Is there an alternative medicine clinic in your future?

Alternative medicine is experiencing rapid growth; already, an estimated 33-40% of Americans use some form of alternative therapy and treatment. Evidence-based support for its efficacy is lacking, but the variety of alternative therapies continues to increase. This article traces the growth of alternative medicine and its acceptance by traditional practitioners, describes the National Institutes of Health's Office of Alternative Medicine and two programs integrating traditional and alternative approaches, and reviews professional liability principles pertaining to alternative medicine.