The need for an independent European Science Network

Patients often demonstrate their need for a medical care which recognizes the importance of the mind for bodily mechanisms. School medicine in general and health care systems in particular – have not been very supportive of the tradition of psychosomatic, complementary, or behavioural medicine. Patients´ widespread use of alternative practices, however, suggests that they do not get what they want from school medicine. Patients have been estimated to spend as much money on alternative practices as is spent – in total – on the health care system. However, the validity of these practices is questionable. The US National institutes of health have defined them as "unproven by science and considered not yet an integral part of conventional medicine". To make use of "practices that focus on the whole person", but are "uninformed by scientific evidence", scientists will have to deal more seriously with these practices. With increasing neurobiological scientific competence, complementary practices could become integrated and gain acceptance in school medicine, provided there is an interest from the side of school medicine and basic research. One such example of a therapeutic principle, which has made this transition, is acupuncture. Originating in ancient Chinese Medicine, it has received widespread attention and confirmation in recent years by contemporary school medicine. A further example is provided by behavioural modification techniques, which have been proven more effective than school medicine therapies in certain conditions. To create a clinical and scientific organization which will promote this development seems important. Therefore there is great need for free, creative, scientific exchange between researchers, practitioners, modern and traditional medical practices, between disciplines and universities. The European Network of Psychosomatic Medicine should be able to provide such opportunities. This network should be free, independent and differ from other scientific organizations in the field, in that it does not emphasize one side before the other, nor should it require or lead to membership in other organizations.