Includes bibliographical references (p. 168-172) and index.

ch. 1: Is alternative medicine effective? Acupuncture is effective / Mike Adams -- Acupuncture is ineffective / Stephen Barrett -- Homeopathy is effective / Carolyn Dean and Elissa Meininger -- Homeopathy is ineffective / Ben Goldacre -- Chiropractic is effective / National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine -- Chiropractic is mostly ineffective / Bruce Thyer and Gary Whittenberger -- ch. 2: Does alternative medicine help fight disease? Alternative medicine can cure cancer / R. Webster Kehr -- Alternative medicine cannot cure cancer / Edzard Ernst -- Alternative medicine can help fight autism / Kenneth A. Bock -- Alternative medicine treatments for autism are ineffective / Jeff Grabmeier -- Chinese stem cell treatments can help treat childhood blindness / Wally Kennedy -- Chinese stem cell treatments are unpredictable and risky / Mark Borchert, interviewed by Joe Neel -- ch. 3: What role should alternative medicine play in health care in the United States? There are many definitions of alternative medicine in the United States / Committee on the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by the American Public -- Alternative medicine has a lot in common with mainstream American medicine / John Gamel -- The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine provides benefits to the American public / Josephine P. Briggs and Richard J. Turman -- The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine should be eliminated / Wallace Sampson -- Many U.S. medical schools are teaching alternative medicine / Katherine S. Mangan -- U.S. medical schools should not teach alternative medicine -- Facts about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) -- Organizations to contact.