( cam ;  b chng y t di y xu ) encompasses a variety of non - conventional medical and health practices that include the use of herbal remedies and dietary supplementation , traditional medicine , mind - body interventions , and acupuncture , among others . in some cases , these practices are used in place of conventional orthodox medicine , which justifies their connotation as  alternative ,  though in most situations these practices are used together with conventional medical treatments , which justifies their connotation as  complementary . although these medical practices are known since ancient times , the use of these practices has greatly increased in recent decades , mainly due to the failure of orthodox medicine in the treatment of certain diseases . more and more patients turn to these medical practices because of their frustration and desperation regarding the limitations and side effects of conventional medicine . the term  integrative medicine  is used when the  complementary  health treatments are offered along with conventional treatments . yet , we can agree with angell and kassirer ( new england journal of medicine 1998 , 339 : 839841 ) that  there can not be two kinds of medicine  conventional and alternative . there is only medicine that has been adequately tested and medicine that has not , medicine that works and medicine that may or may not work . we must stress , however , that the so - called  alternative  medical practices are diverse in their foundations and methodologies . in this respect , mixing up all the non - conventional medical practices in one pot ( as so - called  cam  ) and judging their validity collectively is wrong . there is an objective difference in the modality of how can work the acupuncture , herbal remedies , nutritional supplements , or body - mind interventions , and therefore different methods and standards for judging their effectiveness must be used . still , we agree that there is no space for  magic  or  miracles  in medicine , and anecdotes and speculations can not substitute for scientific evidence . it is widely agreed that orthodox ( conventional ) therapies are based on scientific grounds , and in most cases have been tested for their safety and effectiveness in controlled clinical settings . on the contrary , the safety and effectiveness of cam practices still constitute a major concern for their acceptance in the scientific community . additional criticisms refer to the scarce reliability and lack of scientific grounds of the claimed therapeutic effects of cam . although we can argue against the absolute veracity of these criticisms , there are no doubts about the need for rigorous scientific testing of the validity of cam in the interest of patients . in addition , we can not neglect the possibility of adverse side effects of certain cam remedies , or of their negative synergism with current orthodox medical treatments . therefore , a thorough investigation on the molecular and pathophysiological mechanisms of action of cam treatments is mandatory . to this end , we need the help of chemists , cell and molecular biologists , pathologists and physiologists , and clinicians . large , controlled , and randomized clinical trials must prove the efficacy of cam treatments . in addition , studies at cellular and molecular levels are needed to provide a solid scientific ground for their use , as are studies that confirm the quality , safety , and reliability of the treatment . further , it is fundamental to share and integrate this knowledge in an open platform available to a wide audience of experts who can judge and criticize these studies . the journal of traditional and complementary medicine ( jtcm ) is a peer - reviewed biomedical journal with this vocation . among the various journals dedicated to cam , jtcm stands for its unique goals by focusing on the relevance of traditional and complementary medicine . in fact , the jtcm represents the ideal platform for studies on those auxiliary practices ( including all traditional medical practices , dietary habits , integrative therapies with nutritional supplements and herbal extracts , and mental - physical activities ) that can be of  complement  in preventive and curative medicine . the jtcm was first launched , under the auspices of the taiwanese ministry of health and welfare , almost four years ago under the editorship of lee - yan sheen , who very recently ( november 2015 ) has appointed ciro isidoro as his close associate ( see the timeline of the journal 's development in appendix 1 ) . the main goal of the new team , which includes chia - chi huang as managing editor and all members of the editorial board , is to shape the jtcm into a high - impact journal in the cam and biomedical science categories . the mission of jtcm is to disseminate the knowledge on whether and how complementary and integrative health interventions can maintain and improve health and can contribute to health care . the jtcm pursues this aim through the publication of rigorous scientific studies that prove the usefulness and safety of such interventions . in order to most effectively pursue its mission , the jtcm will exploit its natural affinity and operational link with the international association of traditional and complementary medicine ( iatcm ) . readers and manuscript authors wishing to become members of the iatcm can do so through a simple registration at the http://www.iatcm.org/ website . following , we illustrate the policy of jtcm for publishing solid and scientifically sound papers in the field of traditional and complementary medicine . we aim to provide the communities of scientists and practitioners with a global platform for discussion , perspectives , and research on traditional and complementary medicine . to this end in addition , we accept letters and commentaries to the editor in which the readers can comment , discuss , and criticize the articles published and provide suggestions to improve the strategy and policy of the journal . finally , we are open to publish the scientific report of international conferences on cam - related topics ( please contact