic in e F o u n d a tio n . The Alternative Medicine Foundation strives to provide health consumers and healthcare pro­ viders with reliable, evidence-based information on the integration o f CAM therapies with tra­ ditional medicine. T hree o f its major projects are HerbMed (see description above), TibetMed (a Web site devoted to exploring Tibetan medi­ cine), and a collection o f resource guides. The reso u rce guide top ics inclu de: “C hoosing a Practitioner” and “General Information: An Al­ ternative and Com plem entary M edicine Re­ so u rc e G u id e .” A dditional reso u rce guides cover 12 broad therapies. Each resource guide has an introduction to the therapy, including the training needed to practice it, rec­ ommended books and journals, an d lin k s to p r o f e s s io n a l (c o n tin u e d o n p a g e 5 8 9 ) http://www.whccamp.hhs.gov/ http://www.healthweb.org/ http://www.mdanderson.oig/departments/ http://www.rosenthal.hs.columbia.edu http://www http://www C&RL N ew s ■ S e p te m b e r 2002 / 589 s io n a lI n fo rm a tio n S erv ice): $3,000 cash award for librarians w ho have implemented innovative approaches to information literacy at their respec­ tive institutions or in their communities. • C o m m u n i t y C o lle g e L e a r n i n g R e ­ s o u r c e s L e a d e r s h i p / L i b r a r y A c h i e v e ­ m e n t A w ard s (sponsored by EBSCO S u bscrip ­ tio n S erv ices): $500 cash for each o f two awards recognizing outstanding achievement in library programs or leadership. • D is tin g u is h e d E d u c a t i o n a n d B e ­ h a v i o r a l S c i e n c e s L i b r a r i a n A w a rd : Ci­ tation. H onors outstand in g con tribu tion s to education and behavioral sciences librarianship through accom p lishm ents and service to the profession. • W o m e n ’s S tu d ie s S e c t i o n A w a rd s f o r A c h ie v e m e n t (sponsored by G reen w o o d P u blishing Gm up, In c. and R σutledge): $1,000 cash for each o f two awards recognizing career or significant achievements in the area o f w om en’s studies librarianship. R e s e a r c h a w a rd s / g r a n t s • D o c t o r a l D i s s e r t a t i o n F e llo w s h ip (sponsored by Institute f o r S cien tific In form ation ): $ 1,500 c ash to assist doctoral students in the field with their dissertation research. • S a m u e l L a z e r o w F e l l o w s h i p (s p o n ­ sored by Institutef o r S cien tifìc In fo rm ation ): $1,000 cash for travel and w riting in the fields o f ac­ quisition or technical services. • C o u tts N ijh o f f W e s t E u r o p e a n S p e ­ c i a l i s t S tu d y G r a n t (s p o n so r e d b y C o u tts N ijh o ff In te r n a tio n a l): Grant that supports re- ( “Com plem entary a n d altern ative m edicin e ” con tin u ed fr o m p a g e 579) oiganizations and various Web resources. Access: http://www.amfoundation.org/. • A m e r i c a n A lte r n a tiv e M e d ic in e A s­ s o c i a t i o n . A c c e s s : h ttp://w w w .joinaam a. com/. • A m e r i c a n A s s o c i a t i o n f o r H e a lth F r e e d o m (form erly the American Preventive M ed ical A ss o cia tio n ). A c c e s s : http://www. apma.net/index.htm. • A m e r i c a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f A l t e r n a ­ t i v e T h e r a p i s t s . A c c e s s : h ttp :/ / w w w . asat.org/. • A m e r i c a n A s s o c i a t i o n o f N a t u r o ­ p a t h i c P h y s i c i a n s . A c c e s s : http://www. naturopathic.org. search pertaining to W estern European stud­ ies, librarianship, or the b o o k trade. P u b lica tio n a w a rd s • K a t h e r i n e K y e s L e a b a n d D a n ie l J . L eab E x h ib itio n C a ta lo g u e A w ard s (sp on­ sored by K atherin e K yes L ea b a n d D a n ielJ . L eab, A m erican B o o k P rices Current): R ecogn izes outstanding catalogues published by American o r C anadian institutions in con ju n ctio n with library exhibitions. • K . G . S a u r A w a rd f o r B e s t A r tic le in C o lle g e & R e s e a r c h L i b r a r i e s (sponsored by R. R. B o w k er/K . G. S a u r): $500 cash award for the m ost outstanding article pu blished in C&RL during the p receding v olum e year. • I n s t r u c t i o n S e c t i o n P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e Y e a r A w ard . R ecognizes an outstanding p u blication related to instruction in a library environment published in the last two years. • T h e O b erly A w ard . This biennial award is given in od d -n u m bered years for the b est E nglish-language bibliography in the field o f agriculture or a related science. C o n ta c t A CR L fo r d e ta ils I f you would like m ore information about the ACRL 2 0 0 3 Awards P rogram , visit o u r W eb page at http://www.ala.org/acrl.award2.html o r c o n t a c t ACRL P ro g ra m C o o r d in a to r S tep h a n ie Sh erro d at (8 0 0 ) 5 4 5 -2 4 3 3 ext. 2515, e-m ail: ssherrod@ ala.org. We welcome your nominations and look for­ ward to celebrating achievements in academic librarianship in 2003- ■ • A m e r i c a n C h i r o p r a c t i c A s s o c i a ­ tio n . The section for consumers and the media has an o v erv ie w o f c h iro p ra c tic m ed icin e, health tips, new s, and an FAQ. A ccess: http:// www.amerchiro.org . • A m e r i c a n H o lis tic M e d ic a l A s s o c ia ­ t i o n . A c c e s s : h ttp://w w w .h olisticm ed icin e. org/. • Association fo r Integrative Medicine. A c­ cess: http://www.integrativemedicine.org/. • N a t i o n a l C e n t e r f o r H o m e o p a t h y . T h is a s s o c ia t i o n s triv e s to p ro v id e b a s ic i n f o r m a t i o n o n h o m e o p a t h y f o r th e p u b li c . S e c t i o n s in c lu d e h o m e o p a th y in th e n e w s , r e s e a r c h , c lin ic a l s tu d ie s , a n i n t r o d u c t i o n to h o m e o p a t h y , a n d (c o n tin u e d o n p a g e 5 9 9 ) http://www.amfoundation.org/ http://www.joinaama http://www http://www http://www http://www.ala.org/acrl.award2.html mailto:ssherrod@ala.org http://www.amerchiro.oig http://www.holisticmedicine http://www.integrativemedicine.org/ C&RL News ■ September 2002 / 599 Perhaps the most poignant are scenes from the marketplaces, streets, bars, and music halls that are the heart o f the city. $29-95. Chicago Re­ view. ISBN 1-55652-439-0. Jack the Ripper: An Encyclopedia, by John J. Eddleston (304 pages, October 2001), rates as one o f the easier-to-use Ripper sourcebooks. British scholar Eddleston orga­ nizes the entries into alphabetical sections on the victims, the witnesses, the police investiga­ tors, others who played a part, a chronology, descriptions o f Jack, letters he supposedly wrote, myths and errors, locations, the suspects (each assigned a number referring to the likeli­ hood o f his being the Ripper), qualitative re­ views of other Ripper books (generously not­ ing any errors of fact the author makes), other resources, and a summary in which the author lets loose with his own assessment o f the case. Well-researched, with minimal distractions and subjectivity. $75.00. ABC-Clio. ISBN 1-57607- 414-5. London Booksellers and American Cus­ tom ers, by James Raven (522 pages, May 2002), explores in great detail the book pur- ( “Complementa›y and alternative medicine” continued from page 589) links to find a homeopathic practitioner. A c­ cess.: http://www.homeopathic.org. • Research Council for Complemen­ tary Medicine. Access: http://www.rccm. org.uk/index.htm. Consumer health protection sites • National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF). NCAHF, a private, non­ profit organization, tackles health fraud as a public health concern. Their Web site features occasional papers, position papers and task force reports, testimony given before Congress, and consumer information statements on spe­ cific treatments and therapies. Most o f the ar­ ticles on the site are researched and written by physicians, nurses, and other health care pro­ fessionals. Also on the site is access to a speak­ ers bureau, an electronic newsletter, links to similar sites, and breaking news. Access: http:// www.ncahf.org/. • Quackwatch: Your Guide to Health Fraud, Quackery, and Intelligent Deci- chases and correspondence o f the Charleston (S.C.) Library Society from 1748 to 1811. The archives o f the society provide a unique glimpse into both the transatlantic book trade and the role of library societies in the diffusion of cul­ tural and intellectual pursuits throughout the South during the latter half o f the 18th cen­ tury. Particularly useful for collections in the history of the book trade. $59.95. University of South Carolina. ISBN 1-57003-406-0. The Oxford Companion to American Law, edited by Kermit L. Hall (912 pages, July 2002), explains in clear language the concepts, terms, practices, agencies, individuals, crimes, and proceedings that make up American juris­ prudence. Nearly 500 essays, written by some 300 contributors, provide authoritative com­ mentary directed at general readers, students, journalists, and nonlegal scholars. The topics are extremely diverse, ranging from the Salem Witchcraft Trials and Bush v. Gore (2000) to con­ sumer law, torts, governance, taxation, evidence, and criminal procedure. An excellent introduc­ tion that serves as a one-volume first step to legal research. $65.00. Oxford University. ISBN 0-19-508878-6. ■ sions. Quackwatch, a nonprofit corporation created to battle health fraud and promote con­ sumer health awareness, was founded by Stephen Barrett, M.D., in 1969- The Web site consists o f links to articles and information on suspicious treatments, diagnαses, and therapies as well as individuals, companies, and publish­ ers who support them. The articles are written by medical, scientific, or legal specialists, and many include lists o f references. Another sec­ tion of Quackwatch includes information about questionable advertisements and non-recom- mended sources o f health advice. The site also includes information on where to report health fraud and how to be an intelligent health con­ sumer. Access: http://www.quackwatch.com. Notes 1. Helen Lippman, “Can complementary and conventional medicine learn to get along?” Busi­ ness & Health (2001) 9:15-19. 2. Ibid. 3. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, “What is Complementary and Alternative Medicine?” http://nccam. nih.gov/health/whatiscam/. ■ http://www.homeopathic.org http://www.rccm http://www.ncahf.org/ http://www.quackwatch.com http://nccam