Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research for Military Operations and Healthcare (MIL-CAM)

A research program of the Samueli Institute

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is rapidly increasing in the United States, both by the general public and in military populations. A recent survey of CAM therapy use among active duty soldiers, military retirees and family members at a military hospital showed 81 percent used one or more CAM therapies. This survey also indicated that most would prefer that CAM therapies be made available at military treatment facilities.

The implications of such high CAM usage within the military suggest that military patients face the same dilemma as their civilian counterparts:

whether to remain with traditional medical options for diseases like chronic pain, which often present the patient with limited outcomes and forced acceptance of undesirable side effects from treatment
to use CAM therapies that are neither supported nor funded by military medicine
evaluating how to effectively integrate both systems for optimal outcomes

MIL-CAM research will help fill the gap between knowledge and application by showing, through scientific evidence, the CAM modalities and interventions that have positive impact on the maintenance of personnel health and optimal functioning in military populations.

Goal:

Scientifically identify and investigate selected areas of CAM that offer the most health-maintenance and optimization benefit for military and veteran populations

Objectives:

To enhance and maintain military personnel readiness;
To mitigate damage from battlefield and terrorist attacks;
To prevent and treat disease;
To support the military’s force health protection policies and wellness initiatives; and
To improve effectiveness and well-being for maintenance of personnel health and optimal functioning in military and veteran populations

Application to the Military and Veteran Populations:

Although CAM studies reflect trends in the general U.S. population, use of CAM among military beneficiaries has not been investigated. There are several factors, however, that could make the military population more amenable to using CAM therapies. First, is the diversity of locations in which military personnel are stationed for duty and the subsequent exposure to various cultures. The second is the high level of cultural diversity that is recognized within the military. Additionally, more medical providers within the military medical system are becoming familiar with and beginning to practice commonly accepted modalities such as acupuncture. However, these efforts are not coordinated or consistent and may have very little to do with what is most effective for this population. Also, little has been done to recognize or evaluate the use of these various forms of therapies or attempt to integrate them with traditional forms of medical treatments being used by the military and veterans populations

Research Partners:

Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Madigan Army Medical Center
William Beaumont Army Medical Center
The National Naval Medical Center
Air Force’s Malcom Grow Medical Center
Joint Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Accomplishments to Date:

MIL-CAM research yields direct military applicability through improvement to the well-being and combat readiness of today’s war fighters. Discoveries include:

Low-dose homeopathic and herbal treatments addressing prostate cancer, with parallel applicability to lymphoma, sarcoma and melanoma;
Published acupuncture results documenting a 27 percent reduction in acute and a 37 percent reduction in chronic pain;
Promising dietary supplement cure for the fatal genetic disease, Canavan’s;
Successes leading to four pain and post-traumatic stress disorder clinical trials using electromagnetic devices, yoga and manipulation; and
Epidemiological investigative treatments worthy of further research addressing burns, heart failure, stroke and Parkinson’s disease.