Controversies of Integrating Alternative Medicine with Evidence-based Medicine in Medicalization

Abstract

Various studies have identified the drawbacks of integrating alternative medicines (AM) into westernized societies, where mainstream healthcare systems are dominated by an evidence-based medicine (EBM) framework. The "Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine Pilot Program" in Hong Kong illustrates the above argument; Similarly, we argue that this integration causes the deterioration of the local reputation of traditional Chinese medicine. The program framework has demonstrated the fundamental contradictions between AM and biomedicine and has considered whether the current integration method, which EBM dominates the healthcare system, can serve as a criterion for further integrations.

Keywords: Evidence-based Medicine, Hog Kong, Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine, Medicalization, Paradigmatic contradictions