ICMART

Quality Management and Clinical Research – Scientific Program of the First German TCM Hospital

Dieter Meltchart
Kaiserstrasse 9, D-80801 Munchen, Germany

In 1991 the first German hospital for Traditional Chinese Medicine was opened. Within the hospital a scientific program including observational studies, surveys, experimental studies and pharmaceutical monitoring has been installed. All consecutive patients admitted for in-patient treatment in the hospital between 1994 and 1998 were included in a series of prospective observational studies with 12 months follow-up.

The objectives of the studies were 1) to collect information about patients, interventions and outcomes in routine care 2) to evaluate the course of symptoms and quality of life in patients after treatment; 3) to assess safety.

Another point of the presentation will discuss the question: “Does it work on an experimental level?” Results of a randomized controlled trial of patients with migraine who were treated by acupuncture resp. sumatriptan in the phase of an acute attack will be presented.