Most alternative medicines use natural methods and holistic approaches to healing, rather than the pharmaceuticals and surgery of conventional treatment.
Furthermore, the often-unregulated nature of the alternative medicine industry can facilitate the use of adulterated or ineffective products, potentially jeopardizing consumer safety.
The integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into conventional healthcare frameworks has become a subject of considerable discourse.
Also, not all practitioners of alternative medicine have had formal training, nor are they required to belong to professional organizations, as medical doctors are.