National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is a U.S. government agency dedicated to providing scientific information on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Established in 1999, it operates under the Department of Health and Human Services as part of the National Institutes of Health. NCCIH's primary mission is to employ scientific methods to assess the safety and efficacy of CAM practices, thereby informing consumers, healthcare providers, and policymakers. The center offers a wealth of resources, including an extensive website that features evidence-based information, clinical trial data, and educational materials for both consumers and practitioners.
The NCCIH emphasizes transparency and scientific rigor, with a focus on helping individuals make informed healthcare decisions. It provides various tools for research, including access to systematic reviews, funding opportunities, and continuing education for medical professionals. Despite its commitment to scientific inquiry, NCCIH has faced scrutiny regarding its endorsement of certain supplements and treatments. Overall, NCCIH plays a crucial role in the exploration and validation of CAM approaches, contributing to a more holistic understanding of health and wellness.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
DEFINITION: A US government scientific and informational resource on the efficacy and safety of complementary and alternative medicine for consumers, practitioners, and policymakers.
DATE: Founded 1999
Overview
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), formerly the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), is a resource for health consumers and practitioners for information and guidance on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). NCCIH is a government agency under the umbrella of the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
NCCIH's principal mission is to apply the scientific method of experimentation and verification to various CAM practices to best inform the public, healthcare providers, and lawmakers about the efficacy of CAM procedures and therapies. Scientific evidence enhances decision-making, and the organization helps consumers make informed choices.
NCCIH’s Internet Presence
The NCCIH’s website provides consumers with evidence-based information concerning complementary and integrative health options. The health information portion offers safety tips, resources, and statistics for consumers and practitioners. For example, Health Topics A-Z is a glossary of commonly used and studied herbs, supplements, and treatments that consumers may have questions about, as well as a list of common illnesses and their respective CAM treatment options. A search function allows for keyword searches of all NCCIH sections and databases. Clinical trials, resources for researchers, news, and recent research findings are also available.
A news menu links visitors to CAM-related news articles, including new findings, warnings, and relevant advice for the season (i.e., flu season, back to school, or preventing a circulating stomach bug). The page also features advanced research options so that users can search by topic, date, or both.
The website’s research section includes subsections with information on policies, clinical trials, sponsored research, scientific literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and relevant articles from well-regarded medical journals. The sponsored research section includes extramural research sponsored by NCCIH and intramural research conducted at NCCIH. A link to the NCCIH's research blog is also available. Users can share information through social media links and receive CAM-related information updates through email.
The grants section includes subsections on award types, types of research funded, clinical trial funding, and funding opportunities. Information regarding NCCIH's work in diversity and health disparities and the Small Business Research Grant Program (SBIR) is also available. Research funding priorities include certain areas of special interest, such as CAM use for chronic pain, CAM’s role in improving health and wellness, and the role of CAM in quality-of-life issues.
The training section includes subsections for online lectures and continuing education. Online lecture topics include herbs and other dietary supplements, mind/body medicine, aging, and the effects of natural products. Each lecture is accompanied by transcripts, online tests, additional resource links, and a certificate of completion. Medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, can register to earn continuing education credits after completing activities and testing related to materials available in the training section.
Funding and Other Considerations
NCCIH is a federally funded organization authorized by the US Congress to accept tax-deductible donations. Funding sources can potentially influence an organization’s point of view. Detailed funding information helps determine the role, if any, of the direction and goals of NCCIH. Transparency about donors, donation amounts, and NCCIH policy regarding donations would help clarify whether potential conflicts of interest exist or could arise.
Science and NCCIH
NCCIH's emphasis on science helps to legitimize CAM practices. The science appeals to healthcare professionals and consumers who desire a critical analysis of CAM treatments. Rigorous scientific methodology includes asking a question or stating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis through experimentation, collecting data, and applying the experiment’s results to the hypothesis or original question. Questions can be answered, and a better approximation of the truth of a situation can be formulated, if the experimental results are reproducible and if they support the original hypothesis.
Despite an effort to base the organization's work on scientific evidence, NCCIH has faced backlash for promoting supplements or substances that have been proven to not work for their purported use. Some argue that the millions of dollars that fund NCCIH each year take assets away from other programs in the National Institutes of Health that have proven to be more impactful.
Conclusion
NCCIH's mission is to “determine, through rigorous scientific investigation, the fundamental science, usefulness, and safety of complementary and integrative health approaches and their roles in improving health and healthcare.” By carrying out this mission, the organization plays a vital role in the health of consumers’ healthcare decisions, the education of practitioners, and the making of health policy that supports a whole-body approach to wellness.
Bibliography
Capriccioso, Richard P. “Complementary and Alternative Therapies.” In Salem Health: Cancer, 8th ed., edited by Richard K. Wright, Salem Press, 2018.
Fontaine, K. L. Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Nursing Practice. 5th ed., Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2019.
Kantor, M. “The Role of Rigorous Scientific Evaluation in the Use and Practice of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.” Journal of the American College of Radiology, vol. 6, no. 4, 2009, pp. 254-62.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. www.nccih.nih.gov. Accessed 20 Sept. 2024.