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How Should we Research Unconventional Therapies? A Panel Report from the Conference on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research Methodology, National Institutes of Health

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2009

Andrew Vickers ,
Barrie Cassileth ,
Edzard Ernst ,
Peter Fisher ,
Peter Goldman ,
Wayne Jonas ,
Sung-Keel Kang ,
George Lewith ,
Ken Schulz  and
Chris Silagy
Andrew Vickers
Affiliation:
Research Council for Complementary Medicine
Barrie Cassileth
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina
Edzard Ernst
Affiliation:
University of Exeter
Peter Fisher
Affiliation:
Royal London Homeopathic Hospital
Peter Goldman
Affiliation:
Harvard School of Public Health
Wayne Jonas
Affiliation:
National Institutes of Health
Sung-Keel Kang
Affiliation:
College of Oriental Medicine
George Lewith
Affiliation:
University of Southhampton
Ken Schulz
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Chris Silagy
Affiliation:
Flinders University of South Australia
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Abstract

Research in unconventional medicine requires a number of different questions to build up a “mosaic” of evidence. Choice of research design depends on the question being asked and is independent of the therapy under investigation. Despite the doubts of some practitioners, randomized trials are of value for determining certain questions in alternative medicine.

Type
General Essays
Information
International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , Winter 1997 , pp. 111 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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