Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) – the resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobia drug that was originally effective for treatment of infections caused by it – threatens the effective prevention and treatment of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi. It is an increasingly serious threat to global public health that requires action across all government sectors and society. This paper describes how the sector of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) can contribute to reducing the problem of AMR.

The CAM perspective on health and disease is essentially different from the conventional biomedical perspective. It is not just a difference in the technology and instruments used, but in the underlying paradigms, the basic concepts of and philosophical perspective.  Although CΑΜ represents a variety of different medical systems and therapies, the CAM modalities have a common denominator, i.e. their individualised holistic approach and their focus on promoting the individual’s health by assisting the person’s innate healing capacity.
Please read the EUROCAM’s document (PDF)

Brussels - 30 November 2011
Directorate General for Internal Policies Policy Department A: Economic and Scietific Policy

Abstract

This is a summary of the presentations and discussions at a Workshop on Alternative Medicines held at the European Parliament. The workshop was organised with the aim of raising awareness about alternative medicines and exchanging views on the current legal framework. Seven experts covered topics such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, dietary methods and fasting, and others. A representative of the European Commission contributed comments about the present regulatory scenario.

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Harald Walach^a, Sirpa Pietikäinen^b
aEuropean University Viadrina, Frankfurt/O., Germany
^bMember of the European Parliament, Strasbourg, France

CAMbrella was the first pan-European research project that systematically evaluated the state of usage, motivation, provision, and regulation of CAM usage in European coun- tries. It also documented the need and the way forward for research in Europe. Some of the finest minds in European CAM research were either part of the consortium or were invited as experts to some of the specialist meetings. Thus, CAMbrella formulates a consensus never seen in European research on this topic before. Results of the work packages – most of them systematic reviews – have been published, also in open access format in FORSCHENDE KOMPLEMENTÄRMEDIZIN [1]. Now, the final piece, roadmap 2020, has been published and is available online [2]. This roadmap sums up the findings briefly and points towards the future direction of research.