Wayne B. Jonas - Böcker

The use of complementary therapies is exploding, increasing the pressure to establish a rigorous science to support its practice. Clinical Research in Complementary Therapies: Principles, Problems and Solutions provides students with the tools they need to research complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) and so fill this gap. Essential for both undergraduate and postgraduate students, this second edition is significantly updated and enhanced.

Part 1 deals with research strategies and methods, explaining the major types of clinical research in CIM and how these inter-relate. New chapters are included on whole systems research, qualitative research and questionnaire development. Not all therapies can be treated the same way nor channeled through the signal process of randomized controlled trials. Therefore, detailed description of mixed methods approaches including observational, qualitative, cost-benefit and comparative effectiveness research are described. Part 2 deals with specific complementary therapies and how they are invested by experts in each field.

The book analyses the key questions asked and the controversies debated in complementary medicine research and offers clear and innovative guidance for answering these questions.

FEATURES

. Provides an overarching synthesis of methods in CIM and how they are to be used collectively including the role of comparative effectiveness research. Suggests both general and specific factors which need to be considered in assessing or planning complementary therapy research . Pinpoints aspects of research which are different in orthodox research and complementary therapy research . Reviews the types of research carried out in specific complementary therapies and analyses issues which arise . Includes information on measuring the economic cost and benefits of complementary medicine, clinical audit and the role of placebos use . Builds upon recent research results, looks at the lessons these provide for all complementary therapies and suggests key issues to address in future research.

This book provides a clear and authoritative summary of the results and clinical implications of research in spiritual healing, energy medicine and the effects of intentionality. Recent publications in the Archives of Internal Medicine, the Western Journal of Medicine, JAMA and the Annals of Internal Medicine have focused on prayer, distant healing and spiritual healing. Therapeutic touch is taught in many nursing schools and laying-on-of-hands and mental healing are of great interest to the public. But what is the science behind these practices? Is there any research? Is it any good? What are the implications of this research for medicine and science? How should investigation of spiritual healing proceed, if at all? These are the questions this book explores. This book derives from a project sponsored by the Lawrence S. Rockefeller for the purpose of rigorously evaluating the science of spiritual healing. To produce the book, some of the best researchers in these areas were asked to use a standard set of quality criteria for the evaluation of science and clinical research. A conference of scientists, physicians, ministers and others then reviewed and discussed this literature and addressed methods for their further evaluation. The conference was organised by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Duke University, Wake Forest University and the Institute of Noetic Sciences. The evidence level of these areas was rated using standards established by government groups and published in JAMA for classification of the amount and quality of evidence in medicine. Each area was summarised, and clinical implications identified. Recommendations for future research and investigating the impact of healing practices in the clinical setting were also made.

Using published studies and their own research and clinical experience, the doctors Jonas and Jacobs provide guidelines for using homoeopathic remedies, discuss real-life cases of miracle cures, and talk frankly about homoeopathy's limitations.

Neuroscience, Consciousness and Spirituality presents a variety of perspectives by leading thinkers on contemporary research into the brain, the mind and the spirit. This volumes  aims at combining knowledge from neuroscience with approaches from the experiential perspective of the first person singular in order to arrive at an integrated understanding of consciousness.  Individual chapters discuss new areas of research, such as near death studies and neuroscience research into spiritual experiences, and report on significant new theoretical advances. From Harald Walach’s introductory essay, “Neuroscience, Consciousness, Spirituality – Questions, Problems and Potential Solutions,” to the concluding chapter by Robert K. C. Foreman entitled “An Emerging New Model for Consciousness: The Consciousness Field Model,” this book represents a milestone in the progress towards an integrated understanding of spirituality, neuroscience and consciousness.It is the first in a series of books that are dedicated to this topic.