alternative medicine

Noun

alternative medicine (countable and uncountable, plural alternative medicines)

1. Any of various nonscientific or pseudoscientific medical methods and practices used either in place of or in addition to conventional (scientific) medicine.
   • Unlike their conventional counterparts, practitioners of alternative medicine often excel at harnessing the placebo effect, says Dr Ernst.2011 May 19, “Think yourself better”, in The Economist, →ISSN
   • “Such courses involve so-called 'complementary or alternative medicine' masquerading as, and sitting side-by-side with, evidence-based health-related science courses,” the letter said. It added that universities were risking their reputations by teaching courses like chiropractic, homeopathy...2012 May 5, Liz Gooch, “Australian Universities Defend Alternative-Medicine Teaching”, in The New York Times, →ISSN