COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

The health of a force is crucial to its Military readiness. Decreasing Military budgets, global economic stagnation, and increasing medical healthcare cost threaten the sustainability of Military healthcare systems as well as the health of its individuals. Therefore, current healthcare systems must adapt. Over the past four decades, there has been a grassroots utilization of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), including within Militaries. However, there is little oversight or guidance with the utilization and implementation of CAM worldwide. Thus, collaborative efforts in clinical practices, education and research would have significant impact in reducing duplicity of efforts, expanding the knowledge base as well as broadening the historical and cultural perspectives of healthcare systems. The objective of HFM-195 is to identify and evaluate the various countries’ data on military utilization of CAM, understand the acceptability of CAM by Military leadership and briefly review the current regulatory and legal status of CAM utilization and implementation. This Task Force is an exploratory committee in the first step for other possible TF, conferences, and symposia focused on NATO-wide implementation of CAM modalities with on-going analysis of efficacy, cost-effectiveness, suitability, and acceptability. This could ultimately improve healthcare systems and increase available treatment options for patients.

Background and Justification (Relevance to NATO):

The past twenty years have seen the increasing acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) or integrative medicine in the treatment or prevention of an increasing number of conditions. Data show that more than 50% of the military population, including dependants, have used CAM interventions in recent years, and 66% of active duty personnel use dietary supplements. Military personnel are increasingly taking charge of their own health, without resorting to the usual military medical services. More and more try to stay away from prescription or Over-The-Counter (OTC) drugs because of the side effects, and for many, this self empowerment is shown by their increasing use of natural products, or non-drug therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy, magnets, laser stimulation, yoga, mind-body interventions, , etc.

The objectives of this RTG are:

Identify and evaluate countries’ data on the use of CAM among military personnel.

Determine how personnel in each country access CAM interventions (directly or by prescription), and with what frequency.

Assess how important, accepted, and regulated is the use of CAM in the therapeutic arsenal

Share all available research on the indications and effects of any type of CAM interventions, as well as any possible adverse effects on military readiness.