Methods of Economic Evaluation in Complementary Medicine

White, Adrian; Resch, Karl-Ludwig; Ernst, E

doi:10.1159/000210225

Cited by 14 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Some claim that this area of medicine is so different that it defies standard research methods. This, however, has repeatedly been demonstrated to be wrong (as shown by White et al 91 and Vickers et al 92 ). Clearly, the optimal method has to be chosen according to the research question and not to some vague ideological underpinning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Complementary Therapies for Depression

Ernst¹,

Rand²,

Stevinson³

1998

Arch Gen Psychiatry

127

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Depression is one of the most common reasons for using complementary and alternative therapies. The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the evidence available on the treatment of depression with complementary therapies. Systematic literature searches were performed using several databases, reference list searching, and inquiry to colleagues. Data extraction followed a predefined protocol. The amount of rigorous scientific data to support the efficacy of complementary therapies in the treatment of depression is extremely limited. The areas with the most evidence for beneficial effects are exercise, herbal therapy (Hypericum perforatum), and, to a lesser extent, acupuncture and relaxation therapies. There is a need for further research involving randomized controlled trials into the efficacy of complementary and alternative therapies in the treatment of depression.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Complementary Therapies for Depression

Ernst¹,

Rand²,

Stevinson³

1998

Arch Gen Psychiatry

127

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“…To judge this issue fairly, one should not compare costs but cost-effectiveness. Even though the method ology to do so does exist, little conclusive work has so far been done to substantiate the claim that CM offers value for money [2,13]. Cost-evaluation of CM is therefore a promising area for future research.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patients′ Opinions about Complementary Medicine

Abbot¹,

Ernst²

1997

Complement Med Res

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Readers of ‘The Guardian’ newspaper were invited to answer a questionnaire on complementary medicine (CM). The 386 participants – a self-selected sample – were predominantly female (82%), middle aged (58%) and had a high educational level. Homoeopathy (74%), osteopathy (54%) and acupuncture (47%) were the three most frequently used therapies. Two thirds of the sample had attended more than 20 treatment sessions of CM. CM was used mostly for painful, chronic conditions. Ailments for which orthodoxy cannot offer a cure, such as low back pain and arthritis, ranked high in the list of popular indications. The overwhelming majority perceived CM as helpful. 306 (82%) respondents felt that CM was safer than orthodox treatments. Yet, ninety-two (25%) individuals stated that they had experienced adverse effects of CM. The highest adverse effect rates were reported for acupuncture (13%) and homoeopathy (10%). A large majority of the respondents (92%) felt that it was important to enhance patient safety by ensuring that all practitioners of CM undergo accredited professional training. For the group as a whole, it was estimated that at least E 300,000 had been spent on CM, corresponding to approximately E 780 per person. It is concluded that CM is perceived as effective, that a remarkably high rate of suspected adverse reactions are being reported and that its costs are considerable.

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“…Obviously, a homeopathic remedy can be less expensive than a pharmaceutical drug, but it would still be costly if it was ineffective. The methodologies for rigorous cost evaluation are relatively novel and have so far rarely been used in CM [31]. The hypothesis that the integration of CM into mainstream care saves money is testable and there are few reasons not to insist on proper scientific evidence.…”

Section: Patients' Use Of CMmentioning

confidence: 99%

Usage of complementary therapies in rheumatology: A systematic review

Ernst

1998

Clin Rheumatol

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Complementary medicine (CM) is more popular than ever before. Rheumatology patients seem particularly keen to try CM. In this paper, surveys on rheumatology patients' use of CM are reviewed. The issues of perceived effectiveness, safety and costs are also addressed. In addition surveys of doctors' attitudes towards CM in rheumatology are summarised. Fourteen surveys on patients' use of CM and three on patients' attitudes towards CM were found and analysed. The results imply that the prevalence of CM varies between 30% and nearly 100%. Overall, patients perceive CM as being moderately effective. The survey contains only few data on adverse events of CM as perceived by these patients; collectively they suggest that adverse events are uncommon. Data on costs are similarly sparse; they imply that expenditure for CM is rarely high. Physicians seem to be more sceptical about CM than are their patients. It is concluded that, on average, CM is frequently used by rheumatology patients. The patients' level of satisfaction with CM is often considerable and few adverse effects are being reported. On the basis of these findings, a rigorous investigation of the effectiveness, safety and costs of CM in rheumatology seems desirable.

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Methods of Economic Evaluation in Complementary Medicine

Cited by 14 publications

References 24 publications

Complementary Therapies for Depression

Complementary Therapies for Depression

Patients′ Opinions about Complementary Medicine

Usage of complementary therapies in rheumatology: A systematic review

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