Choice A reason: This statement is correct and reflects one of the reasons why it is important to seek reliable sources of information about CAM products and practices. There is a lot of misinformation, bias, or fraud on the internet or media regarding CAM products and practices. Some websites or advertisements may make false or exaggerated claims about the benefits, safety, or quality of CAM products and practices, or may try to sell unproven or harmful products to consumers¹². Therefore, it is important to evaluate the credibility and reliability of the source of information on CAM, such as the author, publisher, sponsor, purpose, evidence, and date of publication¹².

Choice B reason: This statement is also correct and reflects another reason why it is important to seek reliable sources of information about CAM products and practices. There is a lack of regulation, standardization, or quality control of many CAM products and practices. Unlike conventional drugs or devices, many CAM products and practices are not subject to rigorous testing, approval, or monitoring by regulatory agencies, such as the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) in Australia or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States¹². This means that there may be variations in the ingredients, potency, purity, safety, or effectiveness of CAM products and practices¹². Therefore, it is important to look for evidence of quality assurance or certification of CAM products and practices by reputable organizations or authorities¹².

Choice C reason: This statement is also correct and reflects another reason why it is important to seek reliable sources of information about CAM products and practices. There is a need to evaluate the scientific evidence, credibility, safety, and effectiveness of CAM products and practices before using them. Unlike conventional treatments that are based on scientific research and clinical trials, many CAM products and practices are based on traditional knowledge, personal experience, or anecdotal reports¹². This means that there may be insufficient or inconsistent evidence to support the claims or outcomes of CAM products and practices¹². Therefore, it is important to look for high-quality scientific studies or systematic reviews that have evaluated the safety and effectiveness of CAM products and practices for specific health conditions or symptoms¹².

Choice D reason: This statement is also correct and reflects another reason why it is important to seek reliable sources of information about CAM products and practices. There is a need to compare the costs, benefits, and availability of different CAM products and practices. Unlike conventional treatments that are often covered by health insurance or subsidized by government programs, many CAM products and practices are not reimbursed or supported by these schemes¹². This means that consumers may have to pay out-of-pocket for CAM products and practices, which can be expensive or unaffordable for some people¹². Therefore, it is important to look for information on the costs, benefits, and availability of different CAM products and practices, and weigh them against the risks, harms, or limitations¹².

Choice E reason: This statement is incorrect and does not reflect a reason why it is important to seek reliable sources of information about CAM products and practices. While it is important to respect the cultural, spiritual, and personal beliefs of different CAM users as part of ethical and patient-centered care¹², this does not imply that seeking reliable sources of information about CAM products and practices is unnecessary or irrelevant. On the contrary, seeking reliable sources of information about CAM products and practices can help consumers make informed choices that are consistent with their values and preferences¹².

Choice A reason: This statement is incorrect and inappropriate for counseling a client who wants to use natural medicines as a CAM product to treat his health conditions. While the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) website is a reliable source of information about CAM in general, it does not provide detailed or comprehensive information about specific natural medicines, such as their ingredients, dosage, safety, effectiveness, interactions, or quality¹². The NCCIH website mainly provides overviews of common CAM products and practices, such as herbs at a glance, and links to other sources of information, such as the Office of Dietary Supplements or MedlinePlus¹².

Choice B reason: This statement is incorrect and inappropriate for counseling a client who wants to use natural medicines as a CAM product to treat his health conditions. While the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) website is a reliable source of information about dietary supplements in general, it does not provide detailed or comprehensive information about specific natural medicines, such as their ingredients, dosage, safety, effectiveness, interactions, or quality¹². The ODS website mainly provides overviews of common dietary supplements, such as vitamins and minerals, and links to other sources of information, such as the Dietary Supplement Label Database or PubMed¹².

Choice C reason: This statement is correct and appropriate for counseling a client who wants to use natural medicines as a CAM product to treat his health conditions. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCD) website is a reliable source of information about specific natural medicines, such as their ingredients, dosage, safety, effectiveness, interactions, and quality¹². The NMCD website provides evidence-based ratings and reviews of over 1,200 natural medicines based on scientific research and clinical trials¹². The NMCD website also provides tools and resources for consumers and health care professionals to make informed decisions about natural medicines¹².

Choice D reason: This statement is incorrect and inappropriate for counseling a client who wants to use natural medicines as a CAM product to treat his health conditions. While the Cochrane Library website is a reliable source of information about evidence-based medicine in general, it does not provide detailed or comprehensive information about specific natural medicines, such as their ingredients, dosage, safety, effectiveness, interactions, or quality¹². The Cochrane Library website mainly provides systematic reviews and meta-analyses of various health interventions, including some CAM products and practices, but not all natural medicines are covered or updated regularly¹².

Choice A reason: This statement is correct and reflects the type of information that Cochrane Library provides about CAM products and practices. Cochrane Library is a reliable source of information about evidence-based medicine in general, and it includes systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials on CAM products and practices¹². Systematic reviews are comprehensive and rigorous summaries of the best available evidence on a specific health question, and meta-analyses are statistical methods to combine the results of different studies¹². Randomized controlled trials are experimental studies that compare the effects of an intervention (such as a CAM product or practice) with a control (such as a placebo or a conventional treatment) in randomly assigned groups of participants¹². Cochrane Library provides access to over 10,000 Cochrane Reviews, including more than 500 reviews on CAM products and practices, covering topics such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, massage, meditation, yoga, and more¹².

Choice B reason: This statement is incorrect and does not reflect the type of information that Cochrane Library provides about CAM products and practices. While fact sheets and summaries of evidence-based information on CAM products and practices are useful for consumers and health care professionals, they are not the main focus or output of Cochrane Library. Cochrane Library mainly provides systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials on CAM products and practices, as well as other health interventions¹². Fact sheets and summaries of evidence-based information on CAM products and practices can be found from other sources, such as the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) or the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)¹².

Choice C reason: This statement is incorrect and does not reflect the type of information that Cochrane Library provides about CAM products and practices. While monographs and ratings of safety, effectiveness, interactions, and adverse effects of natural medicines are useful for consumers and health care professionals, they are not the main focus or output of Cochrane Library. Cochrane Library mainly provides systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials on CAM products and practices, as well as other health interventions¹². Monographs and ratings of safety, effectiveness, interactions, and adverse effects of natural medicines can be found from other sources, such as the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCD) or MedlinePlus¹².

Choice D reason: This statement is incorrect and does not reflect the type of information that Cochrane Library provides about CAM products and practices. While guidelines and recommendations on the appropriate use and dosage of dietary supplements are useful for consumers and health care professionals, they are not the main focus or output of Cochrane Library. Cochrane Library mainly provides systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials on CAM products and practices, as well as other health interventions¹². Guidelines and recommendations on the appropriate use and dosage of dietary supplements can be found from other sources, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the World Health Organization (WHO), or professional organizations¹².