Current RCCM Projects

Linking with CAM professions

The RCCM provides an important research link with professional complementary medicine practitioner bodies. Workshops with research leads of CAM professional bodies were convened during 2010 and 2011. To date these have focused on safety (see reference below) and measuring patient outcomes.  These are both shared agendas and  priorities for practice and have provided useful networking and information sharing events.  Creating and maintaining the bridge between research and practice is an important role for the RCCM.

• Robinson N, Lorenc A, Lewith G. Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) professional practice and safety: a consensus building workshop. European Journal of Integrative Medicine 2011; e-49-e53 doi:10.1016/jeujim.2011.05.011

Mapping CAM MPhil/PhD activity in UK universities

Over the last few years the RCCM has been involved in determining the postgraduate research activity supported within UK universities (see reference below). This exercise has resulted in identifying areas of specialist interest and expertise in research. It has also enabled the opportunity to start to quantify the level of activity in building the evidence for complementary medicine. The information has been used to create a map of CAM research activity in UK Universities, which is accessible to members of CAMRN in the Resources for CAM Research section.

• Robinson N, Lewith G. The RCCM 2008 Survey: Mapping doctoral and postgraduate CAM research in the United Kingdom. eCAM 2009; 1-5  doi:10.1093/ecam/nep184.