Critics of CAM argue that few double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have demonstrated effectiveness. CAM advocates argue that

A) many techniques used in conventional medicine have not been evaluated by this method either.
B) double-blind, placebo-controlled trials constitute a flawed method for evaluating health research.
C) researchers are already biased against CAM; therefore, the research is not fair.
D) the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is underfunded.

Double-Blind

A study in which neither the participants nor the experimenters know who is receiving a particular treatment, to prevent bias.

Placebo-Controlled Trials

Clinical studies that test the effectiveness of a treatment by comparing it to a placebo, or inert substance, to determine if the treatment has a real effect beyond expectations.

Conventional Medicine

Refers to the standard system of medicine practiced by medical doctors and healthcare professionals, including the use of drugs, radiation, or surgery to treat symptoms and diseases.