ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE GAINING ACCEPTANCE IN MAINSTREAM MEDICAL SCHOOLS

New research out of Harvard University shows that more than half of U.S. medical schools offer courses in alternative medicine or include the fundamental principles of Chinese medicine or Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Research published in a recent Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that 75 of the nation's 125 medical schools (64 percent) teach acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, therapeutic touch, homeopathy, nutrition and mind-body techniques. Some focus on spirituality and faith, Asian or Native American 'ethnomedicine' or principles of the human potential movement.

Dr. Miriam Wetzel , director of curriculum development at Harvard and lead author of the JAMA survey states 'We're looking at integrating herbal remedies in pharmacology courses, or mind body techniques in psychology or behavioral medicine. Two years ago, only 46 schools were doing so.' The change, she said, reflects the explosion in popularity of alternative medicine.

The Association of American Medical Schools is holding a three-hour session on how to teach alternative medicine at its upcoming annual meeting.