Complementary medicine research in Australia: a strategy for the future.

Research funding for CAM is inadequate, resulting in too few good quality studies to support its use. Widespread use of CAM, as well as its media promotion, make this a vital public health issue, and the Australian government has a social and ethical obligation to respond by developing a research infrastructure (as has been done by the United Kingdom and United States governments). We propose a funding model that neither draws directly from the CAM industry nor from current health research budgets, yet would strengthen Australia's international role in CAM research. Establishing and applying focused research methods in CAM is imperative for strengthening its evidence base and creating fresh options for safe and effective patient care.