Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2002; 7: 97
To identify the strategies followed by the leaders of five complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) groups as each pursues the goal of professional legitimacy.
In personal interviews (n = 40), the leaders (heads of associations and directors of educational institutions in Ontario, Canada) of five different CAM groups: chiropractors, acupuncture/traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners, naturopaths, homoeopaths and Reiki healers revealed the strategies they are following to reach their goal. The responses of the leaders were analysed using a qualitative program (Nvivo). Content analysis permitted a comparison of strategies across the five groups.
Eight major strategies were identified: (1) increasing public visibility, (2) improving the quality of education, (3) developing more stringent practice standards, (4) increasing group cohesion, (5) encouraging more peer-reviewed research, (6) lobbying the government, (7) extending alliances and (8) establishing integrated clinics in hospitals.
There is no single linear path to professional legitimation. The various strategies influence one another and cannot be viewed in isolation. The quest for legitimation takes place in a socio-political environment which impacts on the strategies employed by the leaders. Forces such as resistance from the more established health professions and concerns about efficacy and safety are balanced against the strong public demand for CAM.
