Research Updates: alternative medicine

CURLIN and COLLEAGUES,  MacLean Center for Medical Ethics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. fcurlin@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu conducted a national postal survey to compare the religious attitudes of various types of Physicians, including general Internists, Rheumatologists, Naturopaths and Acupuncturists and study associations between their religious attitudes and openness toward Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). ... more

KNOX and COLLEAGUES,  Unit for Studies of Integrative Health Care, Division of Nursing, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden explores the regulation of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and uses Swedish policy to bring to light paradoxes between CAM policies and CAM practice. ... more

BEN-ARYE and COLLEAGUES,  Complementary and Traditional Medicine Unit, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. eranben@netvision.net.il studied the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a primary care practice in Israel. ... more

DOWNEY and COLLEAGUES,  Department of Health Services, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. ldowney@u.washington.edu  researched the effects of massage and meditation upon patient benefit and quality of life. ... more

LICHTENBERG and COLLEAGUES,  Department of Psychiatry, Herzog Memorial Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel conducted a study to determine if shiatsu can provide clinical benefit to individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia. ... more

BEN-ARYE and FRENKEL,  Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.  eranben@netvision.net.il developed a tool to assist physicians in deciding whether to refer patients to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners. ... more

SHIH and COLLEAGUES,  Center for Health Policy Research and Development, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan Town, Miaoli County, Taiwan. annsshih@nhri.org.tw  studied, using Taiwan's health care system and comprehensive insurance program the use and frequency of complementary medicine. ... more

SMITH and COLLEAGUES, Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1161, USA. bwsmith@unm.edu  studied characteristics associated with the willingness to use complementary and alternative (CAM) medicine. ... more

BRIGGS and  NAHIN, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCAAM), NIH, Bethesda, MD conducted a national health survey in 2007 regarding expenditure for complementary and alternative medicines in the USA. ... more

GRZYWACZ  and COLLEAGUES,  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. grzywacz@wfubmc.edu analyzed whether differences in the use of conventional medical care by users and nonusers of specific CAM therapies varied by age and ethnicity. ... more

SCHWARZ and COLLEAGUES,  Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, J 5, Mannheim 68159, Germany. st_schwarz@hotmail.com  analyzed characteristics, motivation, and effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine in a large sample of people with multiple sclerosis. ... more

Bucker B and colleagues,  Institute of Social Medicine, Medical University Lubeck, Germany evaluated the patterns of use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) in a representative adult population in Germany. ... more

SIROIS and colleagues, Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada. fsirois@uwindsor.ca , have investigated physician availability and patients' motivation for choosing CAM treatments. ... more

COULTER, Samueli Institute, UCLA School of Dentistry, RAND, Santa Monica, Southern California University of Health Sciences, Corona del Mar, CA 92625, USA. coulter@rand.org looked at the experiences of establishing a centre for evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine (EBCAM). ... more

Sawni A and  Thomas R, Department of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201-2119, USA asawni@med.wayne.edu assessed Paediatricians' attitudes toward and practice of Complementary/Alternative Medicine (CAM) including their knowledge, experience and referral patterns for CAM therapies. ... more

ARTUS and COLLEAGUES, Primary Care Musculoskeletal Research Centre, Keele University, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, UK m.artus@cphc.keele.ac.uk investigated the use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients suffering pain in the UK. ... more

SARNAT and COLLEAGUES, Alternative Medicine Integration Group, LP, Highland Park, Ill 60035, USA. rsarnat@amibestmed.com  analyzed clinical and cost utilization data for an integrative medicine physician association (IPA) over several years.
OBJECTIVE: Our initial report analyzed clinical and cost utilization data from the years 1999 to 2002 for an integrative medicine independent physician association (IPA) whose primary care physicians (PCPs) were exclusively doctors of chiropractic. This report updates the subsequent utilization data from the IPA for the years 2003 to 2005 and includes first-time comparisons in data points among PCPs of different licensures who were oriented toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). ... more

ERCI, Nursing of School, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey,  behiceerci@hotmail.com, has surveyed attitudes towards CAM therapies in Turkey. ... more

GRZYWACZ and colleagues, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1084, USA,  grzywacz@wfubmc.edu, have explored connections between age, ethnicity and use of CAM therapies. ... more

MEHTA and co-authors, Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Osher Institute, Harvard Medical School, 401 Park Drive, Suite 22-A West, Boston, MA 02215, USA,  Darshan_Mehta@hms.harvard.edu, have surveyed the use of CAM therapies by Asian Americans. ... more

NEDROW and co-workers, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Portland, OR 97239, USA, have surveyed the attitudes of health care students towards CAM. ... more

SMITH and others, Department of Defense Center for Deployment Health Research at the Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, USA, smith@nhrc.navy.mil, have surveyed the use of CAM therapies among US military personnel. ... more

FRENKEL and others, The Complementary and Traditional Medicine Unit, Department of Family Medicine, The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, The Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel, mfrenkel@mdanderson.org, have studied ways of educating CAM therapists about integrative medicine. ... more

STRANDBERG and others, Lund University, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmo, Family Medicine, Malmo University Hospital, SE-205 02, Malmo, Sweden, eva-lena.strandberg@ltblekinge.se, have studied what the word ‘holistic’ means to doctors and nurses in Sweden. ... more

TURNER and co-authors, Research Council for Complementary Medicine, UK, have written about the importance of environment and practitioner presentation for the therapeutic relationship. ... more

HAMRE and co-authors, Institute for Applied Epistemology and Medical Methodology, Freiburg, Germany, harald.hamre@ifaemm.de, have studied Eurhythmy therapy in chronic disease. ... more

PELLEGRINI and RUGGERI, Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanita Pubblica, Sezione di Psichiatria e Psicologia Clinica, Universita di Verona, WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Mental Health and Service Evaluation, Italy, have systematically reviewed (79 references) the use of CAM therapies among users of mental health services. ... more

SIERPINA and co-authors, Family Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, School of Medicine, Galveston, Texas 77555-1123, USA, vssierpi@utmb.edu, have reviewed (36 references) an integrative curriculum for health professionals after five years.

Abstract: The authors describe the process by which a curriculum was developed to introduce complementary and alternative medicine topics at multiple levels from health professional students to faculty, as part of a five-year project, at the University of Texas Medical Branch from 2001 to 2005. The curriculum was based on four educational goals that embrace effective communication with patients, application of sound evidence, creation of patient-centred therapeutic relationships, and development of positive perspectives on wellness.. The authors analyze the complex and challenging process of gaining acceptance for the curriculum and implementing it in the context of existing courses and programs. The developmental background and context of this curricular innovation is described. The authors hold that successful curricular change in medical schools must follow sound educational development principles. A well-planned process of integration is particularly important when introducing a pioneering curriculum into an academic health centre. The process at this institution followed six key principles for successful accomplishment of curriculum change: leadership, cooperative climate, participation by organization members, politics, human resource development, and evaluation. The authors provide details about six analogous elements used to design and sustain the curriculum: collaboration, communication, demonstration, evaluation, evolution, and dissemination. ... more

OH and co-workers, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, have studied the research trends in CAM.
Background: The aim of this study was to describe the research trends of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Korea and internationally. ... more

WILSON and co-authors, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, have studied the prevalence of CAM use in children in Christchurch, New Zealand. ... more

THACHIL and co-authors, Kings College London, Section of Cultural Psychiatry, HSRD, PO: 25, Institute of Psychiatry, DeCrespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK,  afthachil@yahoo.co.uk, have reviewed (55 references) the evidence base for CAM therapies in depression. ... more

CHATERJI and others, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA , have surveyed the attitudes of medical students towards complementary and alternative medicine. ... more

FONNEBO and co-authors, National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tromso, N-9037 TROMSO, Norway,  Vinjar.Fonnebo@fagmed.uit.no, have investigated the strengths and weaknesses of conventional medical research strategies when applied to CAM therapies.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the strengths and weaknesses of conventional biomedical research strategies and methods as applied to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), and to suggest a new research framework for assessing these treatment modalities.
There appears to be a gap between published studies showing little or no efficacy of CAM, and reports of substantial clinical benefit from patients and CAM practitioners. This "gap" might be partially due to the current focus on placebo-controlled randomized trials, which are appropriately designed to answer questions about the efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical agents. In an attempt to fit this assessment strategy, complex CAM treatment approaches have been dissected into standardized and often simplified treatment methods, and outcomes have been limited. Unlike conventional medicine, CAM has no regulatory or financial gatekeeper controlling their therapeutic "agents" before they are marketed. Treatments may thus be in widespread use before researchers know of their existence. In addition, the treatments are often provided as an integrated 'whole system' of care, without careful consideration of the safety issue. The authors propose a five-phase strategy for assessing CAM built on the acknowledgement of the inherent, unique aspects of CAM treatments and their regulatory status in most Western countries. These phases comprise:
1. Context, paradigms, philosophical understanding and utilization
2. Safety status
3. Comparative effectiveness.
4. Component efficacy
5. Biological mechanisms.
Using the proposed strategy will generate evidence relevant to clinical practice, while acknowledging the absence of regulatory and financial gatekeepers for CAM. It will also emphasize the important but subtle differences between CAM and conventional medical practice. ... more

LIND and colleagues, University of Washington, Seattle, and Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, USA,  bonnielind@boisestate.edu, have analyzed the use of CAM therapies by patients suffering from fibromyalgia. ... more

SHMUELI and SHUVAL, Israel, have studied the satisfaction of CAM users with their GPs. ... more

VOTOVA and WISTER, Department of Sociology, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada, have explored the use of CAM as self-care. ... more

BUSATO and others, Institute for Evaluative Research in Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Bern, Stauffacherstrasse 78, CH-3014 Bern, Switzerland, have analyzed the expenditure to health insurances by CAM therapies. ... more

LEWITH and colleagues have written about the development of research capacity for CAM.

Abstract: This article describes initiatives that have been central to the development of complementary and alternative medicine research capacity in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States over the last decade. While education and service delivery are essential parts of the development of CAM, this article focuses solely on the development of research strategy. The development of CAM research has been championed by both patients and politicians, primarily so that we may better understand the popularity and apparent effectiveness of these therapies and support integration of safe and effective CAM in health care. The authors hope that the perspective provided by this article will inform future research policy. ... more

MAXION-BERGMANN and co-authors, PanMedion Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland, have reviewed the cost of complementary and alternative therapies. ... more

LIND and co-workers, University of Washington, Seattle, and Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, USA, have analyzed the use of CAM therapies by patients with fibromyalgia. ... more

CRUMLEY, HealthInfo & Searching Practice Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, ecrumley@telus.net, has explored the role of librarians and health care professional involved with CAM therapies. ... more

HARRIGAN  and colleagues, Department of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawai’i, 651 Ilalo Street, MEB Honolulu, HI 96813, USA, harrigan@hawaii.edu, have surveyed the use of CAM therapies in Hawaii. ... more

HOENDERS and co-workers, GGZ Winschoten en de Vrije Universteit in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, have surveyed the use of CAM therapies in the Netherlands. ... more

BUSATO and co-workers, Clinical Epidemiology and HTA, University of Bern, Institute for Evaluative Research in Orthopaedic Surgery, Bern, Switzerland, andre.busato@memcenter.unibe.ch, have compared patients in conventional and complementary medicine. ... more

BUSATO and colleagues, Clinical Epidemiology and HTA, University of Bern, Institute for Evaluative Research in Orthopaedic Surgery, Bern, Switzerland, andre.busato@memcenter.unibe.ch, have studied the use of health care in complementary and conventional primary care in Switzerland. ... more

FLANNERY and others, University of Kentucky, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA, have studied communication about CAM therapies by primary care clinicians.             ... more

VLIEGER and co-workers, St Antonius Ziekenhuis, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands, a.vlieger@antonius.net, have investigated the use of CAM in children.    ... more

