Quantitative methods in research on complementary and alternative medicine. A methodological manifesto. NIH Office of Alternative Medicine.
OBJECTIVE
This article summarizes 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.


METHODS
The working group was charged with identifying methods of study design and data analysis that can be applied to empirical research on complementary and alternative medicine. This charge was broad and inclusive and addressed the evaluation of alternative therapies, the investigation of the basic science of complementary medical systems, studies of health promotion and disease prevention, and health services research.


RESULTS
The working group produced a "methodological manifesto," a summary list of seven recommended methodological guidelines for research on alternative medicine. These recommendations emphasize the robustness of existing research methods and analytic procedures despite the substantive unconventionality of alternative medicine.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrary to the assertions of many researchers and alternative practitioners, established methodologies (eg, experimental trials, observational epidemiology, social survey research) and data-analytic procedures (eg, analysis of variance, logistic regression, multivariate modeling techniques) are quite satisfactory for addressing the majority of study questions related to alternative medicine, from clinical research on therapeutic efficacy to basic science research on mechanisms of pathogenesis and recovery.
Levin
J S
JS
National Institute for Healthcare Research, Rockville, MD, USA.
Glass
T A
TA
Kushi
L H
LH
Schuck
J R
JR
Steele
L
L
Jonas
W B
WB
D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States