Research in naturopathy: Demands and practical proposals

Abstract: The controversy between classical and traditional medicine seems to be unneccessary, both are twins. The benefits of traditional medicine should therefore be evaluated by systematic clinical and basic research. In these efforts the following medical and scientific disciplins should cooperate: General medicine, internal medicine (rheumatology, oncology), pediatrics (allergology, pneumology, oncology), dermatology (immunology, allergology), clinical immunology (infectiology), physical medicine (balneology), psychosomatic medicine, homeopathy, pharmaceutical biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, chemistry of natural compounds, computer science and statistics. These large research projects should be supplemented by decentralized or peripheral clinical research units in which representatives of different medical fields would co-operate. Co-operation between central and peripheral institutions could result in an optimization of ambulant therapeutic procedures, in the saving of expenses by reduced hospitalization time, in the sclentific solution of open questions concerning naturopathy and phytotherapy and in a critical screening of complementary or alternative methods.

Keyword(s): Public health

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