MOEBUS and co-workers, Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany, susanne.moebus@uni-essen.de, have studied the levels of sick leave in patients with chronic illness who receive CAM therapies. ... more

HUNTLEY, Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, Exeter, UK, has reviewed (40 references) the evidence for CAM therapies in Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Abstract: The role of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the management of MS symptoms lies in palliative care: this is borne out by the popularity of such therapies among people with MS. This article describes some of the major complementary and alternative therapies used to treat MS symptoms and whether their use is supported by evidence from randomized controlled trials. For the vast majority of complementary and alternative regimens researched, there are only one or two trials per therapy. Thus, it is difficult to recommend any specific modality. Several trials have investigated linoleic acid and its derivatives, magnetic field therapy and cannabis extracts. All three approaches appear to be of use in ameliorating MS symptoms but more research is needed. Other issues that should be considered by MS patients when taking a complementary or alternative therapy are discussed. ... more

LONROTH and EKHOLM, Videns- og Forskningscenter for Alternativ Behandling (ViFAB), Arhus, Denmark, have surveyed the use of CAM therapies in Denmark.       ... more

MOEBUS and co-workers, Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany, have analyzed the impact of complementary and alternative therapies on sick-leave in chronically ill patients.       ... more

LAFFERTY and co-workers, Department of Health Services, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Box 357660, Seattle, WA 98195, USA, have investigated how people with health insurance use complementary and alternative medicine. ... more

GARROW and EGEDE, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon St., Suite 403, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA, have investigated the use of CAM by patients with diabetes. ... more

LONROTH and EKHOLM, Videns- og Forskningscenter for Alternativ Behandling (ViFAB), Arhus, Denmark, have surveyed the use of CAM therapies in Denmark and the motivations of users. ... more

HANA and colleagues, Quality Improvement Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel, have surveyed the use of CAM therapies by cancer patients in Israel. ... more

SCOTT and others, Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland FK9 4LA, UK, julia.scott@stir.ac.uk, have surveyed the use of complementary and alternative medicine amongst cancer patients in the UK. ... more

MIZRACHI and SHUVAL, The Gershon H. Gordon Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, P.O.B. 39040, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel, nissimm@post.tau.ac.il, have investigated the mechanisms by which conventional scientific medicine absorbs complementary and alternative medicine. ... more

WILSON and colleagues, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, kumanan.wilson@uhn.on.ca, have characterized the children and adolescents who attend a naturopathic clinic in Canada. ... more

TINDLE and co-workers, Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Osher Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Osher Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, have discussed the trends in the use of CAM therapies by American adults. ... more

UPCHURCH and CHYU, UCLA School of Public Health, University of California-Los Angeles, 650 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1722, USA, upchurch@ucla.edu, have assessed the use of complementary and alternative therapies by American women. ... more

WAHNER-ROEDLER and colleagues, Department of Internal Medicine and Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA, wahnerroedler.dietlind@mayo.edu, have reported on the use of complementary and alternative therapies by patients with fibromyalgia. ... more

HULME and LONG, Health Care Practice R&D Unit, University of Salford, Frederick Road Campus, UK, c.t.hulme@salford.ac.uk, have reviewed (51 references) economic evaluation of complementary and alternative medicine. ... more

RASCHETTI and co-authors, Center of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy, roras@iss.it, have reviewed (21 references) complementary and alternative medicine in the scientific literature. ... more

HONDA and JACOBSON, Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA, h2086@columbia.edu, have looked at the relationship between the use of complementary and alternative medicine and the psychological profile of patients. ... more

TINDLE and co-workers, Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Osher Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, have described trends in the use of complementary and alternative medicine in the USA between 1997 and 2002. ... more

WAHNER-ROEDLER and colleagues, Department of Internal Medicine and Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn 55905, USA, wahnerroedler.dietlind@mayo.edu, have investigated the use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients with fibromyalgia. ... more

HAMMER and JONAS, International Peace and Conflict Resolution Program, School of International Service, American University, Washington DC, USA, have studied the management of conflict in complementary and alternative medicine research in the case of the antineoplastons trial. ... more

ZICK and BENN, University of Michigan, Department of Family Medicine, CAM Research Center, USA, have designed a course to teach complementary practitioners about scientific research methodology. Abstract: Complementary and alternative medicine providers typically don't have the knowledge to develop rigorous scientific research proposals. In order to ameliorate this situation, the authors have developed and implemented a 7-week course for CAM practitioners aimed at teaching them to understand scientific terminology and trial design, to be able to critically evaluate scientific literature, and to design a pilot study in areas of their interest. This article describes the design of the course and evaluation results. Suggestions are offered to enhance the scientific competence of CAM practitioners and make them more able to access research funds and carry out effective and credible research. ... more

GUTHLIN and colleagues, Department of Evaluation Research in Complementary Medicine, Institute of Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology, Freiburg University Hospital, Hugstetter Str. 55, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany, guethlin@ukl.uni-freiburg.de, have measured the effects of acupuncture and homeopathy in general practice. ... more

MACKERETH, Rehabilitation Unit, Christie Hospital, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK, has reported on the complementary therapy service at an NHS hospital in Manchester. Abstract: The Christie Hospital started providing complementary therapies 7 years ago and has greatly expanded this offer in the last 3 years. Patients can choose complementary treatments in addition to their regular care. A complementary therapy team of 15 persons provides back and head massage, reflexology, and other treatments. The team has now won the highly prestigious Prince of Wales Award for good practice in integrated healthcare jointly with the Gateway Clinic at Lambeth Hospital. ... more

CLARKE and colleagues, School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK, have researched the process of regulation and professionalization of complementary and alternative medicine in the UK. Abstract: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has seen increasing regulation and professionalization in the UK since the Parliamentary Inquiry in 2000. Professionalization is high on the agenda of CAM professional associations and is driven by concern over the interests of patients and consumers, and in relation to the possible integration of certain forms of CAM into publicly funded healthcare. This paper draws on research into practitioner associations representing nine CAM modalities in the UK: aromatherapy, Chinese herbal medicine, chiropractic, crystal healing, Feng Shui, 'lay' homeopathy, medical homeopathy, osteopathy, and Radionics. The recent wave of professionalization is examined in relation to Foucault's concern with 'techniques of the self.' The contrasting experience of an association of Chinese herbalists seeking statutory self-regulation (SSR) and an association of chiropractors that was instrumental in securing SSR for chiropractic are highlighted. ... more

BARRETT and colleagues, Department of Family Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School, Madison, Wisc. 53715, USA, bbarrett@fammed.wisc.edu, have investigated what complementary practitioners say about health and health care. ... more

LIE and BOKER, Department of Family Medicine and the CAM Education Task Force, College of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, USA, dalie@uci.edu, have developed and validated a CAM Health Belief Questionnaire and used it to survey attitudes among medical students. ... more

LECKRIDGE, Enable Health and Learning Ltd., Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom, bob.leckridge@virgin.net, has reviewed (8 references) the future of alternative and complementary medicine and models of integration. Abstract: The current definitions of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and orthodoxy, which are culturally and politically determined, obscure the debate about holism and integrative care. They give therapies and therapists precedence over patients in the design of health care systems. This paper considers three current models of delivery of CAM and biomedical care. These models are the market model, the regulated model, and the assimilated model. Each of these models is described and consideration is given to likely futures for each of them. A fourth model, the patient centred model, is proposed, which shifts the power from therapists to patients and regulates products and services irrespective of CAM or biomedical definitions. Only this latter model is presented as the one likely to support the development of truly integrated medicine, explicitly for the benefit of patients rather than therapists or industries. ... more

O'BRIEN, Department of Medicine, Monash Medical School, Alfred Hospital, Prahran, VIC, Australia, has commented on the use of complementary and alternative medicine in Australia and its move into mainstream health care. Abstract: the use of CAM in Australia is extensive with over 50% of the population using a form of CAM and almost 25% visiting CAM practitioners. The range of therapies used is extremely broad. CAM practices may offer the potential for substantial public health gains and challenge the way that we view human beings, health, and illness. Some issues are emerging that need to be addressed. These include the safety of remedies used, the integration of CAM with conventional medicine and issues of professional standards. The evidence base of different therapies varies considerably. Some forms of CAM have developed systematically over thousands of years while others have developed much more recently and have a less convincing evidence base. Increasingly there are good scientific studies being performed on CAM therapies. It is important to keep an open mind about CAM and give proper scrutiny to new evidence as it emerges. ... more

SIMON and colleagues, Center for Health Studies, Group Health Cooperative, Seattle, WA, USA, simon.g@ghc.org, have studied visits of mental health patients to complementary and alternative practitioners. ... more

BENSOUSSAN and co-workers, The Centre for Complementary Medicine Research, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, Australia, a.bensoussan@uws.edu.au, have surveyed the practice of naturopathic and Western herbal medicine in Australia. ... more

CURTIS and HURTAK, The Academy of Future Science, Los Gatos, CA, USA, brucedcurtis@earthlink.net, have reviewed (77 references) consciousness and quantum information processing to uncover the foundation of a medicine of light. Abstract: In recent years, much work has been done to elucidate biophotonic processes in humans. This paper suggests that the way biophysical light interacts with the human self-organization of information is a multidimensional process that may be achieved by means of molecular, metabolic, or neural communication. These systems may merge as mobile energy relay systems similar to what is seen as Qi process on acupuncture. The result would be a 'holomovement' that seeks to confirm itself and increasingly retrieves and uses only the information that serves its exchanges with the environment. This multilevel process can be seen as a foundation for a Medicine of Light, integrating hidden variables in consciousness studies with functional differentiation and new findings in biological sciences. ... more

REIN, Quantum Biology Research Lab, Northport, NY 11768, USA, grein@estee.com, reviews (109 references) bioinformation within the bioenergy field. Abstract: This paper extends previous scientific definitions of the bioenergy field ('The Aura') to include non-classical and quantum energy fields. The biofield is defined in terms of its functional property to act as a resonance target for external forms of energy, for instance those used as treatment modalities in energy medicine. The functional role of the biofield in the body's innate self-healing mechanisms is proposed, based on the concept of bioinformation which, mediated by consciousness, functions globally at a quantum level to supply coherence, phase, spin, and pattern information to regulate and heal all physiological processes. With the help of this model, it becomes possible to interpret a variety of anomalies reported in the scientific literature that cannot be accounted for within traditional biophysics and bioelectromagnetics. ... more

SCHWARTZ and others, Center for Frontier Medicine in Biofield Science and Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AR 85719, USA, gschwart@u.arizona,edu, have measured people's ability to detect bioenergetic fields in response to training. ... more

WOLSKO and colleagues, Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA, pwolsko@hms.harvard.edu, have surveyed the use of mind-body medical therapies in the USA. ... more

CHO and TSAY, Department of Nursing, National Taiwan Institute of Nursing, report on a randomized trial on the effects of acupressure with massage on fatigue and depression in patients with kidney disease. ... more

WALLMAN and co-workers, School of Human Movement and Exercise Science, University of Western Australia, Stirling Highway, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia, kwallman@cyllene.uwa.edu.au, have tested a programme of graded exercise in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. ... more

BRUNELLI and GORSON, Division of Neurology, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, 736 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02135, USA, have surveyed the use of complementary and alternative medicines by patients with peripheral neuropathy. ... more

VEAL, Urarstekkur 5, 109, Reykjavik, Iceland, lowanaveal@hotmail.com, has reviewed (11 references) the problem of misleading information in alternative and complementary medicine research. Abstract: Orthodox medical practitioners usually demand evidence in the form of randomized controlled trials before accepting the value of complementary or alternative therapies. Yet many such trials are carried out by medical doctors or scientists and therefore often poorly executed. In addition, peer reviewers for conventional medical journals may not have the knowledge required to assess a paper on complementary or alternative medicine properly. This article discusses inadequacies typically found in controlled trials and other research papers related to complementary or alternative therapies, and pinpoints how research should be critically evaluated and reviewed. Examples are taken from aromatherapy, herbalism, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, and homeopathy. The aim is to highlight common misunderstandings and misguided assumptions that may arise when research in the field of complementary and alternative medicine is undertaken, and to show how this may result in erroneous conclusions being drawn from data and have far reaching consequences for clinical practice. ... more

