groups, the use of unconventional healthcare practices has steadily increased since the 1950s,
and the trend is likely to continue.
CAM has become a big business as Americans dip into their wallets to pay for alternative
treatments. A 1997 American Medical Association study estimated that the public spent $21.2
billion for alternative medicine therapies in that year, more than half of which were “out-of-
pocket” expenditures, meaning they were not covered by health insurance. Indeed,
Americans made more out-of-pocket expenditures for alternative services than they did for
out-of-pocket payments for hospital stays in 1997. In addition, the number of total visits to
alternative medicine providers (about 629 million) exceeded the tally of visits to primary care
physicians (386 million) in that year.
However, the public has not abandoned conventional medicine for alternative healthcare.
Most Americans seek out alternative therapies as a complement to their conventional
healthcare whereas only a small percentage of Americans rely primarily on alternative care.
Why have so many patients turned to alternative therapies? Frustrated by the time
constraints of managed care and alienated by conventional medicine’s focus on technology,
some feel that a holistic approach to healthcare better reflects their beliefs and values. Others
seek therapies that will relieve symptoms associated with chronic disease, symptoms that
mainstream medicine cannot treat.
Some alternative therapies have crossed the line into mainstream medicine as scientific
investigation has confirmed their safety and efficacy. For example, today physicians may
prescribe acupuncture for pain management or to control the nausea associated with
chemotherapy. Most U.S. medical schools teach courses in alternative therapies and many
health insurance companies offer some alternative medicine benefits. Yet, despite their
gaining acceptance, the majority of alternative therapies have not been researched in
controlled studies. New research efforts aim at testing alternative methods and providing the
public with information about which are safe and effective and which are a waste of money,
or possibly dangerous.
So what about those who swear by the health benefits of the “smelly rose,” garlic?
Observational studies that track disease incidence in different populations suggest that garlic
use in the diet may act as a cancer-fighting agent, particularly for prostate and stomach
cancer. However, these findings have not been confirmed in clinical studies. And yes, reported
side effects include garlic odour.
[Source: www. lELTS4U.blogfa.com]
Answer the following questions by choosing the option that best answers each of the
questions. Write only the letter of your choice in the answer book.
(10x2=20)
1. The author’s primary purpose in the passage is to
A confirm the safety and effectiveness of alternative medicine approaches.
B convey the excitement of crossing new medical frontiers.