Translational Tools for Clinical Studies of CAM Interventions (R01)

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Purpose. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) encourages investigator(s)-initiated applications that propose to develop, enhance, and validate translational tools to facilitate rigorous study of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches that are in wide use by the public. Recent data from the National Health Interview Survey [http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm] establish that Americans are utilizing CAM approaches to promote health and well-being, to treat or prevent disease, and for symptom relief. CAM approaches being widely used include massage and manipulative therapies, meditation, yoga, and acupuncture. Health conditions, particularly chronic pain, back pain and musculoskeletal pain, are the most commonly cited reasons for their use. This FOA focuses on encouraging the development of improved research methodology to study safety, efficacy, and clinical effectiveness of widely used CAM approaches, such as: mind-body interventions, manual therapies, yoga, and acupuncture. This FOA is not focused on the study of natural products, such as herbal therapies.

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