AUNG, Alberta Medical Clinic, 9904 106 Street, Edmonton, AB T5K 1C4, Canada, proposes that loving kindness is the essential Buddhist contribution to primary care. Abstract: Loving kindness (metta), a traditional Buddhist concept, implies acting with compassion towards all living beings, with an awareness and appreciation of the natural world. The giving of metta has the potential to enhance modern primary health care. Metta must be given with selflessness (saydana), compassion (karuna), and sympathetic joy (mudita). The Buddhist system features several techniques, such as the Noble Eight-Fold-Path and the metta meditations, to keep physicians moving towards metta. One does not have to be a Buddhist to practise metta, or more humane medicine, and the notion of tender loving care in spreading in biomedical circles. ... more

WILSON and co-workers, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont. M5G 2C4, Canada, kumanan.wilson@uhn.on.ca, have conducted a survey of attitudes towards childhood vaccinations amongst Canadian naturopathy students. ... more

BETTS, Birmingham University Seizure Clinic, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham B15 2QZ, UK, t.a.betts@bhem.ac.uk, has published the results of a follow-up study on the use of aromatherapy in the treatment of intractable epilepsy. ... more

DAVIDSON and colleagues, School of Nursing, Family and Community Health (SNFCH), College of Social and Health Sciences (CSHS), University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia, have reviewed (68 references) Traditional Chinese Medicine and heart disease. ... more

GALLOB, University of Rochester School of Nursing, Loving Touch Center of East Rochester, NY, USA, has reviewed (13 references) the literature on Reiki. Abstract: Reiki is a form of energetic healing that is uniquely suited to nursing practice. Reiki training offers a precise technique for tapping into healing energy, or ki, and transmitting it through touch. Reiki treatments support the wellbeing and healing process of each individual patient in whatever way the patient needs, on all levels of body, mind and soul. Relaxation, pain relief, physical healing, reduced emotional distress, and a deepened awareness of spiritual connection are among the benefits that have been reported in case studies, anecdotes, and exploratory research. Reiki is easily adaptable to any setting and provides support and healing for the practitioner as well as for the recipient. ... more

CREAMER and colleagues, Complementary Medicine Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA, report on a pilot study of non-pharmacological intervention in fibromyalgia. ... more

BREFEL-COURBON and colleagues, Service de Pharmacologie Clinique, Laboratoire de Medecine Thermale, University Hospital, Toulouse, France, brefel@cict.fr have conducted a trial of spa therapy in Parkinson's disease. ... more

HOLLIDAY, Department of Public and Social Administration, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong, ian.holliday@cityu.edu.hk, writes about traditional medicines in modern societies, exploring integration options from East Asian experience. Abstract: The World Health Organization's first global strategy on traditional and alternative medicine from May 2002 recommends integration of conventional medicine with complementary and alternative therapies. However experience from East Asia shows that such integration can take different forms. This article categorizes these forms, identifying three types of integration (unification, equalization, and subjugation) and one form of non-integration (marginalization). It marks out a zone of balanced healthcare development cutting across unification and equalization and comprising non-discriminatory treatment of separate but linked sectors of traditional and modern medicine. The article explores arguments for and against state intervention in this zone, and holds that policy should be situated here for medical practices that can meet broadly acceptable professional standards, demonstrate an existing social demand, and generate an adequate supply of qualified practitioners. ... more

THORGRIMSEN and colleagues, No. 2 Cottage, Cotbank of Barras, Stonehaven, UK, AB39 2UH, have reviewed (46 references) aromatherapy for dementia. ... more

LEWIS and co-workers, Center for Palliative Studies, San Diego Hospice, San Diego, California, USA, have reviewed (38 references) the integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) into palliative care. Abstract: In the USA there are 629 million visits to CAM therapists each year. Many people value both CAM and conventional approaches. There is promising evidence that CAM relieves suffering and improves quality of life. Therefore a programme was established known as Integrative Palliative Care (IPC) in a hospice. The strategies for collaborative relationships with community schools of traditional Chinese medicine, massage, and harp therapy are outlined. Volunteers are made use of, and small grants and donations are used to develop and maintain a programme of CAM in the hospice setting. The difficulties of research design, problems with tracking outcomes, and the shortcomings of providing therapies with this model are discussed. ... more

PHIPPS, Division of Behavioral Medicine, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 332 N. Lauderdale, Memphis, TN 38105-2794, USA, sean.phipps@stjude.org, has reviewed (64 references) complementary health promotion interventions in the reduction of distress associated with bone marrow transplants in children. Abstract: Bone marrow transplant remains a prolonged and physically demanding procedure that can produce high levels of distress for patients and their families. The paper reviews work documenting the somatic distress and mood disturbances experienced by children undergoing this procedure and points to the necessity for strategies to reduce it. Research is reviewed to support the potential benefits of a number of complementary therapies (relaxation/imagery; massage; humour therapy; expressive therapies) for the reduction of transplant-related distress. A series of pilot studies are described assessing the outcomes of various such therapies. Based on these pilot studies, massage and humour therapy emerge as most promising and are currently in the randomized clinical trial stage. ... more

RAWLINGS and MEERABEAU, School of Health and Social Care, University of Greenwich, London, UK, report on the implementation of aromatherapy in Nursing and Midwifery. ... more

KELNER and colleagues, Institute for Human Development, Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, ON, Canada, have found that complementary and alternative therapists contemplate the need for research into effectiveness, safety and cost-effectiveness. ... more

SARRELL and co-workers, Pediatric and Adolescent Ambulatory Community Clinic of the General Health Services, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel, have conducted a trial on naturopathic treatment for ear pain in children. ... more

MACKAY, Thorne Research, PO Box 25, Dover, ID 83825, USA, duffy@thorne.com, has reviewed (115 references) complementary and alternative therapies and antibiotic resistance. Abstract: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the consumption of 235 million doses of antibiotics in 2001. It is estimated that about 20% to 25% of these were prescribed unnecessarily, a large proportion of them by paediatricians treating common outpatient infectious diseases. Virtually all important bacterial infections are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is therefore among the CDC's top concerns. The overuse of antibiotics is beginning to be discouraged as scientific evidence is emerging to support the use of other therapies. An emphasis on accurate diagnosis, control of environmental risk factors, and use of complementary and alternative medicine is hoped to lead to a reduction in antibiotic prescribing and thus to a slowing down of the antibiotic resistance process worldwide. ... more

BOON, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, heather.boon@utorotno.ca, reviewed (10 references) the regulation of complementary and alternative medicine from a Canadian perspective. Increased use of CAM therapies in Canada has made the regulation of these practitioners an important issue for Canadian policy makers. Regulatory structures that are difficult to change, fear of adding costs to an under-funded healthcare system, and the lack of internal cohesion of some CAM practitioner groups, all hinder attempts to implement new policies. However there appears to be at present a window of opportunity provided by an environmental health regulations review and public support for regulation. The biggest challenge appears to be the fact that currently in Canada, healthcare providers are regulated by individual provinces. Thus some professions (e.g. Chiropractors) are regulated in all provinces; some (e.g. Herbalists and Homeopaths) are not regulated in all provinces; and some (e.g. Naturopathic practitioners, Acupuncturists, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners) are regulated in some provinces but not in others. The harmonization of regulations and scopes of practice for all CAM practitioners is seen as highly desirable for the future. ... more

EISENBERG and colleagues, Division for Research and Education in Complementary an Integrative Medical Therapies, Osher Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA, Osher_Institute@hms.harvard.edu, review (59 references) the credentialling of complementary and alternative medical practitioners. ... more

MOERMAN, University of Michigan-Dearborn, USA, writes about the ‘meaning response’ and the ethics of avoiding placebos. The concept of the placebo effect is often thought to imply a deception and therefore disparaged and despised. Rethinking this leads to the realization that these benefits flow largely from the meaning given to medical encounters and are therefore far better understood as a ‘meaning response’. There need be no deception involved in eliciting meaning responses, and they are often very desirable and engage fundamental human biological pathways. All this puts the ethical dilemmas around placebo treatments in a new light. It seems unethical to avoid trying to understand more fully how meaning can so profoundly improve human well-being. ... more

POWER and co-workers, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5718, USA, rpower@leland.stanford.edu, review (70 references) the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine in HIV. Outcome studies on the efficacy of complementary and alternative medical (CAM) treatments in people living with HIV-AIDS are often of inferior quality: sample sizes are typically small, there is little follow-up and few time points, participants drop out at high rates. Several studies have been conducted that include control groups, double-blinded designs and randomization. These studies have yielded promising results for CAM treatment of HIV-AIDS, and further research with larger samples in a prospective research design are urgently needed. Many of the small studies reported trends – again, sample sizes need to be increased in order to verify these. The psychological benefits of CAM treatments should not be underestimated; although in this review, psychological outcome measures were disregarded, there is some evidence that reducing depression can decrease HIV-related physical complaints. There is a high prevalence of alternative supplement use amongst patients with HIV-AIDS, indicating a need to understand the health benefits, risks and interactions of these supplements. Health care providers need to be aware of the use of herbal and other alternative health practices of their patients in order to evaluate indications and contraindications. Research trials must include more ethnic minorities and be more gender-balanced. ... more

DUVAL and co-workers, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Quebec, Canada, investigated the effect of Trager therapy on the level of evoked stretch responses in patients with Parkinson’s disease and rigidity . ... more

STEURER-STEY and colleagues, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Policlinic, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, claudia.stey@usz.ch, review (85 references) complementary and alternative medical treatments for asthma. ... more

STUTTART, Department of Nursing, Greenbank Building, University of Central Lancashire, Preston PR1 2HE, UK, writes about working in partnership to develop evidence-based practice within the massage therapy profession. ... more

FURLAN and co-workers, Institute for Work Health, Toronto, Canada, afurlan@iwh.on.ca, review (41 references) the use of massage for low back pain . ... more

LE FOLL and co-workers, Unité de Neurobiologie at Phamracologie Moléculaire de l' INSERM, Centre Paul-Broca, 2ter, rue d'Alésia, 75014 Paris, France, lefoll@broca.inserm.fr, meta-analyze the use of cognitive and behavioural therapy for the cessation of smoking . ... more

QUINN and colleagues, Boulder College of Massage Therapy, 6255 Longbow Drive, Boulder, CO 80301, USA, cquinn@bcmt.org, studied massage therapy and the frequency of tension headaches . ... more

RO and colleagues, College of Nursing, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea, studied the effects of aromatherapy on pruritus [itching] in patients undergoing hemodialysis. ... more

WANG and co-workers, Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA, shu-ming.wang@yale.edu, surveyed the attitudes of patients undergoing surgery towards alternative medical treatment . ... more

SCOENBERGER et al., Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, NJ, USA, E: nancysholland@bellsouth.net, surveyed the opinions and practices of medical rehabilitation professionals regarding prayer and meditation . ... more

WILKINSON et al., Department of Psychology, Tennessee State University, Nashville 37209-1564, USA, E: dswilkinson@mindspring.com, evaluated the clinical effectiveness of healing touch . ... more

RATCLIFFE and colleagues, Health Economics Research Group, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK, jratcliffe@rti.org, carried out a study to investigate the preferences of patients with asthma for characteristics associated with their treatment, and to investigate the extent to which such preferences may differ between patient subgroups. ... more

