Alternative Medicine Into American Culture Essay - 1245 Words

â€Å"The Alternative Medicine Racket† talks about how a few people tried to introduce alternative medicine into American Culture. The National Institute of Health took supposed â€Å"mystical† therapy from what they called fraud sources, and implanted them directly into the heart of the medical establishment. In 1984, the government released a report on fraudulent medicine in America and concluded that billions of American taxpayer money was being swindled by untested herbs and energy therapies that filled the aisle of stores and pages of magazines. These were aimed towards a vulnerable population: the elderly, desperate, and terminally ill. Fifty experts called for a crackdown (or should I say â€Å"quackdown†) on the alternative therapies (that we’ll refer to as â€Å"quackery†). In the late 1980’s, a senator named Tom Harkin was positive that bee pollen had cured his hay fever and wondered â€Å"Why isn’t anyone funding this?†, leading him to establish the Office of Alternative Medicine. Dr. Jacobs was appointed as director of the office, and what seemed like a promising future for alternative medicine would be destroyed by the council which had another set of priorities. After only two years, Jacobs resigned. Now free, the council could present their own view of alternative medicine. Harkin would then turn the Office of Alternative Medicine into a â€Å"national center†, thus giving it its own growing budget. The budget would increase exponentially and with the promise of this funding, some of theShow MoreRelatedAlternative Medicine : Medicine And Medicine1442 Words   |  6 PagesAlternative Medicine Throughout the centuries alternative medicine has been effective in curing many diseases and to also aid the healing process of the body. 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