CAM Information on the Internet

Thomas M. Bozzuto, D.O., Medical Director, Mind/Body Institute of Florida
 
It is estimated by the Internet Media that there are approximately 20,000 health-related websites. Many of these are not sponsored by healthcare personnel or medical institutions, and oversight of the information presented is non-existent. This has given rise to a group of healthcare consumers affectionately known as cyberchondriacs - those who either obtain the bulk of their medical information on the internet, or who - either prior to, or after their physician appointment - look up information on symptoms, potential diagnoses and treatments, and options available.

According to a recent survey by The Pew Internet and American Life Project, 52 million adults, or 55% of those with internet access, have used the web to get health or medical information.1 Of the 21 million health seekers who say they were swayed by what they read online the decisions related to that web information are shown on Figure 1. Interestingly, over half (52%) of patients visiting health sites think that "almost all" or "most" health information on the internet is credible.

When we are considering medical information germain to our own specialties, it is relatively simple to separate the cyber-wheat from the cyber-chaff. What of information on Complementary and Alternative Medicine? Here we are faced with a double jeopardy. Not only must we face the information that our patients bring asking us for opinions, but also where do we, as healthcare providers, get reliable information concerning the questions we face, or modalities and treatments we would like to learn more about?

This month, I would like to provide some information on websites that, in my experience, will yield the most reliable and scientifically-substantiated information on CAM.

http://nccam.nih.gov/nccam/databases.html

Any serious search of the web for CAM should start at the National Center for CAM at the NIH.2 This site is the search engine for over 90,000 bibliographic citations on alternative medicine topics. The site also provides position statements by NCCAM on various CAM treatment modalities, and provides online access to the quarterly journal Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the NIH.

www.tnp.com

This is the website for The Natural Pharmacy, awarded `best on the web" by Forbes Magazine (www.forbesbest.com) for alternative medicine. This site lists natural treatments by condition, contains monographs on herbs and supplements, contains listings on drug interactions with herbs and supplements, and lists information on alternative therapies.

www.consumerlabs.com

One of the concerns of the medical profession is the purity and potency of nutritional supplements and herbs. ConsumerLabs (CL) provides independent test results and information to help consumers and healthcare professionals evaluate health, wellness, and nutritional products. Blinded tests are conducted by academic and commercial laboratories on products purchased independently by CL at the retail level. Products are tested for identity and potency (does the label accurately reflect what's in the product, and does the product meet recognized standards of quality); purity (is the product free of contaminants); bioavailability (can the product be properly utilized once consumed); and, consistancy (does each unit of the product have the same identity, potency and purity).

http://www.compmed.ummc.umaryland.edu/Compmed/Cochrane/Cochrane.htm , and www.cochrane.org

The Cochrane Collaboration is well known internationally for its evidence-based medicine reviews. The first site at the University of Maryland Medical Center is the location of the Cochrane Collaboration CAM Field and has an online newsletter. The second site lists the Cochrane Reviews on CAM modalities and treatments.

There are many websites that list information particular to an individual CAM field of practice, all too numerous to mention here, but links to many reliable sites are listed on the ones mentioned above. One excellent review article listing a host of CAM websites and descriptions is: Allais G, Voghera D, DeLorenzo C, et al. Access to Databases in Complementary Medicine. J Alt Compl Med 2000;6(3):265-274.

References

  1. Fox S, Rainie L. The Online Health Care Revolution: How the Web helps Americans take better care of themselves. Pew Internet & American Life Project, Washington, DC, Nov 26, 2000. www.pewinternet.org
  2. Goldhagen H. Medicine on the Net: This is Medicine? Alternative Medical Web Sites. Infec Med 1998;15(5):309-313.

January 2001 / Jacksonville Medicine

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