BRYGGE and colleagues, H:S Rigshospitalet, allergiklinikken, ortopaedkirurgisk afdeling, Koebenhavns Universitet, Biostatistisk Afdeling og oejenpatologisk Institut, Denmark, thorbrygge@dadlnet.dk, studied a group of asthma patients to determine whether reflexology treatment could be of benefit to the condition. ... more

HAID and HUPRIKAR, Northwestern University Medical School, Highland Park, Illinois, USA, investigated whether meditation on the water given to pea or wheat seeds with the intent to either stimulate or inhibit their germination and growth could in fact have actual effects on their germination and/or growth. ... more

LUEDTKE and colleagues, Karl and Veronica Carstens-Stiftung, Essen, Germany, r.luedtke@carstens-stiftung.de, examined the test-retest reliability and validity of kinesiology muscle testing when used as a method of identifying a substance (wasp venom ) known to be an allergen to a particular group of patients. ... more

HEMMILA, Folk Medicine Centre, Kaustinen, Finland, E: heikki.hemmila@pp.fimnet.fi, investigated quality of life, healthcare costs and use and effects of various therapies in patients with chronic back pain . ... more

HOGEBOOM and colleagues, Department of Epidemiology Biostatistics, University of California-San Francisco, 94118, USA, E: hogeboom@dnai.com, assessed the reliability of diagnosis and treatment of chronic low-back pain using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) among acupuncturists. ... more

MCCARNEY and colleagues, Academic Unit, Royal London Homeopathic Hospital, London WC1N 3HR, UK, investigated whether dowsing homeopaths were able to correctly identify a homeopathic remedy using dowsing at a higher rate than would be expected by chance. ... more

BARBOUR, connienp@mindspring.com, investigated the use and effectiveness of alternative/complementary medical treatments for fibromyalgia. ... more

GAY and colleagues, Psychology Department, Universite de Paris X, 200 avenue de la Republique, Nanterre, 92000, France, marieclaire.gay@free.fr, explored the effectiveness of Erikson hypnosis and Jacobson relaxation in helping to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis . ... more

MACKERETH and colleagues, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, reviewed (24 references) recently published papers reporting on research into reflexology and healthcare, with a view to identifying optimal research methodology for future studies. ... more

BROLINSON and colleagues, Sports Care Welltrack, Toledo Hospital, OH 43606, USA, aimed to identify nurses' perceptions of the effectiveness and safety of complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies, as well as their recommendations for and personal use of such therapies. ... more

NICOLAKIS and colleagues, University Department of Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, Vienna, Austria, Peter.Nicolakis@AKH-Wien.ac.at, evaluated the usefulness of jaw exercise, physical therapy techniques, postural correction and relaxation for relieving pain and improving jaw movement in patients with osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ; the jaw) . ... more

BEER and colleagues, Modellabteilung fuer Naturheilkunde, Klinik Blankenstein, Hattingen, Germany, wellbeer@cityweb.de, investigated the possible benefits of naturopathic treatment, and specifically a fasting therapy, on intestinal and general immune status . ... more

BRUE and OAKLAND, Department of Psychology and Philosophy at Texas Woman's University in Denton, USA, reviewed (107 references) the case for using complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) for treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ... more

CHOPRA and DOIPHODE, Center for Rheumatic Diseases-Hermes Doctor House, Bharati Hospital and Medical College, Inlaks-Budhrani Hospital, Pune, India, archopra@pn2.VSNL.net.in, reviewed (37 references) the traditional concepts and therapeutic principles of Ayurvedic medicine and explored their potential relevance to health in the modern world. ... more

LI and colleagues, Institute of Qigong Research, Guangzhou University, People's Republic of China, explored the potential of Qi Gong to aid in the detoxification of individuals addicted to heroin . ... more

TOVEY, School of Healthcare Studies, University of Leeds, UK, p.a.tovey@ac.uk, carried out what he believed to be the first [published] study on the effectiveness of reflexology in managing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). ... more

BARROWS and JACOBS, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA, kbl@onebox.com, reviewed (91 references) mind-body medicine (MBM) in relation to its role in modern integrated healthcare . ... more

BENOR, db@WholisticHealingResearch.com, reviewed (66 references) the role of energy medicine in integrated healthcare. ... more

MERRELL and SHALTS, Continuum Center for Health and Healing, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, USA, eshalts@bethisraelny.org, reviewed (50 references) the main reasons why homeopathy, especially in the USA, has not become integrated into mainstream medical practice. ... more

NESTLER, Department of Complementary-Alternative Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA, Nestlerg@musc.edu, reviewed (10 references) the practice and philosophy of traditional Chinese medicine with a view to its future incorporation into integrated healthcare . ... more

SMITH and LOGAN, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, msmith@ccnm.edu, reviewed (39 references) naturopathic medicine in relation to its integration into mainstream healthcare. ... more

CHEZ and colleagues, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FLA, USA, assessed the opinions and knowledge of medical students on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a medical school with no course on the subject. ... more

LA VAQUE and ROSSITER, Clinical Psychophysiology Center, Rogers Memorial Hospital, Wilwaukee, Wisconsin 53704, USA, tlavaque@gbonline.com, discuss the problems of designing clinical trials with meaningful control groups, particularly in relation to investigating psychophysiological therapies, while adhering to current ethical principles of conduct for biomedical research. ... more

LINDE and colleagues, Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology, Charite, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany, Klaus.Linde@1rz.tu-muenchen.de, examined the quality of methodologies used in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in three areas of complementary medicine (homeopathy, herbal medicine and acupuncture). ... more

WHITING and colleagues, National Health Service Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York, York, UK, pfw2@york.ac.uk, evaluated available data (57 references) on the effectiveness of interventions used in treating or managing chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in adults and children. ... more

JACOBS and colleagues, Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands, g.dekruyf@AZU.nl, analysed the characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who make use of complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) . ... more

JOHNSON and KURTZ, Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, 48824-1316, USA, investigated whether osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is becoming a 'lost art' in the profession. ... more

PLOTKIN and colleagues, Department of Microbiology, Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine of Midwestern University, USA, Bplotk@Midwestern.edu, assessed the impact of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) as an adjunct to standard psychiatric treatment of women with depression . ... more

ASHER and colleagues, Department of Surgery and Pediatrics, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA, reviewed (89 references) current research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) relating to rhinitis, sinusitis, tinnitus, vertigo and head and neck oncology . ... more

VANDENBROUCKE and DE CRAEN, Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Building 1, PO Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands, vdbroucke@mail.medfac.leidenuniv.nl, review (31 references) evidence for a substantial subjective element in the way physicians frequently evaluate scientific theories and facts, and discuss whether rational medical science is compatible with physicians' behaviour. ... more

CASLEY-SMITH, Lymphoedema Association of Australia, Malvern, SA, casley@enternet.com.au, describes pioneering work carried out by the author, using electron microscopy, on the pathophysiological changes that occur [in lymphoedema], and the transport from blood vessels, through interstitium to the lymphatics and lymphatic uptake . The author discusses how further work, carried out in collaboration with colleagues, has produced a better understanding of lymphatic drainage and has led to the application of this work in the treatment of lymphoedema . ... more

KESSLER and colleagues, Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, 180 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA, kessler@hcp.med.harvard.edu, presented data on time trends in complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies in the USA over the past half-century. ... more

MATTHEES and colleagues, Minnesota State University Moorhead, 56563, USA, aimed to describe complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by lung transplant patients and to determine whether CAM users differ from non-users with respect to health status, quality of life or medical adherence. ... more

MUR and colleagues, Universitaetsklinik fuer Innere Medizin, Innsbruck, Austria, investigated whether reflex zone foot massage therapy (FRZM) could bring about changes in intestinal blood flow . ... more

SANTA-ANA, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA, c_santa_ana@hotmail.com, defines complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the benefit of healthcare administrators, discusses its rising popularity, identifies its adoption in hospitals, describes the barriers to its implementation, and suggests factors administrators need to consider in implementing CAM in healthcare organizations . ... more

WILES and ROSENBERG, Department of Geography, Queen's University, Ontario, Kingston, K7L 3N6, Canada, 7jlw@qsilver.queensu.ca, reviewed (46 references) literature seeking to explain the use of alternative medicines, therapies and practices in developed countries . ... more

DIEGO and colleagues, Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA, compared the effects of massage therapy with those of progressive muscle relaxation therapy in HIV-positive adolescents . ... more

DYSON-HUDSON and colleagues, Center for Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corp, West Orange, NJ 07052, USA, tdyson-hudson@kmrrec.org, conducted a study to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture and Trager Psychophysical Integration in decreasing chronic shoulder pain in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI). ... more

KABOLI and colleagues, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Iowa City 52242, USA, carried out a study to determine the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and to identify factors associated with its use in older patients with arthritis . ... more

KEEFER and BLANCHARD, The University of Albany, State University of New York, Center for Stress and Anxiety Disorders, 12203, USA, tested the relaxation response meditation program (H. Benson, 1975) as a possible treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). ... more

KIM and colleagues, Department of Ophthalmology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Medical College, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea, investigated the effectiveness of hand massage to reduce anxiety in patients undergoing cataract surgery under local anaesthesia. ... more

MAZUR and colleagues, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School, 6431 Fannin, Ste 3.138, Houston, TX 77030, USA, identified and compared alternative and complementary treatments used for asthma, and examined potentially effective and harmful effects. ... more

WRIGHT and SLUKA, School of Medical Rehabilitation, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, reviewed (156 references) evidence for the usefulness of physical therapies in the management of musculoskeletal pain . ... more

RAMSEY and colleagues, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington 98109, USA, examined how frequently older adults with osteoarthritis used alternative therapies and how much they spent on them. ... more

LAVY and colleagues, Israel Ministry of Health, Pharmaceutical Policy and Economics Unit, reviewed the regulation and supervision of natural health products in Israel and other developed countries. ... more

MILLS, Department of Library Learning, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK, S.Y.Mills@ex.ac.uk, summarized the House of Lords report on complementary medicine . ... more

THOMAS and colleagues, Medical Centre Unit, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK, k.j.thomas@sheffield.ac.uk, have attempted to estimate the use of complementary medicine in the UK based on the population. ... more

WARDELL and ENGEBRETSON, School of Nursing, University of Texas Houston Health Science Center, Houston, Texas, USA, dwardell@sonl.nur.uth.tmc.edu, have investigated the relaxing effects of Reiki in order to establish a mechanism for the healing effect of various touch therapies . ... more

ADAMS and colleagues, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Clinical Psychology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, USA reviewed (63 references) recent compelling research on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions targeted at cognitive deficits in the elderly . ... more

BERK and colleagues, Center for Neuroimmunology, School of Medicine, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California, USA investigated the efficacy of mirthful laughter to modulate human neuroimmune parameters. ... more

GOOD and colleagues, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, mpg@po.cwru.edu investigated the effects of relaxation, music and a combination of the two on postoperative pain . ... more

MISHRA and colleagues, Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCUHS), SCUHS Whittier Health Center, Whittier, California, USA reviewed (28 references) the Ayurvedic approach to healthcare and disease management . ... more

ANDERSSON and LYTTKENS, Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Sweden, Gerhard.Andersson@psyk.uu.se reviewed the psychological treatment of tinnitus using meta-analysis . ... more

Comment: The amount mentioned above regarding the amount spent per month by users of CAM – £13.62 – is tiny when you consider that this is less than the price of a meal, about the cost of a CDROM, less than the cost of a massage or most other treatments, which often average out at about £25. However, I think that it is always difficult to extrapolate expenditure to the entire nation from such a small sample. ... more

ERNST and WHITE, Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, UK aimed to provide data on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by the general population in the UK . ... more

SUNG, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA examines the sources of shortcomings in the treatment of Asian American patients. ... more

VEERAMAH and HOLMES, Department of Continuing Care Nursing, Canterbury Christ Church University College, Canterbury, Kent, UK explore the increasing use of complementary therapies worldwide . ... more

