The practice of medicine in the modern era is beset with unprecedented challenges in virtually all cultures and societies. In Europe, one of the most important challenges is to take due account of the developed and creative pluralism of educational styles, nutritional methods, cultural and creative activities, scientific approaches and religious values.

This pluralism, which embodies Europe’s spiritual and cultural wealth, has increased still further through enlargement of the European Union to 27 member states.

In medicine, the corresponding aspect of this is the wide variety of complementary medical approaches that exist alongside conventional medicine. The former pursue a holistic approach or intentionally integrate their complementary approach with conventional medicine. The complementary approach promotes, above all, the patients’ own resources for restoring health. It is likely that this cultural and medical diversity can lead to the development of a rich potential for salutogenesis , if the community of EU countries resolves to form its own autonomous health-promotion policy.

The following organisations collaborate in the CAMDOC Alliance www.camdoc.eu and represent 132 associations of statutorily regulated health professionals, i.e. medical doctors, veterinarians, dentists, and pharmacists in the European countries:

• the European Committee for Homeopathy (ECH),
• the European Council of Doctors for Plurality in Medicine (ECPM), 
• International Council of Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniques (ICMART) 
• International Federation of Anthroposophic Medical Associations (IVAA). 

These organisations have a responsibility to ensure that their associated members utilize CAM in a manner consistent with safe and responsible medicine, in view of the increasing interest in and the use of complementary and alternative therapies in medical practice (CAM).

Complementary Medicine (CAM) Its current position and its potential for European Healthcare 
A joint publication by ECH, ECPM, ICMART and IVAA, representing 132 medical CAM associations across Europe (March 2008)
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Last update 28.2.2011 ©IVAA 2011