our managing editor for your proposal ) . the journal covers traditional medicine , herbal medicine , folk medicine , preventive medicine , dietary therapy / nutrition supplements , and mind - body therapies , as well as reviews on historical , philosophical , and social - cultural aspects of traditional and folk medicine , other traditional and complementary therapies . the jtcm encourages submissions on experimental investigations in translational and clinical studies , animal experiments , and in  vivo / in  vitro disease models . further , the jtcm calls for articles that emphasize the pathophysiological basis and cellular - molecular mechanisms that underlie the beneficial effects of traditional and complementary medicine . we wish to stress that the jtcm considers the quality control , the procedures for the preparation and characterization , and the authentication of herbal medicines and dietary supplements as basic requirements to guarantee efficacy , safety , and reproducibility in traditional and complementary medicine . there are several reasons to choose the jtcm for the publication of your next work . the online submission system is user - friendly , and the manuscript check - list allows for rapid management of the manuscript . we offer the open access service to enhance the diffusion of the papers published , and we do not apply any publication fee for this service . to keep the scientific community informed on our latest publications , we will send a regular e - alert of the table of contents ( an email with the list of the articles published in the journal ) of the current jtcm issue to all iatcm members and registered readers ( you can request the service through the function  subscribe to new volume alerts  on elsevier sciencedirect ) . the editors realize the importance of a timely publication , which keeps the readers updated with the latest discoveries and is useful for authors as they apply for academic promotion or for funding support . therefore , the jtcm promotes the e - pub ahead - of - print ( also called articles in press  ) of the article within ten days of acceptance and after the authors have completed all the formalities required by the publisher ( such as signing the copyright forms and proofreading ) . finally , we offer the cover of the current issue for the most significant ( and beautiful ) image of the published work . reviewers are recruited by the associate editor ( ae ) and offer their assistance to assess the value of a manuscript on a voluntary basis . the reviewer must have no conflict of interest with the author(s ) and are required to adhere to ethical guidelines that mandate strict confidentiality about the content of the manuscript . the reviewers are responsible for assessing the manuscript , and must be rigorous in judging the originality and appropriateness of the methods . further , reviewers are asked to provide the authors with constructive criticisms to help them to improve their work . reviewers who wish to submit their own work to the jtcm should mention in the cover letter the services they have provided for the journal in order to benefit a fast - track reviewing process . if you want to become a jtcm reviewer , please contact our managing editor ( dr chia - chi huang ) at jtcm.me777@gmail.com . you may also join iatcm and express your willingness to be included in the database of potential reviewers . the editor - in - chief and vice editor - in - chief ( hereafter , the editors ) realize that reviewers and aes devote much of their time to the assessment of a manuscript . their objective evaluation of the manuscript is of paramount importance to decide whether the manuscript deserves a possible publication . the final decision is made by the editor - in - chief ( who may consult with the vice editor - in - chief ) based on the ae 's recommendation . the editors also realize that manuscript authors are eager to be informed of the decision and comments on their paper in a very short time . the editors , therefore , aim to provide the manuscript authors with a timely review and speedy publication . in order to speed up the reviewing process and to facilitate the objective judgment of the publication suitability of the manuscript , we have arranged a form called an  overall evaluation sheet  ( oes ) in which each single important parameter is scored with a value ranging from 0 ( for  not at all  ) to 3 ( for  high  ) . the oes is attached in appendix 2 and can be downloaded from the website of the journal . it is apparent from the evaluation score the importance we give to the originality of the work and the methodology used . observational studies , repetitive studies , studies whose rationale is not based on solid scientific grounds , and studies employing methods that do not comply with scientific standards for reproducibility and reliability are unlikely to be considered for peer review . in addition , we provide a transparent , friendly , rigorous , constructive , and rapid review of manuscripts . we strive to make a first decision within six weeks of the initial submission . for invited reviews , we can make a decision within two to three weeks following the submission , calling upon editorial board members ( ebms ) for the reviewing process . authors can suggest up to five reviewers , and may attach to the manuscript the oes scored by the reviewers of their choice . the oes with the scores of all sections and the final score is published online along with the manuscript . note that the comments to authors and editors remain confidential , and the identity of the reviewers will not be disclosed . , the ae and/or the editor - in - chief or the vice editor - in - chief will further assess the manuscript . reviewers will provide constructive criticisms in a friendly , communicative form in order to help the authors improve their work . associate editor ( ae ) and editorial board members ( ebm ) , listed at http://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-traditional-and-complementary-medicine/editorial-board/ , help the editors in selecting the highest quality papers for publication in the jtcm . the aes and ebms are asked to recruit and oversee appropriate peer reviewers for the manuscript who are experts in the field , and to provide the editors with a recommendation for rejection , revision , or publication . we are making every effort to implement the list of experts in order to offer aes a wide range of potential reviewers . in addition , aes and ebms are responsible for soliciting the reviewers ' report in due time . the aes and ebms may themselves read and assess the manuscript , and in some cases this is in fact advisable . this is particularly required especially if reviewers ' reports are contrasting , or if both reviewers propose acceptance with no or minor revisions . aes and ebms can make a recommendation based on the score system of the oes . the aes and ebms are invited by the editor - in - chief and are appointed for an initial term of three years . the aes and ebms are selected based on their renowned expertise in the field , as witnessed by their publication record of articles published in peer - reviewed journals . the aes and ebms are required to be members of the iatcm and to attend the international conference of traditional and complementary medicine on health ( ictcmh ) , during which occasion the editorial board gathers to discuss strategies to improve the journal . the ictcmh 2015 was held in taipei in october 2427th , 2015 ( see the conference report in this issue ) . the aes and ebms should promote the jtcm , as a reference journal in the field of traditional and complementary medicine , during any occasion and event and in their own institution . to this end , they shall also solicit the submission of papers from their colleagues . in addition , aes and ebms are required to directly contribute to the success of the jtcm by submitting their own work to the journal . in particular , aes and ebms should contribute with at least a review ( or mini - review ) and a research article ( or short - communication ) during their tenure on the editorial board . despite the workload , the editors are considering reshaping the composition of the editorial board in order to include active members who can provide expertise in all fields of traditional and complementary medicine , and who can assure their constant contribution to the journal . you may propose your candidature to join the editorial board to the editor - in - chief if , apart from being an expert in the field and an active author , you meet one or more of the following criteria : 1 . you have served as a reviewer for the jtcm for at least five years ; 2 . you have contributed to the jtcm with at least two reviews ( or mini - reviews ) and three original papers . only papers that fit into the scope of the journal ( see section 1.1 ) can be considered for peer review . before submitting a manuscript authors should keep in mind that the jtcm is willing to publish only papers of high quality , and that reviewers and editors will pay attention to the originality of the message and the methods employed . we encourage authors to regularly read the articles published in the jtcm and to refer to them whenever it is appropriate . to help authors , a  checklist  is provided on the online submission platform . in order to speed up the reviewing process , authors should :- indicate the field / topic of interest - suggest one or two appropriate ae experts in that field - suggest up to five potential reviewers ( experts in the field with no conflict of interest)-ask two or three reviewers to pre - assess the manuscript by filling out the section 1.1 of the oes and attach these documents to the cover letter along with contact details of the potential reviewers . the editor may or may not contact one or more of these reviewers and ask for a thorough assessment of the manuscript by filling out all sections of the oes , including the  specific comments to authors and to editors . indicate the field / topic of interest suggest one or two appropriate ae experts in that field suggest up to five potential reviewers ( experts in the field with no conflict of interest ) ask two or three reviewers to pre - assess the manuscript by filling out the section 1.1 of the oes and attach these documents to the cover letter along with contact details of the potential reviewers . the editor may or may not contact one or more of these reviewers and ask for a thorough assessment of the manuscript by filling out all sections of the oes , including the  specific comments to authors and to editors . in the interest of the scientific community and of patients , the jtcm acknowledges the need for the rigorous scientific testing of the validity of cam practices . to this end , the jtcm will only publish papers of high quality that report experimental investigations on the effectiveness of cam treatments in clinical studies , animal experiments , and in  vivo / in  vitro disease models . emphasis will be given to the pathophysiological basis and the  cellular - molecular mechanisms that underlie the beneficial effects of traditional and complementary medicine . the journal 's editorial office offers an efficient , constructive , and friendly  ( though rigorous ) peer review evaluation of the manuscript .
non - conventional medical practices that make use of dietary supplements , herbal extracts , physical manipulations , and other practices typically associated with folk and traditional medicine are increasingly becoming popular in western countries . 
 these practices are commonly referred to by the generic , all - inclusive term  complementary and alternative medicine . 
 scientists , practitioners , and medical institutions bear the responsibility of testing and proving the effectiveness of these non - conventional medical practices in the interest of patients . in this context 
 , the number of peer - reviewed journals and published articles on this topic has greatly increased in the recent decades . in this editorial article 
 , we illustrate the policy of the journal of traditional and complementary medicine for publishing solid and scientifically sound papers in the field of traditional and complementary medicine .