GREENFIELD and colleagues, Department of Primary Care and General Practice, Medical School, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, UK aimed to describe the motivation, experience and attitude change of undergraduate medical students who chose a special study module in complementary therapy (CT) . ... more

HEUSSER, University of Bern, Kollegiale Instanz fur Komplementarmedizin KIKOM, Inselspital, Switzerland commented on a study by Sommer et al, recently reported in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, that looked into the costs and effectiveness of complementary medicine made available within Switzerland's mandatory basic health insurance provisions. ... more

OMLOR and colleagues, Klinik fur Allgemeine, Viszeral- und Gefasschirurgie, Katholische Kliniken Essen-Nord gGmbH, Essen, Germany evaluated the effects of preoperative relaxation (visualization) therapy on postoperative outcome of patients who underwent surgery for primary inguinal hernia or goitre. ... more

CURDA and colleagues, Krankenanstalt Gasteiner Heilstollen, Bad Gastein-Bockstein, Austria investigated the frequency of use of unconventional therapies by patients with ankylosing spondylitis presenting for treatment at a radon spa . ... more

EASTWOOD, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, h.eastwood@spmed.uq.edu.au reviewed (23 references) reasons for the apparent increasing provision or support of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by general practitioners (GPs) . ... more

POKANEVYCH and colleagues, (No information re. affiliation/institution) investigated the effects of multimodal treatment including homeopathy on facial nerve neuropathy . ... more

ZIMPEL and WINDELER, Abteilung Medizinische Biometrie, Universitatsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany investigated whether a publication bias could be shown for the results of medical theses on all kinds of complementary therapies and what factors influencing publication could be identified. ... more

COOKE and ERNST, Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, UK, conducted a systematic review (28 references) of aromatherapy . ... more

Murugesan, Govindarajulu and Bera, Department of Physical Education, Pondicherry University, India, examined the effect of selected yogic practices on the management of hypertension. ... more

DE VISSER, EZZY and BARTOS, Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health, and Society, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia studied alternative and complementary therapy use among people with HIV/AIDS. ... more

EVRARD BRAS and colleagues, Service de Medecine B et Angiologie Hopital Saint-Eloi, Montpellier, France reviewed the effectiveness of manual physiotherapy (lymphatic drainage) for the treatment of chronic circulatory stasis of the lower limbs . ... more

FIELD and colleagues, Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33101, USA assessed the effectiveness of massage therapy for the treatment of burn injuries in comparison with standard treatment. ... more

VAN HASELEN and FISHER, The Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3HR, UK compared the efficacy and safety of a homeopathic gel with those of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) gel (piroxicam) in treating osteoarthritis of the knee. ... more

CUCHERAT and colleagues, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hospitals of Lyon and University Claude Bernard, France. mcu@upcl.univ-lyonl.fr reviewed evidence of clinical efficiency of homeopathy from a meta-analysis of clinical trials . ... more

IRELAND and OLSON, College of Nursing, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, Newark, USA reviewed the effect of massage therapy and therapeutic touch in children . ... more

TAYLOR and colleagues, University Department of Medicine, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, conducted a randomized controlled trial of homeopathy versus placebo in perennial allergic rhinitis . ... more

White and Ernst, Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK. a.r.white@ex.ac.uk systematically reviewed economic analysis of complementary medicine . ... more

Babichenko, (no address given) investigated the use of acupuncture reflexotherapy in the treatment of hypertension patients . [Article in Ukrainian] ... more

Huntley and Ernst, Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK. conducted a review of complementary and alternative therapies for treating multiple sclerosis symptoms. ... more

Liu and colleagues, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, Department of Complementary Medicine Services, Presbyterian Hospital, School of Public Health, Columbia University, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. ehl7@columbia.edu investigated use of alternative medicine by patients undergoing cardiac surgery . ... more

Perry and Dowrick, Department of Primary Care, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. investigated the use of, and attitudes towards complementary medicine among urban general practices in a socioeconomically deprived urban area. ... more

CHARD, TALLON and DIEPPE, Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, UK. J.a.chard@bristol.ac.uk reviewed (20 references) the epidemiology of research into interventions for osteoarthritis of the knee. ... more

HALL and GILES-CORTI, Department of Public Health, University of Western Australia surveyed Perth GPs to identify their knowledge, attitudes and referral patterns towards 10 complementary therapies. ... more

KROUSE and KROUSE, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA. kroushj.valencia@shands.ufl.edu described the complementary therapeutic practices in patients with chronic sinusitis. ... more

SCHULZ, (no address given) volkschu@t-online.de r eviewed (21 references) the psychodynamic and pharmacodynamic effects of drugs. ... more

TALLON, CHARD and DIEPPE, Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, UK described the relation between agendas of the research community and the research consumer. ... more

BLOOM and colleagues, University of Pennsylvania, USA performed an evaluation of randomized controlled trials on complementary and alternative medicine. ... more

HEMMINGS and colleagues, Division of Sport Studies, University College Northampton, United Kingdom set out to describe the effects of massage on the performance of athletes. ... more

HUHTALA and colleagues, Department of Pediatrics, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland. virpi.susanna.huhtala@utu.fi conducted a clinical trial comparing infant massage with a crib vibrator for colic. ... more

PITTLER and colleagues, Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom. MHPittler@exeter.ac.uk systematically investigated the location bias in controlled clinical trials of complementary and alternative medicine. ... more

RESCH, ERNST and GARROW, Forschungsinstitute fur Balneologie und Kuortwissenschaft, Bad Elster, Germany conducted a clinical trial of reviewer bias against an unconventional medicine. ... more

HAYES and COX, University of Hertfordshire, Centre for Research in Primary and community Care, Hatfield, Hertfordshire UK conducted a survey to determine the extent of integration of complementary therapies in critical care units in the North and South Thames Regional Health Authorities in the Greater London area. ... more

KERSNIK, Slovenia, studied an array of characteristics of patients using alternative medicine. ... more

LODHA and BAGGA, Department of Pediatrics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India reviewed (52 references) the MEDLINE database to identify clinical trials conducted using traditional Ayurvedic Indian medicines. ... more

WEINRICH and colleagues, Health Management Services, Center for Health Services and Policy Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia USA studied the benefits of therapeutic massage in older persons. ... more

ASTIN and colleagues, Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo alto, California 94304-1583 USA. astin@scrdp.stanford.edu surveyed the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in elderly persons in California. ... more

ESKINAZI and MUEHSAM, Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York 10032 USA. Eskinazi@helix.nih.gov write that bias expressed by conventional journals against the field of 'alternative', 'integrative' or 'complementary' medicine has been said to drive the appearance of new journals dedicated to this field. ... more

HILL and colleagues, (Address not supplied) conducted a preliminary investigation of the effects upon quality of life of floatation spa therapy in patients with osteoarthritis. ... more

LUSKIN and colleagues, Stanford University USA review (91 references) the literature regarding complementary and alternative treatments, specifically mind/body techniques for musculoskeletal diseases. ... more

PAPADOUPOULOS and colleagues, South Birmingham Mental Health NHS Trust UK evaluated an aromatherapy service for older adults with physical health problems and their carers in Birmingham. ... more

VAN HASELEN and colleagues, Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital, UK conducted a study to measure the marginal costs of providing complementary medicine services (mostly homeopathy) in outpatient clinics for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ... more

PERRY and DOWRICK, Department of Primary Care, University of Liverpool, UK write that General practitioners (GPs) in more affluent areas of the UK have shown considerable interest in the use of complementary medicine. The authors investigated the use of and attitudes towards homoeopathy among GPs working in a socio-economically deprived urban area such as Liverpool. ... more

STRAUMSHEIM and colleagues, Arena Medisinske Senter, Sognsveien, Oslo, Norway evaluated the efficacy of homoeopathy in the prevention of migraine attacks and accompanying symptoms. ... more

COLLIS and colleagues, Department of Plastic Surgery, Bradford Royal Infirmary, West Yorkshire, England UK. nicollis@aol.com write that cellulite is a common phenomenon particularly affecting the thighs and buttocks of women, and that there is little scientific evidence supporting any of the many advertised treatments. The authors conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of two cellulite treatments . ... more

MANIADAKIS and GRAY, Global Health Outcomes, Searle Division of Monsanto, PO Box 53, High Wycombe UK reports the results of a 'cost-of-illness ' study of the socio-economic costs of back pain in the UK . ... more

BRAVERMAN and SCHULMAN, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia USA write that massage is an ancient practice which has been integrally incorporated into the management of disease and maintenance of health across many cultures and throughout time. The authors review (75 references) the history of massage and current techniques in practice. ... more

COTTER, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark USA writes that complementary movement therapies, including dance, kinesiology and yoga have been developed by individuals who have been trained in a variety of disciplines. The author reviews (70 references) the use of these therapies. ... more

FARRELL et al, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo USA write that Tai Chi, Qigong and Yoga represent a class of exercise which differs from the routine strengthening and stretching programmes currently used in physical medicine . ... more

McPARTLEND and MILLER, Department of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing USA provide an overview (67 references) of various systems of bodywork for physical therapy . ... more

SHIFLETT, Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation, West Orange, USA describes the current use of alternative and complementary medicine in the US and among chronically ill users of rehabilitation services . ... more

VALLBONA and RICHARDS, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston Texas USA review (117 references) the use of magnetic therapy in rehabilitation medicine . ... more

BARNES and colleagues, Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter UK. jo.barnes@exeter.ac.uk studied the growth in interest in complementary and alternative medicine within the professional scientific community. ... more

BOULDIN and colleagues, Department of Pharmacy Administration, The University of Mississippi 38677, USA. phacsb@olemiss.edu conducted a survey to document the market presence of herbal medicine products in community pharmacies throughout the USA. ... more

MANYAM and SANCHEZ-RAMOS, Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Clinic, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, USA write that Parkinson’s disease has existed in different parts of the world since ancient times, its first clear description having been in the ancient Ayurvedic system under the name Kampavata. The authors review (29 references) traditional and complementary therapies for Parkinson’s disease . ... more

WAGNER and colleagues, Department of Family Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-3500 USA. pwagner@mail.mcg.edu. write that the number of visits to practitioners of alternative medicine in the US is estimated at 425 million, more than the number of visits to allopathic primary care physicians in1990. Patients’ use of St John’s Wort (SJW) has followed this trend. The authors investigated the reasons whereby people choose to treat themselves with SJW rather than seeking help from a conventional health care provider. ... more

CAMPBELL, Royal London Homeopathic Hospital notes that homoeopathic writers frequently refer to classical homoeopathy, implying that this is the most complete and authoritative version of Hahnemann’s views, which the author claims do not correspond with the facts. ... more

DRUSS and ROSENHECK, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, West Haven, Conn USA benjamin.druss@yale.edu. write that the terms alternative and complementary medicine suggest 2 contradictory possibilities, including the use of unconventional therapies as a substitute or as an "add on" to conventional medical treatments. The authors conducted a survey to study the association between the use of unconventional therapies and conventional medical care within a national sample within the US. ... more

LAFRENIERE and colleagues, University of Windsor, Psychology Department, Ontario Canada lafrenl@uwindsor.ca. studied the effects of therapeutic touch (TT) upon biochemical indicators and moods in women . ... more

ODA and colleagues, Department of Health and Physical Education and Research, Faculty of Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan studied the effects of underwater exercise upon relaxation . ... more

DATTA and colleagues, Kalyani University, Department of Zoology, India compared, in mice, the efficacy of Arsenicum Album 30C and 200C in protecting against genotoxic effects produced by Arsenic trioxide (As203) injection. ... more

GRANT and colleagues, Liberton Hospital, Edinburgh, UK. d.j.grant@btinternet.com conducted a randomised clinical trial comparing acupuncture with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) . ... more

MACPHERSON and colleagues, Foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine, York UK conducted a pilot study regarding the use of acupuncture for low back pain . ... more

