Questions 31 – 32
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
31. According to the definition, alternative medicine:
A Can be considered a subset of conventional medicine
B Seeks to draw in part on the natural sciences
C Has not been shown to be effective through scientific methods
32. It’s difficult to define because:
A The theories and practices it includes often change
B It involves a variety of ideas and methods
C It’s more limited in scope than conventional medicine
Questions 33 – 40
Complete the notes below
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Types of Alternative Medicine
- Diverse – can be classified by their cultural origins or beliefs systems
- Methods include or are based on such things as medicinal practices, knowledge of folklore, and 33
- May be developed over over thousands of years.
a) Chinese medicine and Ayurveda:
- They are practices commonly based on traditional ethnic systems
- Seen as ‘alternative’ abroad, but it may not be viewed this way in the country it 34 from
b) Herbal remedies and other substances:
- Common in alternative medicine.
- Such substances are found in nature but this does not only include 35 – also animal and mineral products.
- commercially very successful
c) Religion, faith healing, and prayer:
- Also related to alternative therapies.
- For example, Shamans alter their state of 36 to interact with the spirit world in order to heal.
Safety of Alternative Medicine
a) Concerns:
- Those from the scientific community do not think alternative therapies have been proved effective
- Research is often not of good 37 and has flawed methods
- The SRAM journal notes that an ineffective therapy may be seen to provide symptomatic relief.
- This is the placebo effect – when a person will 38 because of the belief that a substance has helped
- Recovery is mistakenly attributed to the alternative medicine being taken.
- Alternative medicine has not traditionally had access to research funding, sympathetic press coverage or 39 in curriculums for medical courses.
b) Changes:
- In the US, Conventional doctors now offering alternative medical treatments – courses available at University
- Taught in medical schools and US 40 are starting to offer reimbursement for alternative therapies.
