Liability for Injury from Complementary or Alternative Treatments and Techniques
Americans are increasingly using the techniques, therapies, and approaches of complementary and alternative medicine. We now make more visits to nontraditional healers than to family doctors and spend almost as much (out of pocket) on alternative medicine ($27 billion) as on unreimbursed physician services ($29 billion).
Sales of dietary supplements in the U.S. reached $21.3 billion in 2005: vitamins were $3 billion, herbs $4.4 billion, minerals $1.8 billion, sports nutrition products $2.2 billion, multivitamins/minerals $4.2 billion, and other supplements totaling $5.7 billiion.
Attorneys, physicians, insurers, employers, and others who may be affected should be aware of the types of lawsuits that may arise from injury due to complementary or alternative medicine, what strategies and techniques to employ, and what issues are critical to know.