RAO and colleagues, Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, and Regenstrief Institute for Health Care, Indianapolis 46202, USA write that people with chronic conditions commonly use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The authors conducted a telephone survey to identify and describe patients’ perspectives on the use of CAM for rheumatologic conditions . ... more

SOMMER and colleagues, University of Basel, Health Economics and Social Policy Research Unit, Switzerland investigated the effects of including alternative medicine within the benefit package of health insurance in Switzerland . ... more

LI, Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology writes that obesity manifests itself as derangement of qi and blood with disorder of the defensive qi in particular to be a causative factor of primary importance, with contributions from deficiency of the primary qi in Sanjiao. ... more

MANSOUR and colleagues, College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. Mansour@duke.usask.ca write that Reiki is a popular alternative therapy, advocated as a precise method for connecting universal life energy with the body’s innate process of healing through hands-on techniques. Although Reiki research supports anecdotal records of reducing a variety of physical problems and improving psychospiritual well-being, there is an absence of randomised and placebo-controlled trials. The authors tested the standardisation procedures developed by their research team for placebo Reiki, prior to conducting a full-scale randomised and placebo-controlled Reiki efficacy study. ... more

MEISTER and colleagues, Medizinische Klinik, Kantonsspital Glarus, Switzerland write that migraine and other functional disorders are common yet often difficult to treat, with alternative treatment modalities warranted and gaining more widespread acceptance. The authors studies the use of psychofonia, a new form of music therapy for the treatment of migraine . ... more

SUDMEIER and colleagues, Universitatsklinik fur Innere Medizin, Innsbruck, Austria studied the effects of reflexology upon renal blood flow. ... more

WYLIE and colleagues, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Bootham Park Hospital, York UK studied the efficacy of acupuncture and massage with relaxation upon chronic headache . ... more

CRIDER and GLAROS, Department of Psychology, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts USA reviewed the literature of more than 2 decades regarding treatments incorporating electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback for temporamandibular disorders (TMD) in order to determine the efficacy of biofeedback-based treatments. ... more

JOHNSON and colleagues, Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte 28223 USA conducted a study to determine whether a course of Feldenkrais bodywork would improve physical, emotional and functioning in people suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) . ... more

REISS and REISS, Department of Ear, Nose and Throat, University of Dresden, Germany write that tinnitus can rarely be cured . The authors review the literature (12 references). ... more

SMITH and colleagues, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center School of Nursing in Denver USA write that acute and long-term care facilities are implementing massage therapy programmes to support patients’ health, healing, and quality of life . The authors attempted to evaluate the impact of these programmes within an acute care setting. ... more

ASTIN, HARKNESS and ERNST, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA. jastin@compmed.ummc.umaryland.edu conducted a systematic review (52 references) of the efficacy of any form of distant healing as treatment for any medical condition. ... more

GOODYEAR, LEWITH and LOW, School of Medicine, University Medicine, University of Southampton, UK write that homoeopathic "drug" pictures are developed by recording the symptomatic effects of homoeopathic remedies given to healthy volunteers, called a "proving ". The authors conducted a double-blind randomised controlled trial to test the hypothesis that individuals using an infinitesimal dilution of Belladonna – thirtieth potency, C30 – would record more true symptoms. ... more

HOWARD, Bach Centre, Oxon UK reminisces about the different ‘types’ of people she met during her nursing career. ... more

Kraft , Medizinische Universitats-Poliklinik Bonn, Germany writes that herbal medicinal products are very popular in Germany, with patients and physicians. However, very little tends to be known regarding the effects of drug law upon herbal products . ... more

LEE, GEORGIOU and RAAB, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, USA examined the perceived knowledge and attitudes of dietitians regarding the effectiveness and safety of functional foods, nutrient supplements, and herbs. ... more

OLDENDICK and colleagues, South Carolina Complementary Medicine Program Baseline Research Team. Institute of Public Affairs, the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia 29208, USA conducted a population-based survey of complementary and alternative medication usage, patient satisfaction and physician involvement. ... more

PRICE, Shirley Price International College of Aromatherapy, Leicestershire, UK writes that as the use of aromatherapy within the health care setting has grown so rapidly recently, and continues to so do, the requirement for suitable training has become obvious. ... more

RAWSTHORNE and colleagues, Department of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada write that there appears to be a perception of an increasing and widespread use of alternative medicine for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) . The authors assessed usage of alternative therapies in IBD patients and contrasted usage in 4 different centres in North America and Europe. ... more

SHENKMAN and colleagues, Department of Anesthesia, Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts USA z.shenkman@ipc.co.il write that acupuncture or acupressure at the Nei-Guan (P6) point on the wrist produces anti-vomiting effects in awake but not anaesthetised patients . The authors studied whether a combined approach using preoperative acupressure and intra- and postoperative acupuncture could prevent vomiting following tonsillectomy in children . ... more

TREGUT and colleagues Zentrale Radiologische Abteilung, Stauferklinik Schwabisch Gmund, Mutlangen, Deutschland investigated whether corona electrography of Kirlian photography is an accidental pattern or an individual specific discharge pattern. ... more

KLEPSER and KLEPSER, Division of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242 USA. teresa-klepser@uiowa.edu discuss unsafe and potentially safe herbal therapies . ... more

NEVILLE-SMITH, Linton, Cleveland UK conducted a study to examine the activity of a new service providing a homoeopathic clinic at a community hospital . ... more

The NIH CONSENSUS STATEMENT presents the biomedical research and clinical practice communities with the results of the NIH Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture, providing the latest information regarding the appropriate use of acupuncture, identifying areas of study deserving further investigation for family practitioners, medical acupuncturists, psychiatrists and specialists in pain medicine. ... more

ALKAISSI and colleagues, Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, University Hospital in Linkoping, Sweden write that acupuncture and acupressure have previously been reported to possess antiemetic (anti-nausea) effect. The authors conducted a double-blind and randomised study to investigate the "genuine" and placebo effect of acupressure in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). ... more

FALKENBACH and colleagues, Research Institute Gastein, Badgastein, Austria write that massage courses for medical students have been held at Frankfurt University Medical School from 1987. The authors surveyed students’ motives for participation and changes in attitude towards massage therapy . ... more

KESSELRING (No affiliation provided) conducted a study to investigate the possible usefulness of foot reflexology on recovery following surgical intervention . ... more

MAUDSLEY and KERR, Department of Microbiology, University of Leeds UK investigated the safety of plant essential oils . ... more

BERMAN and colleagues, Complementary Medicine Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21207 USA studied the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) . ... more

BIELORY and LUPOLI, Asthma and Allergy Research Center, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark 071032499 USA review (235 references) the role of herbal-based medicines in the treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis . ... more

ERNST and PITTLER, Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, UK write that although complementary/alternative therapies are used frequently for low back pain, expert opinion regarding their efficacy would be helpful until data from randomised, controlled trials become available. ... more

LUNDRGREN and STENSTROM, Department of Physiotherapy, Rosenhall, Uddevalla Sweden studied the effects of supervised muscle relaxation training in sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) . ... more

SIMPSON and colleagues, Department of Pharmacology, The Medical School, University of Birmingham UK write that tinnitus is a prevalent condition for which there is no practical and effective pharmacological treatment. The authors conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to evaluate the homoeopathic preparation ‘Tinnitus’ for sufferers. ... more

TAYLOR and colleagues, Center for the Study of Complementary and Alternative Therapies, University of Virginia School of Nursing, Charlottesville 22903-3320 USA write that little is known regarding the use of complementary and alternative therapies in emergency departments (ED) . Methods: The authors surveyed staff in 10 ED in the SE US, in order to explore ED practitioners’ personal use of complementary therapies and recommendations of these therapies to patients. ... more

BLAND, HealthComm International, Inc, Harbor, Washington USA reviews (72 references) how the ageing population’s healthcare demands can be met by promoting healthy ageing. ... more

COTT and colleagues, Adult Psychopharmacology Program, National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, Maryland 20857, USA write that St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a remarkably safe antidepressant with an apparently unique mode of action . St John’s wort has demonstrated efficacy with mild and moderate depression when compared with placebo or tricyclic antidepressants,; however there is scope for further research areas to be explored. These areas include a comparison of St John’s wort’s effects with serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Additionally, there do not appear to be any studies with severely depressed patients, or studies regarding its utility as a therapeutic adjunct to standard antidepressants. ... more

JACOBSEN and COHAN, UOP School of Dentistry, San Francisco, CA 94115 USA write that complementary and holistic health care is a growing area in medicine and dentistry . The authors review (16 references) the variety of dental products promoted as an "alternative" to standard commercial dental products. These products can be categorised as standard dental products made with natural ingredients, herbal or homoeopathic products, and synthetic alternative products . They write that use of dental care products needs to be based upon sound basic scientific evidence of safety and efficacy. Dental health care providers need to be aware of the range of alternative dental products in order to help their patients to understand the type of support or evidence required to determine the safety and efficacy of treatment. ... more

JOHNSON AND BORDINAT Department of Family and Community Medicine, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, East Lansing 48824-1316 USA have been professionally associated with osteopathic medicine since 1972 and they have observed the processes whereby trainees and osteopathic physicians inculcate their unique professional identity. ... more

WAINAPEL and colleagues, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY USA conducted a survey to document the prevalence, patterns of use of alternative medical therapies and their perceived effectiveness by patients within a rehabilitation medicine outpatient practice. ... more

WEISER and colleagues, Biologische Heilmittel heel GmbH, Baden-Baden, Germany. Weiser.michael@heel.de. compared the efficacy and safety of the homoeopathic remedy Vertigoheel with betahistine hydrochloride (active control) in the treatment of patients with vertigo . ... more

BITTINGER and colleagues, III. Medizinische Klinik, Zentralklinikum Augsbug Germany review the literature (34 references) regarding alternative treatments for functional gastrointestinal disorders . ... more

CHEN and CHEN, Department of Pathology, East Orange Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New Jersey 07018 USA writes that medical thinkers in China visualised the liver in microcosmal and macrocosmal terms, and because an anatomical tradition did not exist, the liver was described grossly in broad outline . ... more

HAMMERSCHLAG, Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Santa Monica, California 90401 USA reviews (48 references) controlled clinical trials of acupuncture . ... more

REUTHER and ALDRIDGE, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat Witten Herdecke, Witten, Germany conducted a pilot study to investigate the efficacy of Qigong Yangsheng for the treatment of asthma . Qigong Yangsheng is a health-promoting method of traditional Chinese medicine, combining movement, mental exercise and breathing technique . In China it is used for the therapeutic treatment of bronchial asthma . ... more

BREWER, University of Plymouth, Faculty of Human Sciences, Institute of Health Studies, Taunton UK explores Guzzetta's (1988) notion that musical vibrations which are in tune with our human vibratory pattern may have a profound healing effect upon the entire body . ... more

DAVIS and colleagues, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California at Davis, USA write that, despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of asthma, the incidence of mortality is increasing throughout the developed world. A variety of complementary and alternative medical therapies are now being used in the treatment and prevention of asthma . The authors conducted a survey to identify the type and prevalence of complementary and alternative treatments for asthma in use in the United States. ... more

DRIVDAHL and colleagues, Department of Family Practice, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash USA conducted a study which examined the characteristics of family practice patients who used alternative medicine, the health problems which preceded this use and their satisfaction. ... more

NORLANDER and colleagues, Department of Psychology, Karlstad University, Sweden. at.norlander@mailbox.swipnet.se investigated the possible psychological effects of the physioacoustic chair, an application of low-frequency sound waves, regarding deductive thinking and creativity in addition to its possible effect upon heart rate . ... more

BOON, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Ontario Canada, describes naturopathic practitioners with 2 distinct world views - holistic and scientific and explores the relationship of practitioners' socialisation experiences and practice patterns within these two world views. ... more

