'If it helps my patient...' Perspectives on complementary medicine.
The argument 'if it helps my patient, I don't need science to prove that it works' is rife in complementary medicine. This article is an attempt to examine it from the perspective of the provider of complementary medicine, the clinical scientist and the politician. It is concluded that the dichotomy between experience and science is a regrettable misunderstanding. The revised argument should be 'if it helps my patient, I want research undertaken to find out whether more people could benefit from it'.
Ernst
E
E
Department of Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter & Plymouth, Exeter. Edzard.Ernst@pms.ac.uk
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011057:Politics; D012106:Research; D006113:United Kingdom