July 30, 2009

Costs of Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) & Frequency of Visits to CAM Practitioners: United States, 2007

In 2007, adults in the United States spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on visits to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners and purchases of CAM products, classes, and materials. Nearly two-thirds of the total out-of-pocket costs that adults spent on CAM were for self-care purchases of CAM products, classes, and materials during the past 12 months ($22.0 billion) compared with about one-third spent on practitioner visits ($11.9 billion). A total of 44% of all out-of-pocket costs for CAM was spent on the purchase of non-vitamin, non-mineral, natural products.