BUCKEL, Boehringer Mannheim GmbH, Penzberg, Germany writes that "natural medicine" treatments have recently enjoyed a surge in popularity, but that the term "natural" used regarding these healing methods is frequently misunderstood, resulting in the underestimation of the risks involved from incorrect use . ... more

CALDERON, Centro de Salud de Gomez de Alza, Donostia-San Sebastian explored views of Primary Care and Homoeopathic physicians in the same area regarding their attitudes towards Homoeopathy as a discipline and motives which bring patients to use its services. ... more

HOPPER and COHEN, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia write that despite the popularity of complementary therapies with the public, knowledge and use of these therapies among doctors appear to be limited . The authors examined the attitudes of medical students toward complementary therapies . ... more

SIMPSON, University of Queensland, Sociology Department, Australia writes that in Queensland, Australia, patients suffering work-related injuries must be referred by a general medical practitioner (GP) in order to receive treatment from "nontraditional" practitioners such as physiotherapists, chiropractors or osteopaths, despite the fact that these nontraditional practitioners are primary care provides outside of the workers' compensation system. ... more

BAKER, Aromatherapy Organisations Council, Leicester UK writes that although aromatherapy is used more and more alongside conventional medicine in hospitals and via GP referrals, doctors and other health professionals are concerned regarding training standards, codes of conduct and standards of practice . These concerns led to the establishment of a Working Party in 1990 whose aim is was to promote a single body for aromatherapy practice . ... more

COHEN, Chapman University School of Law, Anaheim, California 92660 USA writes that European providers of complementary medicine may be surprised by the formal strictures faced by their American counterparts . ... more

RANKIN-BOX, De Montfort University, Cheshire UK writes that due to increased interest among the general public and health professionals, there appears to be an assumption that the use within the health care setting of complementary therapies such as massage, homoeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology and acupuncture is widespread . To date, however there have been no national research studies conducted to validate this assumption. The author conducted an informal survey to assess nurses' use of complementary therapies . ... more

VICKERS, Research Council for Complementary Medicine, London UK writes in this review (20 references) that while there is evidence that massage and aromatherapy may have benefits, practitioners make a great number of claims regarding the clinical effects of their treatments . ... more

WEST, Warwick Hospital UK writes that the availability of acupuncture in midwifery within the National Health Service (NHS) has yet to become widespread and that Warwick was one of the first hospitals in the UK to offer acupuncture when this service it was set up in September 1993. ... more

BOTTING, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Glamorgan, Wales UK writes that public interest regarding complementary therapies continues to grow, and that many nurses and midwifes incorporate reflexology, aromatherapy and massage into their clinical practice. ... more

KACPEREK, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK conducted a survey to determine the views of patients regarding the potential value of aromatherapy massage as an out-patient service . ... more

KATZ, Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital, London UK writes that although nurses and midwives may not be involved directly in the treatment of menopausal patients, they are uniquely positioned to support and advise patients regarding the menopause . ... more

KELNER and WELLMAN, Institute for Human Development, Life Course and Aging, University of Toronto, Ontario compared the social and health characteristics of patients from five groups of practitioners: 1) family physicians (used as baseline group); 2) chiropractors; 3) acupuncturist/ traditional Chinese medicine doctors; 4) naturopaths ; and 5) Reiki practitioners. ... more

MACKERETH, Biodynamic Massage, Reflexology and Therapeutic, Burnage, Manchester UK writes that he has received supervision following the completion of his biodynamic massage therapy training, in compliance with the requirement of the Code of Conduct for the Association of Holistic Biodynamic Massage Therapists. ... more

STYLES, Paediatric Unit, St Mary's Hospital, London UK writes that aromatherapy is a valuable means of maintaining optimum health, especially when the health problem is stress-related. ... more

WHITMARSH, Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital, Scotland reported a case of migraine without aura, which was unresponsive to 5 years of conventional medical treatment. ... more

ANDREWS and colleagues, Faculty of Medicine, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia studied the nature and prevalence of alternative therapies used by children with asthma. ... more

FIELD T and colleagues, Touch Research Institute, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33101, USA studied the therapeutic benefits of massage therapy or relaxation therapy for children with asthma . ... more

HILSDEN and colleagues, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada studied the use of complementary therapies by patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). ... more

KENNER, Department of Parent-Child Health Nursing, College of Nursing and Health University of Cincinnati, Ohio USA review (17 references) writes that fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are not new conditions, but are the focus of more attention from research conducted in these fields. The author writes that FMS and CFS are primarily women’s health problems and that in some instances there may be a genetic predisposition to these conditions, which may have emotionally and physically devastating impacts upon sufferers’ lives. The treatment plan should be holistic, interdisciplinary and include alternative therapies to enable the client and family to be truly supported and assisted to cope with such chronic conditions . ... more

VERHOEF and PAGE, Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary. investigated the knowledge, opinions and referral behaviour of family physicians regarding massage therapy. ... more

VICKERS and colleagues, Research Council for Complementary Medicine, London UK investigated potential research bias by analysing the results of clinical trials originating in various countries . ... more

WONG and colleagues, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada studied how Chinese patients consulting family physicians in Vancouver, Canada used traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), in particular Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture . ... more

CARROLL and SEERS, Nuffield Department of Anaesthetics, University of Oxford, The Churchill, UK conducted a systematic review (54 references) of published randomised controlled trials regarding the effectiveness of relaxation techniques in the management of chronic pain. ... more

GOOSSENS and colleagues, Institute for Rehabilitation Research, Hoensbroek, The Netherlands. M.Goossens@IRV.nl. conducted a 3-year cost-effectiveness study and compared the efficacy of several types of rehabilitation programmes for chronic low back pain. ... more

SEERS and CARROLL, Royal College of Nursing Institute, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, UK reviewed (60 references) the effectiveness of relaxation techniques used alone for management of acute pain following surgery and during procedures. ... more

VALLANCE, Medical School Registry, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, UK reviews (149 references) the evidence for the efficacy of homoeopathy . He writes that 40% of GPs in the Netherlands practise homoeopathy, and that with over 100 homoeopathic medical schools, homoeopathy is practised in India, and that in the UK, 42% of GPs refer patients to homoeopaths. ... more

McPARTLAND and SOONS, Vermont Alternative Medicine, Middlebury USA estimated the number of alternative/holistic practitioners in Vermont. ... more

WIRTH and CRAM, Healing Sciences Research International, Orinda, California, USA analysed three studies regarding complementary healing methods. ... more

WOOTTON, Richard & Hinda Rosenthal center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA have compiled the Directory of Databases with significant holdings of primarily bibliographic references to complementary and alternative medicine published research. ... more

BLAIS and colleagues, Groupe de recherche interdisciplinaire en santé, Université de Montréal, Quebec Canada. blaisr@ere.umontreal.ca. compared the demographic characteristics, health profile and utilisation of medical services between users and non-users of alternative medicine in the province of Quebec, Canada. ... more

EDWARDS, University Support Centre, University of Western Australia, Australia. medwards@cyllene.usa.edu.au. writes that the Zen Buddhist tradition involves a number of meditation and instructional techniques with strong phenomenological and theoretical connections with the experience of loss and the grief process. ... more

LANGLEY and BHATTACHARYYA, Center for Pharmaceutical Economics, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson USA discuss the problem of increasing costs (and decreasing returns) in the treatment of patients within health care systems. ... more

PEREZ and SUAREZ, Catedra de Farmacologia, Facultad de Odontologia, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina had previously reported the antimicrobial activity of plants used in Argentine folk medicine against a variety of micro-organisms. ... more

LEVIN, colleagues and JONAS, National Institute for Healthcare Research, Rockville MD, USA summarises the deliberations of the Quantitative Methods Working Group convened by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in support of the NIH Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM). ... more

NORHEIM, Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromso Norway reviews (29 references) the adverse effects of acupuncture as recorded in papers published in journals on the Medline database during the period 1981-94. ... more

SUN, Nanjing College for Population Administrators, China studied the anti-obesity effects of acupuncture and influence upon water and salt metabolism. ... more

CARLSTON and colleagues, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, USA. mcarlston@aol.com write that the use of therapies outside of mainstream Western medicine, known as complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) is rapidly increasing in the United States. They write that despite evidence of physician interest and willingness to refer to CAM provides, there is presently little information regarding medical education in complementary practices . The authors conducted a survey to assess the frequency and nature of alternative medicine instruction within US medical schools and family practice residency programmes. METHODS: A 16-question survey was mailed to all US medical school family medicine department chairmen and non-university-based family practice residency programme directors regarding current instruction in alternative medicine, planned instruction and programmes being considered. RESULTS: The response rate was 78% about 30% of all respondents currently teaching, 6% starting to teach and 6.3% considering teaching some form of alternative medicine. CAM instruction was most common in the Northeast and Rocky Mountain regions, and is predominantly elective (72.2%), although content and teaching methods vary widely. CONCLUSIONS: Alternative medicine is starting to establish a presence in US medical schools and family practice residency programmes, with subjects varying widely in content and format. ... more

ERNST and PITTLER, Department of Complementary Medicine, Postgraduate Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter UK conducted a systematic review of the literature to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture for dental pain. ... more

HE and colleagues, Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway, studied the effects of acupuncture upon smoking reduction and cessation. METHODS: 46 healthy men and women, of mean age of 39 years, smoking 20 +/- 6 cigarettes daily over a period of 23 +/- 8 years and who wished to cease smoking participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups as follows: 1) Group I received acupuncture treatment at points used for anti-smoking (test group TG) 2) Group II received acupuncture treatment at points assumed to have no effect for smoking cessation (control group CG). Each participant replied to questionnaires regarding his or her smoking habits and attitudes prior to each treatment and following the last treatment. Concentrations of cotinine, thiocyanate, peroxides and fibrinogen were measured prior to the first and following the last acupuncture treatment. RESULTS: Daily cigarette consumption declined during the treatment period in both groups however the reduction was larger for TG than for CG. 31% of those in TG had ceased smoking compared with none in CG. In TG concentrations of cotinine and thiocyanate were significantly reduced following the treatment period, compared to the no significant reductions in CG group. The taste of tobacco worsened during the treatment period in both groups, but the effect was more pronounced for TG than CG. Desire to smoke fell significantly in both groups following treatment the reduction was larger for TG than CG. There were no significant changes in concentrations of peroxides and fibrinogen during the treatment period for either group. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggests that acupuncture may help to motivate smokers to reduce or quit smoking. Different acupoints appear to have different effects for smoking cessation and reduction. ... more

BERDEN and colleagues, BION, Institute for Bioelectromagnetics and New Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia studied whether electromagnetic field emission from living beings could modify physical characteristics of water. ... more

BUSS and colleagues, Maastricht University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nursing Science, The Netherlands write that the prevention of pressure sores is a major concern of rehabilitation nurses. ... more

WATSON and WATSON, University of Bradford, review the therapeutic benefits of massage and its relationship and relevant to orthodox therapies. ... more

ALKHAWAJAH, Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia writes that Juglans regia L. bark is used as a toothbrush and a cosmetic lip colourant dye in some countries. ... more

HOU and LI, Xinjiang Academy of Forestry Science, China have previously shown that plants exhibit functional characteristics similar to the meridian system in humans and animals, including high potential and low electrical resistance, high temperature and spontaneous sound production. In this paper the authors show the effect of acupuncture on plants. ... more

LINDE and colleagues, Munchener Modell, Centre for Complementary Medicine Research, Technische Universitat/Ludwig-Maximillans-Universitat, Munchen, Germany write that homoeopathy appears to be scientifically implausible but is widely used . The authors assessed the clinical effect reported in randomised controlled trials of homoeopathic remedies compared to placebo. ... more

