$34 Billion a Year for Alternative Medicine

Americans spend $34 billion a year on alternative medicine, a new report says. The report was released July 30. It came from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. This agency leads research in the field. The director, Josephine Briggs, M.D., talked to the Associated Press about the report. She said some alternative treatments are “promising and sensible.” Others can be harmful, she said. This report included herbal pills but not vitamins and minerals. A later report will cover these pills. More research is needed because so many people use these treatments, Dr. Briggs said.