 Dear students, in this module we are going to discuss Quackery and Integrative Health Care System as an Alternative Medicine. Alternative medicine refers to the practices that are outside of the mainstream of conventional medicine system. Examples of alternative medicine include acupuncture, herbal medicine, meditation and spiritual healing. The use of alternative medicine has grown in popularity in recent years, driven in part by dissatisfaction with the high costs and side effects of conventional or cosmopolitan medical system. For example, we see that there are many medical systems in Pakistan as well. These are not only cosmopolitan or English medical systems. In fact, along with this, we have a homeopathic medical system as well. Similarly, there is wisdom. Along with this, there is a spiritual healing system in which the people who are suffering are also present as an alternative medical system, which we call spiritual healers. So, in this way, this is a mosaic of different medical systems and other medical cultures. And because of these, the alternative options, why do people go towards them? What are the factors that make them trust the English or cosmopolitan medical system rather than their alternatives? It's a very interesting aspect to discover through sociological lens. So, however, many alternative practices have not been rigorously tested or proven effective and some may even be harmful. Integrative medicine seeks to combine conventional and alternative approaches to healthcare in a holistic and evidence-based manner. Because they are not scientifically proven, they do not have legitimacy or credibility of the cosmopolitan medical system. And the reason for this kind of medical system is always discouraged. Scientifically speaking, the societies or countries, especially the governments, their preference is that the healthcare system for people is based on cosmopolitan medicine so that people are more effective and more holistic and evidence-based medical through the healing process. Because people have the biggest issue of affordability and access therefore people also go towards these alternative medical systems. So, examples of alternative and integrative medicine in Pakistan can include the use of ayurvedic and homeopathic medicine and the integration of acupuncture into the conventional medical practices. So, it's a food for thought for you to see how it is blended, how it divides into an integrated healthcare system in Pakistan and what are the factors for people who prefer to leave one medical system and go towards another medical system. And especially, it is necessary to see what are the key characteristics of those people especially the demographic characteristics. That is how people go towards the alternative medical system. They are urbanized, ruralized, educated, uneducated, which class they belong to. All these factors that these are interesting to be understood from sociological point of view.