WITH CONGRESS prodding, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is preparing to support studies evaluating some alternative therapeutic approaches.
In passing the 1992 appropriations legislation, Congress requested that the institutes look into alternative approaches and provided about $2 million for this purpose. (The NIH's total budget for this year is about $8.9 billion.)
New NIH Office
Using the $2 million appropriation to get started, the NIH's director, Bernadine Healy, MD, has created the Office for the Study of Unconventional Medical Practices.
The office, under the direction of Stephen C. Groft, PharmD, is charged with evaluating acupuncture, so-called folk remedies, use of herbs, homeopathy, naturopathy, nutritional treatments, massage therapy, and other practices that are, in general, presently considered by some to be outside mainstream therapy or patient management in this country.
The NIH already has called together some 20 persons with widely diverse interests in unconventional practices. This ad hoc committee,
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