The political debate on complementary and alternative medicine in Spain at the interface of science, politics and society (1979-2018)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the construction processes of political discourses on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the Spanish context through the analysis of linguistic terms and narratives used in the parliamentary activity to make reference to this heterogeneous set of treatments, techniques and products throughout the period 1979-2018. For this purpose, we build upon the theoretical framework of coproductionism, developed in the field of Social Studies of Science by Sheila Jasanoff (2004). Through the application of content analysis and discourse analysis, the evolution of political attention to the issue is traced, the lexical-semantic implications of the terminology are mapped and the narratives are identified in the Spanish political sphere. According to the results, the parliamentary activity was mainly focused on controlling the Government in power and, to a much lesser extent, on the submission of proposals. Most of the discussed initiatives addressing the relationship between CAM and conventional medicine were launched from a pluralistic approach. However, as of 2017 there was a turning point towards oppositionist positions evidenced by the use of the terms ‘pseudosciences‘ and ‘pseudo therapies‘, and narratives emphasizing the safety of patients and the notion of victim. The difficulties of regulating CAM and the relevance of scientific knowledge were evidenced by the continued demand for expert advice.