Judging the Quality of An Alternative Practitioner

Timothy B. McCall, M.D.

Suzanne Gordon was increasingly bothered by hot flashes and other symptoms of the change of life. The 52 year suburban Boston writer had decided against hormone replacement therapy and was looking into the alternatives. A local, holistically-minded M.D. suggested she try black cohosh, an herbal remedy that years of experience and some scientific evidence suggests may be an effective therapy for menopausal symptoms.

But shortly after beginning the treatment, Gordon says, “I started to get these terrible headaches. At first it didn’t even occur to me that this supposedly benign herbal remedy might be the cause.” What she found most upsetting, however, was that the doctor had failed to advise her of any possibility of side effects. It was only after consulting a reference book that Gordon learned that side effects like stomach discomfort were common with black cohosh and that some people develop headaches.

Many people believe our health care system is undergoing a fundamental transformation toward a more integrative model. Like Suzanne Gordon, more and more people are seeking to incorporate natural approaches into their health care. Medical schools are adding courses in alternative medicine. Prestigious, mainstream medical institutions are starting complementary care clinics.

But the move to a more integrated system raises as many questions as it answers. With the hundreds of different approaches out there, how can consumers make an intelligent choice of healers? How can they judge quality in such a diverse and largely unregulated field? Should they visit conventional M.D.s who have started to offer alternative approaches? Or would they be better off seeing traditional healers who they’ve heard about through friends?

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