Understanding CAM Research & Evidence for Integrative Medicine

Most physicians are unaware of the growing research and evidence supporting complementary and alternative (CAM) medicine. And, those who stay abreast of CAM research are often only moderately confident in their abilities to interpret findings.

Alas, there are no armies of sales reps helping educate physicians on the latest research being conducted by the federal government (the NIH has spent more than $2 billion over the last decade on CAM research) much less the many smaller studies taken on by universities and foundations.

Interestingly, “Compared with those who were not aware of CAM trials, clinicians who were aware of CAM trials were much more likely to be rheumatologists, to be practicing in an institutional or academic setting, to have some research experience, to express greater ability to interpret evidence and to report greater acceptance of evidence,” according to a report in the April 13, 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

I wish my friend, Dr. Hugo Rodier, could go on the road full-time and educate his peers given his ability to cite, explain, and interpret thousands of studies on CAM research, especially nutritional studies.

If you are a clinician interested in learning more about integrative medicine and CAM research, drop a line to me, as I think I can convince Dr. Rodier to do a monthly workshop if there is enough interest (for a lecture and detailed Q&A style teleconference each month on the latest research findings)!