CAM evaluation: what are the research questions?

Much effort is being directed towards the evaluation of CAM therapies. Yet evaluation is often encouraged before truly considering the research questi ons which need to be asked. Research questions like 'Does this CAM therapy work?' must be clearly distinguished from 'Does this particular CAM treatme nt work?' and the latter question needs to be replaced by even more specifi c ones like 'Does it work when administered by therapist X?' and 'is therap ist X effective?'. Suggestions for the study of the therapeutic process and the evaluation of therapist effectiveness are presented. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.