Centre for Complementary Medicine Research
Message from the Director
Complementary medicine is an exciting, evolving new field of discovery to which CompleMED is contributing groundbreaking knowledge. CompleMED's principal aim is to promote an evidence based approach to the use of complementary medicine in healthcare. Like most of the western world, Australia is experiencing an increase in the acceptance and use of complementary medicine, however there is a need for scientific evidence to support this high level of use. By building on the wealth of traditional medical knowledge, scientific research allows us to create new knowledge and options for enhancing health and wellbeing that can be used in our modern healthcare environment.
CompleMED’s research program focuses on the safety, efficacy and use of complementary medicine, and employs a diverse range of disciplines to investigate these issues. We have established state of the art clinical, analytical and pharmacology laboratory facilities to research how herbal medicines work on cellular, molecular and physiological levels, and to analyse and quantify the complex components contained in the medicines and their effect on our health. Our clinical research investigating the effect of herbal medicines on a range of important health conditions has been published in leading medical journals, and CompleMED established Australia’s first hospital based traditional Chinese medicine research facility with Liverpool Hospital in Sydney. CompleMED has also played a key role in the development of national policies for practitioner regulation, and in the establishment of Australia’s National Institute of Complementary Medicine.
The Centre collaborates with a range of government and industry partners both nationally and internationally, undertaking independent research to support the development of the complementary medicine sector, and to provide opportunities for innovation in research, policy and commercialisation.
I am pleased to welcome you to CompleMED, and invite you to contact us if you have any questions about our research or other activities.
Professor Alan Bensoussan
Director
'...building on the wealth of traditional knowledge to create new healthcare options'
