"What's an advocate of evidence- and science-based medicine to think about the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, better known by its abbrevation NCCAM? As I've pointed out before, I used to be somewhat of a supporter of NCCAM. I really did, back when I was more naïve and idealistic. Indeed, as I mentioned before, when I first read Wally Sampson's article Why NCCAM should be defunded, I thought it a bit too strident and even rather close-minded. At the time, I thought that the best way to separate the wheat from the chaff was to apply the scientific method to the various 'CAM' modalities and let the chips fall where they may....Developments over the last several years have led me to sour on NCCAM and move towards an opinion more like Dr. Sampson's.
They don't want truly rigorous scientific studies to determine if these therapies work. They want studies that assume that these therapies work and then simply look at utilization and cost-effectiveness. They want funding of fellowships in CAM (taught, of course, by true believers). In brief, they want CAM promotion."
-- Orac, bravely admitting his past foolishness regarding the cultism of NewAge beliefs within science and politics - and why he's now giving them (and their defenders) what they deserve: Respectful Insolence.
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