{"id":3814,"date":"2018-06-30T10:04:20","date_gmt":"2018-06-30T10:04:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/?page_id=3814"},"modified":"2026-06-24T15:50:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T15:50:34","slug":"is-alternative-medicine-really-a-viable-alternative-lesson","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schoolshistory.org.uk\/topics\/medicine-through-time\/medicine-through-time-teachers-resources\/is-alternative-medicine-really-a-viable-alternative-lesson\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Alternative Medicine really a viable alternative? Lesson"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alternative medicines: a real alternative to scientific medicine?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Learning Outcomes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

* To identify some of the main alternative medicines: acupuncture, homeopathy,
\nhypnotherapy.
\n* To evaluate the arguments for and against alternative medicines as effective
\ntreatments.<\/p>\n

Starter:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Read the folowing statements made about alternative medicines. Think
\nabout which statements you agree \/ disagree with, then share your thoughts
\non this
\ndiscussion wall.<\/a><\/p>\n

“Orthodox medicine has so much to learn” Prince Charles.<\/p>\n

“The public and the NHS are best served by using the available funds
\nfor treatments that are based on solid evidence.” Letter to NHS trusts.<\/p>\n

“There is so much anecdotal evidence that thousands of people gain
\nbenefit from using complementary medicines.” Terry Cullen, British
\nComplementary Medicine Association.<\/p>\n

“Many previous studies have demonstrated that homoeopathy has an
\neffect over and above placebo.” A spokeswoman from the Society of
\nHomoeopaths.<\/p>\n

“We need clinical trials to demonstrate that these placebo therapies
\nactually enhance quality of life.” Professor Michael Baum.<\/p>\n

“There is a considerable body of positive evidence that homoeopathy
\nworks. Most of the meta-analyses – the pooling of statistical results
\n– have been positive.” Dr Peter Fisher.<\/p>\n

Thought about it? Share
\nyour views here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Research:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Doctors
\nattack bogus medicines<\/a><\/p>\n

Q&A
\nComplementary Medicines<\/a><\/p>\n

Complementary
\nMedicines – a guide<\/a><\/p>\n

10
\nlesser known alternative therapies<\/a><\/p>\n

Task:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Using evidence from the links above write a speech arguing either in
\nfavour of, or opposing the funding of alternative therapies on the NHS.
\nIf you want or need support writing this speech, use one of the writing
\nframes available for download on this site<\/a>. When you have finished
\nyour speech, feel free to e-mail
\nme a copy<\/a> – my students, I’ll take them in the usual manner via the
\nVLE.<\/p>\n

Revise<\/strong>: use the information in this dummies guide to
\nrevise your knowledge of this type of medicine. Healing
\nat home<\/a> – herbal remedies and popular ‘common’ cures.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Alternative medicines: a real alternative to scientific medicine? Learning Outcomes: * To identify some of the main alternative medicines: acupuncture, homeopathy, hypnotherapy. * To evaluate the arguments for and against alternative medicines as effective treatments. Starter: Read the folowing statements made about alternative medicines. Think about which statements you agree \/ disagree with, then share… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":3808,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"off","neve_meta_content_width":100,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3814","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t