Complementary and alternative therapies should be required to demonstrate their clinical effectiveness to the same standard as conventional medical treatments, says a new report from the US Institute of Medicine.

The report, which was prepared at the request of the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, assesses what is known about Americans' reliance on complementary and alternative medicine. It concludes that studies of the effectiveness and safety of such treatments are needed.

An acupuncturist applies needles to a patient's ear. Acupuncture and other non-conventional treatments should be properly evaluated, says a new US report

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