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The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7349 p584
14 May 2005

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Complementary medicine

Reason for lack of funding could be lack of valuable data

From Mr P. Rue, MRPharmS

Perhaps an alternative reason for the lack of funding of complementary medicine (PJ, 7 May, p557, PDF (60K)) is the lack of valuable data coming from the studies that have been carried out. While I have not personally reviewed the results of such studies, I find it hard to believe that pilot studies showing promising results would not attract suitable funding.

Peter Rue
Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire

EDZARD ERNST, author of the article, responds:

This is an interesting point — one should not fund hopeless studies. I agree. But the reality of complementary medicine is hugely different. First, we often do not even have funds to do the pilot studies. How can anyone decide whether a treatment is promising if even the pilot data are missing? Secondly, there are many examples where preliminary data exist but no funding body seems to want to sponsor definitive studies. Three examples from herbal medicine may suffice: artichoke for cholesterol reduction, feverfew for migraine prevention, and passion flower for anxiety.

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