The fascination of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is more popular than ever before; at least this is what syrvey data seems to imply, yet we need to keep in mind that, for a range of reasons, such data are notoriously soft. CAM is by no means a well-defined entity; the prevalence of and reasons for using acupuncture are almost certainly different from those relating to crystal healing. Moreover, we tend to forget that virtually none of the questionnaires used to study these phenomeana are validated, and we all know that answers depend on how questions are being formulated. It seems to follow that surveys are of only limited value and might even distract us from the much more important question whether CAM generates more good than harm.