Research tools to assess safety

Complementary therapies are often believed to be entirely safe, yet the safety of a particular therapy or remedy can only be determined by evidence, not belief. The safety of complementary therapies, however, is grossly under-researched. There are several methodological approaches that can be used to investigate the risks of applying therapeutic interventions. These tools include assessing historical use (the ‘test of time’), controlled clinical trials, systematic and narrative reviews, epidemiological investigations, case-control studies, case registers, observational studies, surveys, and spontaneous reporting schemes. The strengths and weaknesses of each of these methods, and their appropriateness for investigating the safety of complementary therapies will be discussed. Examples of completed, proposed and ongoing studies in this area will be given.

In conclusion, systematic investigations into the safety of complementary therapies and remedies should be initiated.