Acupuncture: a scientific appraisal takes an evaluative approach, summarising the evidence for acupuncture in an impartial way. An international team of specialist contributors brings a wide range of expertise to the book, drawing together different facets of research and clinical practice to provide a cohesive look at acupuncture today. The increasing integration of acupuncture into health care services in the west, requires stringent criteria of efficacy, safety and cost in order to provide optimal benefit for patients, at minimal risk. All professionals involved in the delivery of healthcare will find this new book of great interest. The conclusions reached should provide a focus for future debate. Fully referenced throughout, Acupuncture: a scientific appraisal is an easily accessible, balanced source of information for all practitioners of acupuncture. Healthcare providers, complementary therapists and members of the primary healthcare team will also find this an invaluable purchase. * examines acupuncture's possible mechanisms of action * contains chapters on both Eastern and Western approaches * reviews the evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture

Seit 1939 gibt es in Deutschland Heilpraktiker. Heute sehen ihn immer mehr Konsumenten als eine echte Alternative zur konventionellen Medizin. Doch was steckt wirklich hinter diesem Beruf?  Edzard Ernst geht dieser Frage auf den Grund. Er erläutert die Geschichte, Befugnisse, Methoden und Therapieansätze der Heilpraktiker. Sein Ziel ist es, dem Verbraucher durch klar verständliche, evidenzbasierte Analysen einen Zugang zur Thematik zu ermöglichen, Missverständnisse auszuräumen, und kritisches Denken zu fördern. Die Gefahren, die er dabei aufdeckt, stellen die dringliche Frage nach der Sinnhaftigkeit des Heilpraktiker-Berufs in den Raum.  Der Faktencheck zum aktuellen Gesundheitsdisput. 

Cancer victims are bombarded with misleading information about alternative medicine. Many such treatments try to sell false hope at inflated prices, and many promise a cure without side-effects. This book explains why alternative cancer cures are a fallacious concept. However, it also outlines the important role of alternative medicine in supporting cancer patients and improving their quality of life.

Contents:
1. Hypericum Botany 2. Colletotrichum Gloeosporiodes as the Cause of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) Dieback in Switzerland and Breeding for a Tolerant Variety 3. A Virus Causing Yellow Veins and Necrotic Leaf Spot of St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) 4. Manufacturing Standardisation and Characterisation of St John's Wort Herb Extracts 5. Culture and Biotechnology of Hypericum 6. Chemical Constituents of Hypericum ssp. 7. Determination of Hybericins and Hyperforin in Herbal Medicinal Products 8. Secondary Metabolites Content of Hypericum sp. in Different Stages and Plant Parts 9. Herbal Medicinal Products of St John's Wort: Manufacturing and Quality Control 10. The Potential of in vitro Cultures of Hypericum perforatum and of Hypericum androsaemum to Produce Interesting Pharmaceutical Compounds 11. The Clinical Pharmacology of Hypericum perforatum 12. Hypericin as a Potential Antitumor Agent 13. Neuropsychopharmacological Studies on Indian Hypericum perforatum Linn 14. The Efficacy and Safety of Hypericum in the Treatment of Depression

Alternative medicine (AM) is popular; about 40% of the US general population have used alternative treatment in the past year, and in Germany this figure is around 70%. The global market is expected to reach nearly US $ 200 billion by 2025, with most of these funds coming directly out of consumers' pockets. Consumers are bombarded with misleading and false information on AM and therefore prone to making wrong, unwise, or dangerous therapeutic decisions, endangering their health and wasting their money. This book is a reference text aimed at guiding consumers through the maze of AM. This second edition includes over 50 additional treatments as well as updates on many others.

St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is one of the best-selling herbal medicines in the world. For that reason, research into all aspects of St. John's wort continues to intensify. Hypericum: The Genus Hypericum summarizes the current knowledge on a wide range of issues, such as botany, plant infections, cultivation, manufacturing, standardization, quality control, biochemistry, pharmacology and clinical application. This landmark book tackles issues not previously addressed, such as selection of the pharmacologically active compounds, application for severe depression, mechanisms of action, long-term effects and risks, marketing issues (dietary supplements or drugs), and comparison to synthetic drugs for the same indications. Containing many updated references, Hypericum will be of immense value to those involved in industry and academia alike, including researchers, producers, processors, importers and end users.

Cancer victims are bombarded with misleading information about alternative medicine. Many such treatments try to sell false hope at inflated prices, and many promise a cure without side-effects. This book explains why alternative cancer cures are a fallacious concept. However, it also outlines the important role of alternative medicine in supporting cancer patients and improving their quality of life.

Of all forms of alternative medicine, chiropractic is the one that is most generally accepted. In the UK, for instance, chiropractors are regulated by statute and even have their own 'Royal College of Chiropractic'. In the US, chiropractic's country of origin, most chiropractors carry the title 'doctor' and many consumers believe they are medically trained. Despite this high level of acceptance, chiropractic is wide open to criticism. The claims and assumptions made by chiropractors are far from evidence based. Chiropractic manipulations are of doubtful effectiveness and have regularly been associated with severe adverse effects, including multiple fatalities. The advice issued by chiropractors to patients and consumers is often less than responsible. The behaviour of chiropractors and their organisations is frequently less than professional. This book presents and discusses recent evidence in and around chiropractic in a factual and unemotional manner. It amounts to an evidence-based critique of this profession and discloses the often dangerously misleading information published for the lay audience. It thereby contributes to advancing public health and critical thinking.

