EU research project aims to identify science behind alternative medicines

Published: 13-May-2011

Attempt to create consensus robust enough to inspire regulation


A European Union research project is trying to create consensus over scientific principles affecting complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), sufficiently robust to inspire EU regulation.

The CAMbrella project involves academics from Germany, UK, Hungary, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Romania, Spain, France, Denmark, Austria and Sweden, and is scheduled to end in December 2012. The EU is contributing €1.4m.

Its aim, said a European Commission note, is to develop a European research plan boosting the utility of alternative medicine, and to help to develop regulation, with studies ‘acceptable to the EU parliament as well as their national research funders and healthcare providers.’

The project will develop an EU research network able ‘to develop consensus-based terminology widely accepted in Europe to describe CAM interventions…’ and review its current legal status.

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