Abstract: . . .  medicine are biomedically trained and committed to that paradigm. They may feel threatened by alternative medical practices. It is apparent that in deciding how research should be conducted, many judgements need to be made which will profoundly alter the implications and outcomes of the research. Research needs to be interpreted, and bias and prejudices can influence this. In fact, research cannot be devised and interpreted without assumptions being made that influence the results. Since biomedical adherents . . .
. . .  (1995) for detailed discussion of this. 10 Many studies of a CAM modality that shows its usefulness, allude to the need for the mechanisms to be determined, almost as an apology to the biomedical profession. A recent case is in the Reuter’s report of evidence that Therapeutic Touch can alleviate knee pain: “[The researchers] also conclude that ‘it may well be that therapeutic touch works in a different way than by manipulating energy fields,’ and they urge further studies aimed at investigating underlying . . .
. . .  assume that what it calls placebo is some- thing negative?” Hidden assumptions are the most insidi- ous. These considerations are essential in appreciating the true significance of research. Initial assumptions govern end results. Conclusion Evidence based medicine , while an attractive concept be- cause it appears to be a method of simply determining if a treatment works, is not neutral insofar as the outcomes of research will reflect the initial assumptions of the research- ers, and the biases of . . .
. . .  CAM modalities. Even if EBM is initially concerned with determining whether a CAM modality ‘works’, as research progresses, more energy will be put into determining the biomedically con- ceived ‘mechanisms’ involved 10 . With success in this area, biomedicine will argue that the discipline has been put on a ‘firm scientific foundation’, and that science is the appro- priate methodology, with the original paradigm at best empirical but flawed and redundant. CAM professions must be aware that their . . .
. . .  Bensky: Acupuncture - A Comprehensive Text , Seattle, 1981. 8 “What’s the Point?”, The Independent , 20 October, 1998. 9 See Weil (1995) for detailed discussion of this. 10 Many studies of a CAM modality that shows its usefulness, allude to the need for the mechanisms to be determined, almost as an apology to the biomedical profession. A recent case is in the Reuter’s report of evidence that Therapeutic Touch can alleviate knee pain: “[The researchers] also conclude that ‘it may well be that therapeutic . . .
. . .  by scientific research 8 . In these examples, the edifice of Chinese theory has not been destroyed, only the sandcastles built of biomedical researchers’ misunderstandings. Statements such as White’s and Ernst’s, respected aca- demic specialists in complementary medicine , show the danger to CAM of the incommensurability of paradigms not being taken into account. Very little human under- standing or endeavour is possible without utilising para- digms, and understandably people want to feel that . . .
--3000,6,250,3450,21193