WHITE, RESCH and ERNST, Department of Complementary Medicine, Postgraduate Medical School, University of Exeter UK write that information regarding GPs’ use of and attitudes toward Complementary Medicine (CM) is necessary in order to progress the debate about the role of CM within mainstream medicine . Evidence shows that the use of CM is particularly high in the South-West of the UK. ... more

MAA and colleagues, School of Nursing, Chang Gung College of Medicine and Technology, Taiwan, Republic of China write that acupressure, a therapy in which gentle pressure is applied with fingers at specific acupoints on the body, has been reported to relieve pain and to have other therapeutic effects . The authors investigated the value of self-administered acupressure as an adjunct to a pulmonary rehabilitation programme (PRP) for the relief of dyspnea and other symptoms associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ... more

MILLAR, Health Statistics Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa. millway@statcan.ca. studied the use of alternative health care practitioners by Canadians aged 15 and over. ... more

SUDAN reports that extremely low frequencies ranging from 1-1.Hz, imprinted in water (imprinting was performed by succussing a glass containing the water) resulted in the total abrogation (disappearance) of a facial seborrhoeic dermatitis . This has been proposed as a visible model for the theory of "memory of water". This technique provides a new perspective regarding the enigma of homoeopathy and the treatment of allergic diseases and possibly other inflammatory reactions. Sudan BJ. Total abrogation of facial seborrhoeic dermatitis with extremely low-frequency (1-1.1 Hz) "imprinted" water is not allergen or hapten dependent: a new visible model for homoeopathy. Med Hypotheses 48(6): 477-9. Jun 1997 . ... more

CASTOT and colleagues, Centre Regional de Pharmacovigilance Hopital Fernand Widal, Paris, France write that for several years, herbal medicines have been consumed increasingly by patients without prescription . Traditionally herbal medicines are innocuous ; however as medicinal products they require drug surveillance in order to identify any risks. A primary concern is to confer upon them legal status, in order to evaluate their efficacy and control their safety. Published research indicates that the risk is usually due either to a contaminant, an added drug or falsification . The Regional Pharmacovigilance Centres have received, since 1985, 341 reports of undesirable effects attributed to herbal medicines . Included were 30 cases of hepatitis associated with germander which has now been withdrawn from the French market. This illustrates the role for the national system and its responsibility for collecting and evaluating adverse drug reactions due to herbal medicines. ... more

CAWLEY, Macmillan Practice Development Unit, Institute of Cancer Research, Royal Marsden Hospital, London UK reviews (28 References) 14 research studies which have evaluated massage . The review provides a critique of the methodology used in these studies and of the issues relating to the research design, samples, measurement tools, analysis and the massage intervention, highlighting several key issues regarding the design of the studies and including recommendations for future research studies evaluating massage . ... more

ERNST and WHITE, Department of Complementary Medicine, Postgraduate Medical School, University of Exeter UK write that although laboratory studies demonstrate that acupuncture may produce physiological effects, clinical studies of acupuncture are often inconclusive . The authors assert that randomised controlled trials are the best way to test for the specific therapeutic effectiveness of a particular treatment modality. Difficulties in clinical acupuncture research include: diversity of forms of therapy; individualised treatments; binding; choosing a credible control procedure; selection of suitable endpoints; and traditional diagnosis . Furthermore, enthusiasm of acupuncture proponents may bias the research they are performing. ... more

FRYBACK and REINERT, Indiana University, USA write that people coping with AIDS and cancer have a sense of being out of control in dealing with their illness . Much of this feeling stems from the uncertainty regarding the accepted medical treatment for their disease. ... more

TAUBERT, Praxis fur Physikalische und Rehabilitative Medizin, Neubrandenburg, Germany writes that during times of limited funds for health care, it seems sensible to critically evaluate commonly used therapeutic techniques. The author writes that it is frequently demanded within this context to remove massage from the tariff catalogue of health insurances. METHODS: Therefore, the author attempted to assess massage on grounds of results to mechanisms of action, indications and contraindications. ... more

DOXEY and PHILLIPS, Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, Whittier, California 90609-1166 USA compared US chiropractic college admissions requirements with those of allopathic, osteopathic, optometry, podiatry and dentistry. ... more

SCHENK and colleagues, Department of Family medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan USA write that although The Institute of Medicine has recommended basic clinical competence in Environmental Medicine (EM) for all physicians, the amount and content of such instruction in EM currently offered in US medical schools in unknown. ... more

XU and colleagues, Office of Research, Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens 45701 USA studied the differences between osteopathic and allopathic physicians regarding factors which influenced their career choice of family practice. ... more

LAWSON and CALDERON, Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Services, Touro College, Dix Hills, NY 11746, USA conducted two trials testing the inter examiner reliability of Applied Kinesiology manual testing. ... more

PARAMORE, Project Hope Center for Health Affairs, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA conducted a study to update national estimates regarding the use of alternative therapies, in order to improve the quality of the estimates and to investigate differences between users and nonusers of alternative medicine. ... more

SOLLNER and colleagues, Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Leopold Franzens University, Innsbruck Austria. wolfgang.soellner@uibk.ac.at. studied melanoma patients' attitude toward alternative therapies, compliance with conventional treatment, social support received and their coping strategies with their illness. ... more

CROCETTI and colleagues, UO Epidemiologia, CSPO USL 10, Firenze, Italy write that complementary medicine (CM) is widely used by cancer patients. The authors conducted a study to evaluate the knowledge of and the attitude towards CM amongst Italian allopathic oncologists. ... more

ELDER and colleagues, Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland USA eldern@OHSU.edu write that in recent years, the use of alternative medicine has become more acknowledged in the United States . Many different therapeutic practices are encompassed by the terms alternative, unorthodox and complementary medicine and their use by the population is now being defined. Also, the number of established family practice patients using alternative medicine is not known. ... more

KAINZ and colleagues, Department of Dermatology, University of Graz, Austria write that despite the wide practical application of homoeopathy, scientifically credible placebo-controlled studies are scarce. The authors evaluated the efficacy of homoeopathy for the treatment of warts on children in a prospective, double-blind randomised trial. ... more

PRACTICE AND POLICY GUIDELINES PANEL, National Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine (NIHOAM) estimate that 1 out of every 3 Americans uses some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) such as acupuncture, homoeopathy and herbal medicine . The NIHOAM convened in 1995 an expert panel to examine the role of clinical practice guidelines in CAM. ... more

RAMPES and colleagues, Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital NHS Trust, London UK surveyed deans of British medical school to assess provision for complementary medicine in the curriculum for undergraduate medical students . The authors also questioned medical students at one medical school regarding their knowledge of and views on instruction in complementary medicine. ... more

BENDELOW and WILLIAMS, Department of Applied Social Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry UK write that studies regarding the lay evaluation of pain-relief clinics are rare, particularly in the UK. The authors conducted a small-scale qualitative study which followed the vicissitudes of hope and despair of pain-relief attendees in London. The study demonstrates the complex interplay between peoples’ pain careers, their styles of adjustment, socio-demographic characteristics, and their evaluations of medical treatment. Unfortunately for many patients, this was the end of the road, their last hope of finding relief. However, the overriding feeling was of medicine having failed these people. The paper discusses these findings and includes discussion for possible future research. ... more

DIMMOCK and colleagues, Clinical Pharmacology Unit (Rheumatism Research) Unversity of Leeds, United Kingdom examined the factors influencing the use of complementary therapies in patients suffering with fibromyalgia. METHODS: 90 patients who had attended a rheumatology out-patients clinic in West Yorkshire for their diagnosis or treatment of fibromyalgia were sent a postal questionnaire. ... more

GOOD, Case Western Reserve University, Frances Payne Bolton, School of Nursing, Cleveland Ohio USA writes that postoperative patients vary in their response to pain and opioid medication and that it is important that nurses can offer other options as adjuvants to medication. Relaxation and music may reduce pain by interrupting the postoperative cycle of pain, muscle tension and sympathetic activity. The author reviews (51 references), summarises and critiques studies on the effectiveness of relaxation and music used during postoperative pain. ... more

MELCHART and colleagues, Projekt Munchener Modell, Technische Universitat, Munich, Germany write that a scientific evaluation of complementary medical practices being used in healthcare is urgently required. They state that although randomised clinical trials are the primary tools used for such evaluation, they need not be the only tool. The authors propose that systematic clinical auditing could: 1) provide information regarding the “epidemiology” of complementary medical practices; 2) make more clearly intelligible the processes used in the daily practice of complementary methods; and 3) provide a preliminary estimation of outcomes. Systematic clinical auditing uses mainly observational studies of large cohorts of patients. ... more

SEERS, Royal College of Nursing Institute, Radclife Infirmary, Oxford UK reports the results of a study which investigated the experiences of 75 people with chronic non-malignant pain. The author writes that people with chronic non-malignant pain may find that traditional medical techniques do not alleviate their pain and may have to learn to live with the pain which can affect their lives in many ways. The study collected qualitative data illustrating what it meant to people to experience this chronic pain. It was shown that pain adversely affected many dimensions of sufferers’ lives, which effects extended to family and friends. Having others believe that the pain was real was crucial to many patients. Health care professionals can offer these patients a great deal to help them come to terms with the way in which pain has affected both themselves and others in their lives. ... more

BOURGEAULT, York Centre for Health Studies, York University, North York, Ontario, Canada ivyh@yorku.ca studied the attitudes and reactions of physicians to their patients' use of alternative cancer therapies, factors affecting these reactions and physicians' views of how the use of these therapies affected the physician-patient relationship. ... more

HENTSCHEL and colleagues, Klinik Blankenstein, Hattingen, Germany write that complementary medicine is used to varying extent in industrial nations. They write that there are incomplete data regarding the efficacy, safety and costs of such treatment, with little known regarding special features and motivation of individuals choosing complementary medicine. The authors conducted a study to ascertain any sociodemographic, disease-related, psychological and life-style differences between users of complementary and conventional medicine. ... more

MOSER and colleagues, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Vienna, Austria. GABRIELE.MOSER@WIEN.AC.AT. studied the use of unconventional therapies in inflammatory bowel diseases. ... more

PLASEK and ZVAROVA, Biofyzikalni oddeleni, Fyzikalni ustav UK pri MFF UK, Prague, Czech Republic present a critical report regarding the reliability of two clinical trials by Reilly et al (Lancet, 1986ii, pp 881-886 and 1994ii, pp 1601-1606), claiming that the effect of homoeopathy is significantly different from placebo. The authors also review biophysical hypotheses regarding the mechanism of action of homoeopathic remedies. ... more

RANKIN-BOX discusses the potential for complementary therapies in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments. ... more

WALACH and RIGHETTI, Abteilung Rehabilitationspsychologie, Universitat Freiburg, Bundesrepublik Deutschland Germany provide a review (91 references) of homoeopathy. The topics covered include: 1) the scientific foundations; 2) problems and importance of research; 3) basic and clinical research findings; 4) future strategies of evaluation. ... more

ANDRITZKY, Institut Fur Medizinische Psychologie Der Heinrich Heine Universitat Dusseldorf, Germany investigated the spectrum of therapeutic techniques and methods used in clinics with psychotherapeutic or psychiatric activities, as well as the spectrum of therapists' qualifications. ... more

BEGBIE and colleagues, Department of Clinical Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia assessed and compared the use of alternative versus conventional medicine by cancer patients in a public hospital oncology unit. ... more

ERNST, Department of Complementary Medicine, Postgraduate Medical School, University of Exeter, UK reviews (22 references) the risks posed by homoeopathy. The author writes that it is often assumed that homoeopathy, even though possibly ineffective, is free of risks. This notion is questioned in this review, where side-effects and complications associated with homoeopathic treatment have been published in the literature. The author further states that the question of whether the homoeopath is risk-free in all cases needs discussion. The attitude of certain homoeopaths towards immunisation is quoted as an example of particular concern. The author states that on the basis of these data the notion of totally risk-free homoeopathy is untenable. ... more