The first European Congress on Integrative Medicine (ECIM) celebrated a successful start in Berlin 7-8 November. Some 450 doctors and researchers from many European countries, Asia and the United States came to discuss progress and future ways of integrating non-conventional therapies into mainstream Western medicine. The aim is to offer patients the best possible care and quality of life by responsibly taking advantage of medical procedures like acupuncture, homeopathy, anthroposophic medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Progress in research and experience with already established integrative medical care was exchanged and discussed. Compared with research funding by governments and industry in the conventional health sector, the complementary medicine (CAM) research community in Europe is still extremely underprivileged. Although clinical and basic research has gained in quality and volume, the lack of adequate funding was repeatedly underlined. The EU and its Member States will need to pay more attention to this problem. The USA offers a good example, where government funding is available for CAM research via NCCAM.

Prominent experts from several European countries demonstrated the therapeutic and economic advantages of CAM intervention and its integration into general medical care. Elio Rossi gave an example from the Italian Region of Tuscany, where complementary medicine has been integrated into a governmental health plan since 1996. Clinical research and specific training programmes are supported by the government, the medical association and the University of Florence. Integration and free therapeutic choice, but also improving safety standards and training are part of the current 2008 – 2010 Regional Health Plan.

Another prominent success was reported from Zürich where the University and the University Hospital have succeeded in integrating complementary medicine into what Professor R. Saller called ‘University Medicine’, with its own complementary medicine institute and chair. Saller also underlined the problem of lack of resources, as did M. Ingvar from the Swedish Karolinska Institute.

Claudia Witt, Germany’s first professor for complementary medicine at the Charité Universitiy Medical Centre in Berlin, gave a concise overview on research done to demonstrate intervention economics and quality of life gained as compared to conventional treatment.

Much remains to be done, especially at EU level. As Ton Nicolai, President of the European Committee for Homeopathy, pointed out, the dialogue must go on. More partners from the conventional side in hospitals, education and research are needed. Reliable communication of research results needs to be provided and guidelines for CAM practice should also be available.

Charité’s Professor Stefan Willich, the acting Congress President and promoter of the event, underlined in his closing statement the need for a better degree of understanding in the present medical world. Polarisation would only damage the patient. Passion would be needed to advance the idea of integrative medicine across all borders, and to form alliances in research and health care. Willich plans to organise the 2009 ECIM again in Berlin, but then his intention is to carry the congress for integrative medicine to important university centres across Europe.

The congress was also the inauguration day for a new interdisciplinary research journal by ELSEVIER which is to publish peer-reviewed articles in the field of conventional medicine and its interface towards evidence-based complementary medicine: the European Journal of Integrative Medicine. Its first supplement volume is now available with the abstracts from the Berlin congress.

Max Daege
ECHAMP President