[Which evaluations are fundamental for medical training in pharmacotherapy?]

In Germany the medical profession is regulated by the state. The state defines the contents of the medical training within the clear boundaries of scientific medicine, which differs from science or biological medicine. The concepts and practice of many complementary therapeutic or diagnostic methods such as homeopathy do not fit within this state-set frame. Medical students, therefore, must be well acquainted with accepted scientific criteria by which we evaluate the value and validity of various therapeutic approaches. Lecturing pharmacotherapy implies posing questions such as: How do I come to statements which can be falsified? Within which constructs are they valid? Within which social context are they meaningful? Which aspects of reality must stay out of focus in order to reach such statements? This will help students to understand the frequent cognitive dissociations between doctors and patients as to concepts of disease and therapy, and the potential reasons why patients often prefer alternative medicine. Alternative methods can be openly discussed and evaluated on the basis of a critical methodology. For the sake of optimal patient care, "pluralistic" approaches towards setting valid therapeutic rules and standards are no alternative during the periods of basic medical training.