When you need medical care do you prefer alternative medicine or conventional?
I have had good luck with accupuncture for several minor things. I get cancer, I want radical surgery, radiation, and chemo, Stat!
Ask Steve Jobs that question. Oh yeah, you can't, because HE'S DEAD!!!
I've also read that Paul Allen tried both.
If alternative medicine worked, it would be called medicine already.
Not necessarily. When Ignaz Semmelweis invented antiseptic medicine in 1847, it was alternative medicine. It wasn't until Joseph Lister published his articles in the Lancet in 1867 that antiseptic medicine became conventional medicine. Unfortunately Semmelweis had already died in an insane asylum in 1865. But in 1969 the largest medical school in Hungary was renamed as Semmelweis University.
I don't believe that the rate of adoption of controversial new treatments has improved since then. In 1949 Duke University Medical School graduate Dr Frederick Klenner published his clinical research in which he reported curing all acute viral infections with massive doses of intravenous vitamin C. In the 69 years that have elapsed since then Dr Klenner's published work has neither been refuted or widely adopted; just very largely ignored. Meanwhile people frequently die of the flu without vitamin C being employed as even a last resort treatment. Perhaps in the year 2318 Duke medical school will be renamed after it's perhaps most distinguished alumnus (apologies to Ron and Rand Paul!).
This informative video demonstrates my position on this topic. If you are in a hurry time stamp 2:30 is a starting point for alternative medicine description . . .
If I am having a heart attack, take me to the emergency room to see a doctor to save me. If I am trying to lose weight so that I don't end up having a heart attack, I will drink tea and eat vegetables and fruits and natural food instead of taking a pill to lose weight.
I agree with you that for the most part conventional medicine excels in emergency treatment while alternative medicine, or diet and exercise, can often be better for chronic complaints.
I think that the exception may be acute viral infections, for which there is nothing in the medical literature to improve on the results reported by Dr Klenner for 50 grams of intravenous vitamin C.