Alternative Medizin ist popular: etwa 70% der deutschen Bevoelkerung hat im vergangenen Jahr mindestens eine Art von alternativer Behandlung angewendet. Doch was bringen Antioxidantien, Aloe Vera, Kinesiologie und Reiki eigentlich? Kann man an der Zunge oder der Iris erkennen, ob es den inneren Organen gut geht? Welche Erfolge koennen Geistheilung, autogenes Training oder Hypnotherapie vorweisen? Es gibt vielschichtige Grunde fur die grosse Beliebtheit dieser Methoden - Fehlinformationen sollten dabei eigentlich keine Rolle spielen. Leider prasseln auf Anwender und Hilfesuchende eine Menge an Fehlinformationen ein. Diese sind ausschlaggebend dafur, dass falsche, unkluge oder sogar gefahrliche therapeutische Entscheidungen getroffen werden. Dieses Buch hilft dem Leser, sich im Labyrinth der alternativen Medizin zurechtzufinden. Neben wesentlichen Hintergrundinformationen zu alternativer Medizin wie dem Placebo-Effekt, wissenschaftliche Nachweismethoden und gesellschaftlichen Pro- und Contra Argumenten, fuhrt das Buch durch 150 alternative therapeutische und diagnostische Methoden und beurteilt sie unter anderem hinsichtlich Wirksamkeit, Kosten und Gefahrenpotential. Das Buch richtet sich an Leser, die ein Interesse an ihrer Gesundheit haben, daher auch mit der Alternativmedizin liebaugeln und eine evidenzbasierte Analyse suchen. Der Autor Edzard Ernst erforscht seit 25 Jahren alle Aspekte der alternativen Medizin. Er und sein Team haben weit uber 1000 von Fachkollegen begutachtete Arbeiten und viele Bucher zu diesem Thema veroeffentlicht, darunter More Harm than Good? The Moral Maze of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2018) und Homoeopathie - Die Fakten [unverdunnt](2016) bei Springer. Seine Arbeit wurde mit mehr als einem Dutzend Preisen ausgezeichnet, darunter dem John-Maddox-Preis 2016. Er ging 2012 in den Ruhestand und ist emeritierter Professor der Universitat Exeter und spielt dauerhaft eine aktive Rolle in der oeffentlichen Debatte uber alternative Medizin.

Alternative Therapieverfahren sind gefragt. Doch was hilft wirklich und was schadet eher? Die 64 wichtigsten Diagnose- und Therapieverfahren wurden von den Herausgebern mit evidenzbasierten Methoden einem kritischen Test unterzogen. Als Ergebnis liegt das erste Buch vor, das mit Studien belegte Empfehlungen fur den Einsatz von Naturheilverfahren in Zusammenarbeit mit der schulmedizinischen Praxis gibt. Die stringente Gliederung jedes Kapitels hilft Arzt wie Patient schnell die gesuchte Information zu einem Arzneimittel, einer Heilmethode oder zu einer Krankheit zu finden. Ein unerlassliches Buch fur alle Arzte, Studenten, Apotheker und Patienten, die sich fur Naturheilverfahren und Komplementarmedizin interessieren."

So-called alternative medicine (SCAM*) is largely useless; very few SCAMs demonstrably generate more good than harm. Yet, SCAM is popular and has grown into a huge business. Spending on SCAM in Australia (2016) was estimated to be AUS$3.9bn, in the UK (2008) GBP4.5bn, and in the US (2012) US $30.2bn. Why is something that is expensive and useless nevertheless popular? One answer is that consumers are constantly being misled about SCAM. Consequently, many of us have come to believe things that are quite simply not true. Currently, over 50,000,000 websites promote SCAM, and consumers are being bombarded with information not just via the internet, but also via newspapers, magazines, books and many other sources. This situation has the potential of separating us from our cash or even of damaging our health. There is little that protects us from greedy SCAM-entrepreneurs and over-enthusiastic SCAM-therapists. Therefore, we ought to protect ourselves. This book offers this protection for anyone who is willing to reconsider their own beliefs. It discloses the errors and lies that misled you into believing things about SCAM that are untrue. It analyses the many falsehoods used in the promotion of SCAM, explains the erroneous thinking behind them, and presents the scientific evidence in easily understandable terms. In a way, Ernst's new book amounts to a course in critical thinking, a skill that should prove to be helpful far beyond the realm of healthcare. *Ernst's previous book was entitled SCAM: So-Called Alternative Medicine.

Welcome to the world of alternative medicine. Prince Charles is a staunch defender and millions of people swear by it; most UK doctors consider it to be little more than superstition and a waste of money. But how do you know which treatments really heal and which are potentially harmful? Now at last you can find out, thanks to the formidable partnership of Professor Edzard Ernst and Simon Singh. Edzard Ernst is the world's first professor of complementary medicine, based at Exeter University, where he has spent over a decade analysing meticulously the evidence for and against alternative therapies.He is supported in his findings by Simon Singh, the well-known and highly respected science writer of several international bestsellers. Together they have written the definitive book on the subject. It is honest, impartial but hard-hitting, and provides a thorough examination and judgement of more than thirty of the most popular treatments, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology, chiropractic and herbal medicine.In Trick or Treatment? the ultimate verdict on alternative medicine is delivered for the first time with clarity, scientific rigour and absolute authority.

The scientists, academics and practitioners writing this book are not 'against' complementary or alternative medicine (CAM), but they are very much 'for' evidence-based medicine and single standards. They aim to counter-balance the many uncritical books on CAM and to stimulate intelligent, well-informed public debate. The topics include: What is CAM? Why is it so popular? It also includes: Patient choice; Reclaiming compassion; Teaching CAM at university; Research on CAM; CAM in court; Ethics and CAM; Politics and CAM; Homeopathy in context; Concepts of holism in medicine; Placebo, deceit and CAM; Healing but not curing; and CAM and the media.