QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN RESEARCH ON COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE - A METHODOLOGICAL MANIFESTO

OBJECTIVES. This article summarizes the deliberations of the Quantitat ive Methods Working Group convened by the National Institutes of Healt h (NIH) in support of the NIH Office of Alternative Medicine. METHODS. The working group was charged with identifying methods of study desig n and data analysis that can be applied to empirical research on compl ementary and alternative medicine. This charge was broad and inclusive and addressed the evaluation of alternative therapies, the investigat ion of the basic science of complementary medical systems, studies of health promotion and disease prevention, and health services research. RESULTS. The working group produced a ''methodological manifesto,'' a summary list of seven recommended methodological guidelines for resea rch on alternative medicine. These recommendations emphasize the robus tness of existing research methods and analytic procedures despite the substantive unconventionality of alternative medicine. CONCLUSIONS. C ontrary to the assertions of many researchers and alternative practiti oners, established methodologies (eg, experimental trials, observation al epidemiology, social survey research) and data-analytic procedures (eg, analysis of variance, logistic regression, multivariate modeling techniques) are quite satisfactory for addressing the majority of stud y questions related to alternative medicine, from clinical research on therapeutic efficacy to basic science research on mechanisms of patho genesis and recovery.