NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
NATIONAL CENTER FOR COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
IOM Summit Explores Integrative Medicine
Over 600 attendees with an interest in integrative health care and the future of the Nation's health convened in Washington, D.C., on February 25–27 for a "Summit on Integrative Medicine and the Health of the Public," sponsored by the Institute of Medicine with support from The Bravewell Collaborative.
Ralph Snyderman, M.D., Duke University School of Medicine, chaired the summit. Dr. Snyderman lectured on integrative medicine in 2005 as part of NCCAM's Distinguished Lectures in the Science of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. A number of NCCAM's current and former grant recipients also served as speakers and panelists.
Josephine P. Briggs, M.D.
© Lisa Helfert
Josephine P. Briggs, M.D. (pictured at right), Director of NCCAM, spoke on "The Science: CAM Modalities." "NCCAM's mission is building the evidence base on CAM therapies, which can be part of integrative medicine," Dr. Briggs said. She added, "We follow three NIH core principles in overseeing our investment in CAM research—rigorous peer review, commitment to investigator-initiated science, and partnerships with other NIH components, other Federal entities, and the private sector."
Dr. Briggs noted that the major types of studies in which NCCAM will invest are basic science (which asks, "How does [a therapy] work?"); translational research ("Can it be studied in people?"); efficacy studies ("What are the specific effects?"); and effectiveness research ("Is it a good treatment?"). She gave examples of NCCAM-funded studies that have had an impact on areas ranging from the conduct of research on CAM, to patterns of consumer use, to clinical practice.
The Institute of Medicine's official report on the summit will be released November 4, 2009. To view Webcasts of the presentations, go to www.imsummitwebcast.org. Dr. Snyderman's 2005 NCCAM lecture, "Integrative Medicine," may be viewed at nccam.nih.gov/training/videolectures/integrative.htm.
