← Back to catalogue
Research draft

alternative medicine

vr.tr.alternative-medicine · INF.KNW

Let an agent describe alternative medicine practices neutrally with attribution to evidence reviews and health authorities, explain regulation and safety, respect cultural traditions while distinguishing evidence, and route serious conditions to conventional care.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent describe alternative medicine practices neutrally with attribution to evidence reviews and health authorities, explain regulation and safety, respect cultural traditions while distinguishing evidence, and route serious conditions to conventional care.

Practices and products claimed to have healing effects but not supported by scientific evidence or not part of evidence-based medicine, including homeopathy, quantum healing, biotronics, folk medicine traditions and natural healing systems, used alongside or instead of conventional care; alternative medicine is widely used, variably regulated, and assessed by health authorities for safety and evidence.

What it is for: Healing practices outside evidence-based medicine.

It can be describe practices and their claims; present evidence assessments with attribution; explain regulation and safety; route serious conditions to care.

Distinguishing features

Outside evidence-based medicine

Diverse practices

Widely used

Variably regulated

What it looks like

Not physical as a category; remedies, practitioners and practices.

How it is recognised

Claims of healing without scientific support

Used alongside or instead of conventional care

Complementary therapies with evidence may be integrated into care

Related models

is a kind of - category

pseudomedicine

is a kind of - category

therapy

is related to - conventional care providers

health professional

is related to - evidence standards

scientific theory

In practice

Families and kinds

homeopathy and similar systems

energy and quantum healing claims

folk and traditional medicine

natural healing and herbal systems

commercial alternative products

Standards and regulation

Consumer protection and advertising rules on health claims

Regulation of practitioners and products by country

Health authority evidence assessments

Failure modes and hazards

Delaying effective treatment for serious illness

Harmful interactions with medicines

Disrespecting cultural traditions or overstating them

Also called

Schuessler mineralquantum healingthe secret practiceFolk medicine in Swedenbiotronicsnatural healingdetoxificationsujok therapyGhanaian Traditional Medicinedry needlingbreathworkradionicsIto-ThermiesalutogenesisReikinature therapyenergy medicinebalneotherapyZilgrei methodnaturopathyauriculotherapyparanormal medicinesuwukChinese herbologyMETA-HealthacupressureosteopathyPranic Healingfunctional medicinecolorpunctureYoung blood transfusionurine therapySomaticsholistic healthvision therapyprolotherapyBowen techniquePurification Rundownreverse breathingSurf therapy

+9

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Safety Serious conditions first.

Routing.

Serious

Serious illness.

Serious

Serious illness.

  1. Is the user considering alternative medicine instead of conventional care for a serious condition, and what do health authorities advise? boundary
  2. Is there an emergency now? boundary

Interactions

Interactions and harms.

Interactions

Interactions.

  1. Which documented harms and interactions with medicines are associated with this practice or product? provenance
  2. How can users inform their clinicians? action
Evidence What the evidence says.

Attribution.

Reviews

Evidence assessments.

Reviews

Evidence.

  1. What do systematic reviews and health authorities conclude about the effectiveness of this practice? provenance
  2. How are placebo effects distinguished? definition

Claims

Assessing claims.

Claims

Claims.

  1. How can health claims for alternative products be assessed, and which advertising rules apply? action
  2. Is the presentation neutral and attributed? boundary
Culture Traditions and use.

Respect.

Traditions

Traditional and folk medicine.

Traditions

Traditions.

  1. How do communities describe their traditional healing practices, such as folk medicine in Sweden, in their own terms, and how do health systems engage with them? provenance
  2. Which are integrated into care with evidence? provenance

Users

Why people use alternative medicine.

Users

Use.

  1. What does research say about why people use alternative medicine, and how widespread is it? provenance
  2. How can clinicians discuss it respectfully? provenance
Regulate Regulation and history.

Context.

Regulation

Regulation.

Regulation

Regulation.

  1. How are alternative practitioners and products regulated here, and how can complaints be made? provenance
  2. Which entry fits a specific practice? action

History

History.

History

History.

  1. How did the category of alternative medicine develop, and how have debates evolved, with positions attributed? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

What the second pass must settle

  • Should each practice be a separate entry?
  • How should evidence reviews be linked?
  • How should regulation be localised?