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The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine or NCCAM, is a United States government agency. NCCAM is dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science, training complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) researchers, and disseminating authoritative information to the public and professionals.

Organization and history

The NCCAM is one of the 27 institutes and centers that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the Department of Health and Human Services of the federal government of the United States. The NIH is one of eight agencies under the Public Health Service (PHS) in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

NCCAM was established in October 1991, as the Office of Alternative Medicine, which was re-established as NCCAM in October 1998. It's mission statement declares that it is "dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science; training complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) researchers; and disseminating authoritative information to the public and professionals."

The NCCAM funds research into complementary and alternative medicine, including support for clinical trials of CAM techniques. See NCCAM research results.

Role

NCCAM is dedicated to exploring complementary and alternative healing practices in the context of rigorous science, training complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) researchers, and disseminating authoritative information to the public and professionals.

The four primary areas of focus are:

• Research - support clinical and basic science research projects in CAM by awarding grants across the country and around the world; we also design, study, and analyze clinical and laboratory-based studies on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland.
• Research training and career development - award grants that provide training and career development opportunities for predoctoral, postdoctoral, and career researchers.
• Outreach - sponsor conferences, educational programs, and exhibits; operate an information clearinghouse to answer inquiries and requests for information; provide a Web site and printed publications; and hold town meetings at selected locations in the United States.
• Integration - integrate scientifically proven CAM practices into conventional medicine by announcing published research results; studying ways to integrate evidence-based CAM practices into conventional medical practice; and supporting programs to develop models for incorporating CAM into the curriculum of medical, dental, and nursing schools.

The forms of medical systems covered include:¹

• Whole medical systems such as homeopathy, naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, and ayurveda.

• Mind-body medicine such as meditation, prayer, mental healing, art therapy, music therapy, and dance therapy.

• Biologically based practices such as dietary supplements, herbal supplements, and other scientifically unproven therapies such as shark cartilage.

• Manipulative practices such as spinal manipulation (both chiropractic and osteopathic) and massage.

• Energy therapies such as qi gong, reiki, therapeutic touch, and electromagnetic therapy.

Operation

• NCCAM was established by Congress in 1998.
• NCCAM receives its funding from Congress.View Appropriations

NCCAM is organized into the following divisions and offices:

• Office of the Director
• Executive Office
  • Office of Administrative Operations
• Division of Extramural Activities
  • Office of Grants Management
  • Office of Scientific Review
• Division of Extramural Research and Training
  • Office of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs
  • Office of International Health Research
  • Office of Special Populations
• Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation
• Office of Communications and Public Liaison
• Division of Intramural Research
  • Endocrine Section
  • Diabetes Unit
  • Oncology Program

Criticism

Critics attest that despite the publicized intentions at its founding, NCCAM and its predecessor, the Office of Alternative Medicine, have spent more than $800 million on such research since 1991 but have neither succeeded in scientifically demonstrating the efficacy of a single alternative method nor declared any alternative medicine treatment effective. [1]

Other facts

• NCCAM offers multi-level peer-review for grant applications by scientists, practitioners, and members of the public.
• NCCAM receives advice and recommendations from the National Advisory Council for Complementary and Alternative Medicine[2].
• NCCAM also receives advice and recommendations from Federal representatives that serve on the Transagency CAM Coordinating Committee.
• Databases located on the NCCAM Web site include CAM on PubMed[3], a subset of the National Library of Medicine's PubMed, which provides access to complementary and alternative medicine journal citations.
• The NCCAM Clearinghouse[4] is the public point of contact for scientifically based information on CAM and for information about NCCAM.

Sources

NCCAM Publication No. D158; June 2002. The publication is not copyrighted and is in the public domain. URL: http://nccam.nih.gov/about/ataglance/ Accessed 2005/03/20

References

External links

• NCCAM home page
• NIH home page
• The Ongoing Problem with the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Critical article from the Skeptical Inquirer.
• Why the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) Should Be Defunded Essay by Wallace I. Sampson M.D.