Traditional medicines refer to a wide range of knowledge, skills, and practices, some of which very ancient, based on theories, beliefs and experience specific to their cultures of origin. They are used to preserve health, as well as to prevent, diagnose, improve or treat physical and mental illnesses. Complementary medicine and alternative medicine (CAM) designates health practices that are not part of a country's tradition or conventional medicine, and are not fully integrated into its health system. In most cases, they were borrowed from the traditional medicine of other cultures, as acupuncture in Western countries. As a result, the terms 'traditional medicine' and CAM are often confused. CAM are increasingly popular in Western countries, for several reasons. They reduce our dependency on synthetic drugs, especially to treat ailments of the everyday life, and put us back on the driver’s seat of our own health. They offer a natural alternative or complementary treatments where conventional medicine struggles, particularly in the expanding field of chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc.). Finally, by disrupting the way conventional medicine has considered health for decades, CAM lead the way toward new promising health strategies based on prevention, multi-molecular drugs, holistic diagnosis, and personalized protocols. Nevertheless, there is a long way to go before CAM is recognized and integrated into our health systems. The resource dedicated to that field of research today is particularly inadequate.
Read more