A Dutch view of the ''science'' of CAM 1986--2003

Between 1986 and 2003, research efforts on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) were subsidized by the Dutch government. This led to 12 academic theses and a considerable number of papers in medical journals. In our review, we have summarized the results of this research, grouped by therapeutic category (that is, acupuncture, paranormal therapies, naturopathy, manual therapies, homeopathy and anthroposophical medicine.) Of the 12 theses, four were written in Dutch, three of which were not subsequently published in peer-reviewed journals, while the fourth, on enzyme therapy, led to a number of papers in Dutch medical journals. In three instances, mildly positive findings were reported: on the efficacy of manual therapies, the use of acupuncture analgesia in surgery, and an elimination diet against migraine and tension headaches. These positive conclusions can easily be explained by methodological shortcomings (e.g., not using credible placebo-control groups); in the other nine theses, the researchers themselves had drawn negative conclusions. The Dutch government ended its financial support for CAM research in 2006.