It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Complementary and alternative medicine. (Discuss) Alternative Medicine This article is part of the CAM series of articles. CAM Article Index Alternative medical systems - edit Ayurveda Chiropractic Homeopathy Naturopathic medicine Osteopathy Traditional Chinese medicine NCCAM classifications Alternative Medical Systems Mind-Body Intervention Biologically Based Therapy Manipulative and body-based methods Energy Therapy See also Complementary and alternative medicine Alternative medicine Complementary medicine Glossary of alternative medicine See also: Complementary medicine Alternative medicine has been defined as "therapeutic or preventive health care practices, such as homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, and herbal medicine, that do not follow generally accepted medical methods and may not have a scientific explanation for their effectiveness."[1] Alternative medicine practices are often based in belief systems not derived from modern science. Alternative medicines may therefore incorporate spiritual, metaphysical, or religious underpinnings, untested practices, pre-modern medical traditions, or newly developed approaches to healing. If an alternative medical approach, initially untested, is subsequently shown to be safe and effective, it may then be adopted by conventional practitioners and no longer considered "alternative". "Alternative medicine" is often categorized together with complementary medicine using the umbrella term Complementary and alternative medicine or CAM. Further information: List of branches of alternative medicine