In Western culture, the controversial term alternative medicine is any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine",^[1] or "that which has not been shown consistently to be effective."^[2] It is often opposed to evidence based medicine and encompasses therapies with a historical or cultural, rather than a scientific, basis. However, the term alternative medicine has been criticized by those skeptical of such practices as deceptive. [[1]] Both Dr. Dean Edell and Richard Dawkins have stated there is no such thing as alternative medicine. Such skeptics maintain there is simply medicine which works and medicine which doesn't.

For more on the subject, click 'alternative medicine' above.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2010)