Adhering to the same high standards of investigation used by mainstream medical science, Jane Brody, Denise Grady, and the reporters of The New York Times take a hard look at the products, the research -- and the scams. They reveal the facts about unregulated dietary supplements, interactions between herbal and prescription medicines, and the many theories about the power of the mind over physical ailments. They evaluate claims about popular remedies like echinacea, ginkgo, and St. John's wort, and review the increasing body of scientific data on alternative treatments, including critical government case studies.