Includes bibliographical references (p. 208-212) and index.

Introduction -- Ch. 1. Does alternative medicine work? 1. Homeopathic medicine is effective / Dana Ullman ; 2. Homeopathic medicine is ineffective / Robert Todd Carroll ; 3. Chiropractic can reduce some types of pain / Michael Menke ; 4. Chiropractic is a potentially dangerous pseudoscience / John Jackson ; 5. Herbal medicines are effective / Danny Siegenthaler ; 6. Herbal medicines vary in their effectiveness and some may be dangerous / Jane E. Brody ; Periodical bibliography -- Ch. 2. Why is alternative medicine popular? 1. People choose alternative medicine because they are dissatisfied with conventional medicine / Benedict Carey ; 2. People choose alternative medicine because they fall for sales pitches / Stephen Barrett and William Jarvis ; 3. People choose alternative medicine because they want to believe it works / Ben Goldacre ; 4. Employers choose alternative medicine to combat health care costs / George DeVries ; Periodical bibliography -- Ch. 3. Can alternative and conventional medicine work together? 1. Spirituality should be part of conventional medical treatment / Barbara Anan Kogan ; 2. Spirituality should not be part of conventional medical treatment / Timothy N. Gorski ; 3. Alternative medicine should submit to conventional testing standards / The National Academies ; 4. Conventional medical testing standards are flawed / E. Haavi Morreim ; 5. Alternative medicine should be integrated into medical school / Philippe Szapary ; 6. Alternative medicine should be evaluated critically in medical school / Wallace Sampson ; Periodical bibliography -- Ch. 4. What should government do to research and regulate alternative medicine? 1. The FDA should tightly regulate herbal supplements / Joe Dobrin ; 2. Tighter regulation of herbal supplements may overshadow their appropriate use / James S. Gordon ; 3. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine promotes pseudoscience / Kimball C. Atwood IV ; 4. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine promotes valuable research / Stephen E. Straus and Margaret A. Chesney ; Periodical bibliography -- for further discussion -- Organizations to contact -- Bibliography of books -- Index.