When Listening to the People: Lessons from Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for Bioethics

Abstract

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) have become increasingly popular over recent decades. Within bioethics CAM has so far mostly stimulated discussions around their level of scientific evidence, or along the standard concerns of bioethics. To gain an understanding as to why CAM is so successful and what the CAM success means for health care ethics, this paper explores empirical research studies on users of CAM and the reasons for their choice. It emerges that there is a close connection to fundamental principles of medical ethics. The studies also highlight that CAM's holistic ontology of health and illness has an empowering effect on people in caring for their health, and on an even deeper level, safeguards against biomedicine's reducing image of oneself as biological body-machine. The question is raised what lessons bioethics should draw from this emancipatory social movement for its own relationship with biomedicine.

(Mis)understandings and uses of ‘culture’ in bioethics deliberations over parental refusal of treatment: Children with cancer

“…There is significant use of CAM in the countries in which these cases occurred (U.S., Canada, New Zealand, and Australia). 48 People who pray for loved ones who are ill are likely to pray no matter what treatment is being offered. Many people will use alternative medicines in addition to allopathic medicine.…”

Elämäni on muuttunut kokonaan

“…Tällaisessa kohtaamisessa huomioidaan ihmisen fyysiset, psyykkiset, sosiaaliset ja henkiset tarpeet ja tavoitellaan kehon tasapainoa. (Baarts ja Pedersen 2009;Clark-Grill 2010;Sointu 2012;Salmenniemi 2022. ) Käyttäjät ymmärtävät usein kehon luonnolliseksi energeettiseksi järjestelmäksi, jonka tasapainon ajatellaan ylläpitävän hyvinvointia ja ehkäisevän sairauksia (Baarts ja Pedersen 2009, Barcan 2011.…”

“…Myös julkisen keskustelun polarisoituminen saattaa vaikuttaa yleiseen suhtautumiseen luontaishoitoja kohtaan, joka esimerkiksi Keski-Euroopan maissa näyttää olevan Suomea sallivampaa (vrt. WHO 2013;Clark-Grill 2010).…”