Are 'complementary and alternative medicines' alternative to conventional medical system? An economic evaluation

The availability of conventional medical services (i.e., allopathy) is the basic need for a modern day living. Though this clause is easily met in the developed countries, but in the developing countries it is very difficult to accomplish. Hence in the developing countries a dearth is often created, which is filled to some extent by complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). In India this phenomenon is acutely noticied. In this regard, a study is highly needed to understand why do people go for complementary and alternative medicines? Is it for the very concept that the alternative medicines involve low cost, and/or are they equally or more effective than the familiar allopathic tretment? So, this study is an approach to (i) the determination of the socio-economic factors that influence the choice of complementary and alternative medical services by health purchasers, and also (ii) the estimation of the cost-effectiveness of these medical services.