providers about its safety, effectiveness, and possible interactions
with medicines (both prescription and over-the-counter).
Provider Tips for Discussing CAM with Patients
-- Include a question about CAM use on medical history forms.
-- Ask your patients to bring a list of all therapies they use, including
prescription, over-the-counter, herbal therapies, and other CAM
practices.
-- Have your medical staff initiate the conversation.
For more information on Time to Talk, to order or download materials, or to read the full NCCAM/AARP report on CAM use communication, please visit nccam.nih.gov/timetotalk/.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine's mission is to explore complementary and alternative medical practices in the context of rigorous science, train CAM researchers, and disseminate authoritative information to the public and professionals. For additional information, call NCCAM's Clearinghouse toll-free at 1-888-644-6226, or visit nccam.nih.gov.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research Agency -- includes 27 institutes and centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
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