Background. Expectancies regarding a treatment play an important role in recovery as has been shown in placebo research. The role of expectations regarding the bodily capability to overcome illness is less investigated although in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) such capability is the target of interventions. We introduced a new construct, body-efficacy expectation, defined as the ...

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) often consists of whole systems of care (such as naturopathic medicine or traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)) that combine a wide range of modalities to provide individualised treatment. The complexity of these interventions and their potential synergistic effect requires innovative evaluative approaches. Model validity, which encompasses the need fo...

Purpose Patient oriented clinical research, particularly randomized clinical trials, is a complex field. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) educational institutions typically place less emphasis on research than what is typically seen in conventional university settings; consequently CAM practitioners are less prepared to pursue careers in clinical research than their conventional med...

It is easy within the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) literature to identify academic excellence, poor science and extreme bias. It is important to consider NHS service provision and the evidence separately. We would all agree that visiting the dentist is an excellent remedy for toothache despite the fact that there are no randomised clinical trials involving dental placebo procedu...

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has grown dramatically in recent years, as has research on the safety and efficacy of CAM treatments. Minimal attention, however, has been devoted to the ethical issues relating to research on CAM. We argue that public health and safety demand rigorous research evaluating CAM therapies, research on CAM should adhere to the same ethical req...

“Energy Medicine: An Overview” is one of five background papers on the major areas of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The series was prepared as part of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine’s (NCCAM’s) strategic planning efforts for the years 2005 to 2009. These brief reports should not be viewed as comprehensive or definitive reviews. Rather, they are in...

“Mind-Body Medicine: An Overview” is one of five background papers on the major areas of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The series was prepared as part of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine’s (NCCAM’s) strategic planning efforts for the years 2005 to 2009. These brief reports should not be viewed as comprehensive or definitive reviews. Rather, they are...

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has grown dramatically in recent years, as has research into the safety and efficacy of CAM treatments. Minimal attention, however, has been given to the ethical issues relating to research on CAM. The needs of public health and safety demand rigorous research evaluating CAM therapies, adhering to the same ethical requirements applied to a...

With the increased acceptance of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within society, new research reflects deeper folk health histories beyond formal medical spaces. The contested relationships between formal and informal medicine have deep provenance and as scientific medicine began to professionalise in the 19th century, lay health knowledges were simultaneously absorbed and disempow...