I am dismayed at the responses of so many medical practitioners still
apparently unable to see that those engaged in serious and professional
research/practice into various complementary therapies do so with the very
best of motives. We surely all want to see our patients receive the best
possible care to ensure the best possible outcomes? There seems to be
reference only to 'complementary therapy as though it were a single
discipline rather than a wide array of practices of which many are rapidly
establishing credence among not just the public and whole time
complementary therapists, but also an increasing number of doctors who do
recognise that conventional medicine cannot always provide the best
outcomes.
For goodness sake, wake up and realise that CAM is not something to be
dismissed as quackery like so much black magic; it is here to stay, and
the sooner it receives the complete backing of the medical fraternity and
appropriate regard in the race for research funding the sooner we can all
work in harmony - for the ultimate good of those we profess to care
for.Let well conducted research provide the evidence for or against
the variety of CAM treatments on offer; let there be a genuine attempt to
combine allopathic and complementary medicine to achieve the greatest
synergistic effect.
Rapid Response:
Missing the point?
Dear Editor,
I am dismayed at the responses of so many medical practitioners still
apparently unable to see that those engaged in serious and professional
research/practice into various complementary therapies do so with the very
best of motives. We surely all want to see our patients receive the best
possible care to ensure the best possible outcomes? There seems to be
reference only to 'complementary therapy as though it were a single
discipline rather than a wide array of practices of which many are rapidly
establishing credence among not just the public and whole time
complementary therapists, but also an increasing number of doctors who do
recognise that conventional medicine cannot always provide the best
outcomes.
For goodness sake, wake up and realise that CAM is not something to be
dismissed as quackery like so much black magic; it is here to stay, and
the sooner it receives the complete backing of the medical fraternity and
appropriate regard in the race for research funding the sooner we can all
work in harmony - for the ultimate good of those we profess to care
for.Let well conducted research provide the evidence for or against
the variety of CAM treatments on offer; let there be a genuine attempt to
combine allopathic and complementary medicine to achieve the greatest
synergistic effect.
Competing interests: No competing interests