Alternative medicine: EU grants nearly 1.5 million euros for complementary and a research network

A three-year project called CAMbrella – which stands for umbrella of research projects in Complementary and Alternative Medicine – will bring together 16 scientific organisations from 12 European countries to develop a comprehensive view of the current status of complementary medicine in Europe and recommendations that will serve as a starting point for future EU research activities. Several working groups will focus on patients' needs, legal conditions for the implementation of naturopathic treatments, and the role of complementary and alternative medicine treatments in health care systems, as well as on questions of terminology and methodology.

65% of the European population report they have used complementary and alternative medicine; 30-50% use complementary medicine for self-treatment and 10-20% have seen a complementary medicine practitioner in the last year. 150 000 doctors in Europe have taken training in complementary medicine.

Notes:

1. Dr Weidenhammer, co-ordinator of CAMbrella, will be a keynote speaker at ECHAMP’s symposium in Brussels on 18 November, ‘Homeopathy and Anthroposophic Medicine – Is EU legislation fit for purpose?’ on the topic ‘Research into Complementary Medicine in Europe’. 
   

2. ECHAMP is the European Coalition on Homeopathic and Anthroposophic Medicinal Products and represents the vast majority of the industry for these products in Europe. ECHAMP believes that homeopathy and anthroposophic medicine should be fully integrated into health care provision in Europe and works towards an appropriate European legal and regulatory framework to ensure the easy availability of the full range of these medicinal products, essential for the successful practice and development of these traditional therapies. www.echamp.eu