Changes

For the popularity of offers outside of science-based medicine a variety of factors were identified.  

For the popularity of offers outside of science-based medicine a variety of factors were identified.  

People seeking alternative treatments were found to have had had a transformational experience that changed the person's worldview and often showed commitment to environmentalism, commitment to feminism, and interest in spirituality and personal growth psychology. One study found that dissatisfaction with conventional medicine did not predict use of alternative medicine. Only 4.4% of those surveyed reported relying primarily on alternative therapies. It concluded that people find these health care alternatives to be more congruent with their own values, beliefs, and philosophical orientations towards health and life.<ref name="Astin" /> Still, arguments like "[[alternative practitioners]] devote more time to patients than doctors" are frequently heard.  

People seeking alternative treatments were found to have had had a transformational experience that changed the person's worldview and often showed commitment to environmentalism, commitment to feminism, and interest in spirituality and personal growth psychology. One study found that dissatisfaction with conventional medicine did not predict use of alternative medicine. Only 4.4% of those surveyed reported relying primarily on alternative therapies. It concluded that people find these health care alternatives to be more congruent with their own values, beliefs, and philosophical orientations towards health and life.<ref name="Astin" /> Still, arguments like "alternative practitioners devote more time to patients than doctors" are frequently heard.  

Other studies found that disappointments with and distrust of conventional therapies play a role. Many patients and clients find pleasure in the more or less explicit criticism of [[mainstream medicine]]" or "the pharmaceutical industry" which is not uncommon in alternative medicine circles. Often, an anti-scientific attitude is mixed with [[New Age]] mysticism.  Vigorous marketing and extravagant claims create false hope. When people become sick, any promise of a cure is appealing.<ref>Beyerstein BL (March 2001). [http://dx.doi.org/10.1097%2F00001888-200103000-00009 "Alternative medicine and common errors of reasoning"]. Academic Medicine 76 (3): 230–7.</ref>

Other studies found that disappointments with and distrust of conventional therapies play a role. Many patients and clients find pleasure in the more or less explicit criticism of [[mainstream medicine]]" or "the pharmaceutical industry" which is not uncommon in alternative medicine circles. Often, an anti-scientific attitude is mixed with [[New Age]] mysticism.  Vigorous marketing and extravagant claims create false hope. When people become sick, any promise of a cure is appealing.<ref>Beyerstein BL (March 2001). [http://dx.doi.org/10.1097%2F00001888-200103000-00009 "Alternative medicine and common errors of reasoning"]. Academic Medicine 76 (3): 230–7.</ref>

==Research==

==Research==

In Germany, funding for research in the field of alternative medicine usually comes from private foundations, such as:

In Germany, funding for research in the field of alternative medicine usually comes from private foundations, such as:

* [[Karl und Veronica Carstens-Foundation]] (27&nbsp;million Euro). It sponsored 1.5&nbsp;million Euro in May 2008 for an endowed chair of alternative medicine at the Berlin [[Charité]].

* Karl und Veronica Carstens-Foundation (27&nbsp;million Euro). It sponsored 1.5&nbsp;million Euro in May 2008 for an endowed chair of alternative medicine at the Berlin Charité.

* Krupp Foundation

* Krupp Foundation

* Kneipp Foundation

* Kneipp Foundation

* misdiagnoses because of inadequate medical training of alternative practitioners

* misdiagnoses because of inadequate medical training of alternative practitioners

* deterioration of therapeutic prospects due to futile pseudomedical efforts

* deterioration of therapeutic prospects due to futile pseudomedical efforts

* development of guilty feelings at failure, towards oneself or towards family members

* development of guilt feelings at failure, towards oneself or family members

* psychological and financial abuse by the CAM system which often shows cult-like structures

* psychological and financial exploitation by a CAM method displaying cult-like structures

* development of psychological dependency on addiction to the treatment

* development of psychological dependency or addiction

* deaths or permanent damage due to inappropriate procedures

* deaths or permanent damage due to inappropriate procedures

A study by the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne published in December 2010 investigated 39 cases in which children were hurt due to alternative medical treatments. In 30 cases a correlation between damage to the patients and the use of alternative medical therapies or the denial of prescribed medicines could be established. Four of the children died because their parents refused medical treatment. An malnourished infant of eight months died of septic shock because he had been put on a diet of "naturopathic" rice milk due to an alleged obstruction since his third month of life. A baby of ten months also died of septic shock because he was put on a restrictive diet against chronic dermatitis. A further child died from multiple epileptic seizures after the parents had stopped the anti-epileptic drug medication for fear of side effects, using an alternative remedy instead. A fourth child suffered fatal bleeding because the parents refused treatment with clotting factors in favour of a complimentary medical treatment.<ref>http://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/44039/Paediatrie--Tod-nach-Alternativmedizin.htm</ref><ref>http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2010/11/24/adc.2010.183152.short?q=w_adc_ahead_tab</ref>

A study by the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne published in December 2010 investigated 39 cases in which children suffered damage fpllowing alternative medical treatments. In 30 cases, a correlation between damage to the patients and use of alternative medical therapies or denial of prescribed medicines was established. Four of the children died because their parents refused medical treatment. An malnourished infant of eight months died of septic shock because he had been put on a diet of "naturopathic" rice milk due to an alleged constipation since his third month of life. A baby of ten months also died of septic shock because he was put on a restrictive diet against a chronic eczema. Another child died from multiple epileptic seizures after parents had stopped the anti-epileptic drug medication for fear of side effects, using an alternative remedy instead. A fourth child suffered fatal bleeding because the parents refused a therapy with anticoagulants in favour of a complementary medical treatment.<ref>http://www.aerzteblatt.de/nachrichten/44039/Paediatrie--Tod-nach-Alternativmedizin.htm</ref><ref>http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2010/11/24/adc.2010.183152.short?q=w_adc_ahead_tab</ref>

