Alternative Medicine Gains Popularity, but Lacks Scientific Studies
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Alternative medicine is gaining increasing interest from patients, but it still faces a deficit of scientific studies to confirm its effectiveness. Afef Hammami, a specialist in geriatrics, emphasized in a statement to the TAP Agency that research published on acupuncture and certain plant-based treatment methods is limited and insufficient to rival chemical medications, whose effectiveness is rigorously proven by clinical trials involving sometimes millions of patients. According to Hammami, acupuncture is primarily used to relieve rheumatism and chronic pain, while plant-based treatments aim to reduce stress and sleep disorders. She specified that alternative medicine also includes energy therapy and traditional Chinese medicine, and that it is often used as a complement to modern medicine, but cannot replace it. The specialist noted that the appeal of these practices has intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic, with some patients seeking less invasive treatments. She warned against buying products through social media, which can lead to serious complications, and stressed the need for these practices to be performed only by qualified doctors. Hammami also called for strict regulation of this sector, based on scientific standards and clearly defining the conditions of practice, authorization, and control to protect patients. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 80% of inhabitants in some African and Asian countries use alternative medicine, while in Europe, 30 to 40% of people use these treatments at least once.
