Marlene Cimons

In the following viewpoint, Marlene Cimons of the Los AngelesTimes discusses a growing number of medical personnel who have turned to "alternative" medicine when more conventional approaches failed to alleviate problems—mostly chronic conditions— experienced by themselves and their patients. While few doctors can explain why or how these therapies work, Cimons writes, they are increasingly convinced that treatments such as osteopathy, homeopathy, and acupuncture will complement more mainstream treatment methods.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to the author, what percentage of the world's health care services does the World Health Organization characterize as "alternative"?
2. How many Americans saw an alternative health care practitioner in 1990, according to Cimons?
3. Who is responsible for the shift in social attitudes toward using alternative therapies, according to the author"

When Dr. Brian Berman first saw him, the...