On the general basis of naturopathy and complementary medicine

Background: Naturopathy and complementary medicine are discussed controversially in public: On the one hand naturopathy is increasingly accepted by the interested public, on the other hand members of the medical community display a critical or even rejecting attitude towards naturopathy. Clarification of the terminology and methods of medical science as well as of naturopathy is necessary. The goal is not only to reestablish the communication between 'classical medicine' and naturopathy but also to gain impulses for the health care system from a cooperation of both, especially with regard to cost development and the search for new solutions and therapies, for example for 'incurable' diseases. Procedure: Here we describe the different view of naturopathy on humans and their diseases and investigate the current scientific knowledge. Naturopathy often has a different, a 'holistic' basis (anthropology), a different therapeutic approach (pathogenesis, salutogenesis). Results: The understanding of science in today's medicine has its origin in history, therefore it is not only continuously changeable but also in need of change. On the one hand new findings from other scientific disciplines should be embraced, on the other hand especially medical science should react to the acute needs and questions of patients. Naturopathy in theory and in applied medicine proves its efficacy (different validities for different procedures). It is followed by the search for the principle of functioning (extension of science). Starting here, an extended understanding of mankind and nature and new models of disease and therapy can be developed. Also, medical ethics in the sense of naturopathy would demand as a first step the use of agents causing the least possible damage. Only when those agents fail, stronger interventions should be chosen. Conclusions: Due to the necessary enhancement of scientific evaluation of naturopathy and the development of explanatory models, impulses for better therapy approaches are to be expected. Qualitative (new therapy models) and economic (cost reduction) impulses for the health care system would be the result.