In the 1970s, irregular practices were grouped with traditional practices of nonwestern cultures, and with other unproven or disproven practices that were not part of biomedicine, and the entire group began to be marketed and promoted as "alternative medicine".
Why do they call it alternative medicine?
Alternative medicine is used instead of standard medical treatment. One example is using a special diet to treat cancer instead of cancer drugs that are prescribed by an oncologist. Less research has been done for most types of alternative medicine.
When was the term alternative medicine coined?
(all-TER-nuh-tiv MEH-dih-sin) Treatments that are used instead of standard treatments. Standard treatments are based on the results of scientific research and are currently accepted and widely used.