==Intimidation and actions against critics==

==Intimidation and actions against critics==

Individuals or institutions that have a critical view of alternative medicine and indicate its [[pseudomedicine]]character must expect personal attacks. Two women who asked critical questions at an event [[Helmut Pilhar]] about [[Germanic New Medicine]] in Frankfurt, Germany. were "accompanied home" by "bald gentlemen". The two women had to call police. A cellular therapist tried to stop a critic with a court order and from giving his assessment of [[cellular therapy]].<ref>LG Stuttgart AZ&nbsp;17&nbsp;0&nbsp;289/76 Claims 500,000&nbsp;German Mark</ref> A further example are civil actions against the project Paralexx which led to a temporary shutdown.

Individuals or institutions with a critical view of alternative medicine pointing out its [[pseudomedicine|pseudo-medical]]character must expect personal attacks. Two women who asked critical questions of the lecturer at an event on [[Germanic New Medicine]] in Frankfurt, Germany were "accompanied home" by "bald-headed gentlemen". The two women had to call the police. A cellular therapist tried to stop a critic with a court order and from giving his assessment of [[cellular therapy]].<ref>LG Stuttgart AZ&nbsp;17&nbsp;0&nbsp;289/76 Claims 500,000&nbsp;German Mark</ref> A further example are civil actions against the former project Paralexx which led to a temporary shutdown.

The German consumer protection foundation "Stiftung Warentest" wanted to publish a book with a critical analysis and evaluation of natural and alternative medicine. The magazine "Stern" seized the opportunity to do a prior publication: Krista Federspiel, one of the two authors and her colleague Hans Weiss offered to do a undercover report on the scene and have ten natural healers give them a diagnosis. Stern offered generous payment for the report and requested a second part that should present victims of alternative methods by name. To prove that the journalists had indeed visited natural healers a photographer was documenting it. Each attended healer imputed the subject with several diseases: A total of 38&nbsp;different diseases and an myriad of ailments and allergies were diagnosed and more than 130&nbsp;drugs prescribed. When the report "Wunderheiler und Krankbeter" (miracle healers and patient prayers) was published in Stern&nbsp;49/1991, the raised criticism was met by outrage and massive protests by healing practitioners that the editors postponed and later cancelled the second part fearing the loss of readers. The rights were returned to the autors.<ref>http://kritischgedacht.wordpress.com/2007/12/25/sanfte-alternative/</ref>

The German consumer protection foundation "Stiftung Warentest" wanted to publish a book with a critical analysis and evaluation of natural and alternative medicine. The magazine "Stern" seized the opportunity to do a prior publication: Krista Federspiel, one of the two authors and her colleague Hans Weiss offered to do a undercover report visiting ten alternative practicians to obtain a diagnosis. "Stern" offered generous payment for the report and requested a second part presenting victims of alternative methods by name. To prove the journalists had indeed seen these alternative practicians, a photographer documented the visits. Each prcitioner attended imputed the subject with several diseases: A total of 38&nbsp;different diseases and a myriad of ailments and allergies were diagnosed, and more than 130&nbsp;drugs prescribed. When the report titled "Wunderheiler und Krankbeter" (Miracle Healers and Faith Un-Healers) was published in "Stern"&nbsp;49/1991, the criticism raised was met by outrage and massive protests by alternative practitioners to such an extent that editors postponed and later cancelled the second part, fearing the loss of readers. The rights were returned to the authors.<ref>http://kritischgedacht.wordpress.com/2007/12/25/sanfte-alternative/</ref>

In a TV-show of the German station ZDF on September 5, 2007 titled "Heilen mit dem Nichts?"(Healing with nothing?) the journalist Joachim Bublath reported about scientific findings on [[homoeopathy]] (including an analysis of the renowned journal ''The Lancet''<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16125589 Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of homoeopathy and allopathy], The Lancet, 2005</ref>) that questioned a possible effectiveness of this controversial method beyond [[placebo]]s. This led to a call from advocates of homoeopathy to ''spam'' and ZDF shied away by deleting the websites citing the Lancet figures.<ref>http://www.promed-ev.de/modules/news/article.php?storyid=110</ref><ref>http://www.bdhn-ev.de/uploads/media/Die_modernen_Wunderheiler.pdf accessed June 13, 2011</ref>

In a show aired by German TV station ZDF on September 5, 2007 titled "Heilen mit dem Nichts?"(Healing with nothing?), journalist Joachim Bublath reported about scientific results on [[homoeopathy]] (including an analysis of the renowned journal ''The Lancet''<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16125589 Are the clinical effects of homoeopathy placebo effects? Comparative study of placebo-controlled trials of homoeopathy and allopathy], The Lancet, 2005</ref>) which questioned a possible effectiveness of this controversial method beyond [[placebo]]s. This led to a call from advocates of homoeopathy to ''spam'' the station's website and ZDF shied away by deleting the site citing the Lancet figures.<ref>http://www.promed-ev.de/modules/news/article.php?storyid=110</ref><ref>http://www.bdhn-ev.de/uploads/media/Die_modernen_Wunderheiler.pdf accessed June 13, 2011</ref>

{{OtherLang|en=Alternative medicine|ge=Alternativmedizin}}

{{OtherLang|en=Alternative medicine|ge=Alternativmedizin}}