Summary
The mission of the Research Working Group is to support, facilitate and encourage high quality research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine/Integrative Medicine (CAM/IM). This will be accomplished through activities in research, communication and education. The RWG will work closely with the other Consortium working groups and member schools to foster collaborative research and establish infrastructure and databases that are supportive of this mission. They will also serve as a resource for information and publications in the field of CAM research for the public, the press and the scientific community.
The RWG will take the lead on establishing a current database of CAM/IM investigators, projects, funding and publications of the member schools. In addition, a list of potential reviewers for grants and manuscripts, including their areas of expertise, will be compiled, supplied to and available for public and private funding sources and journals. The RWG will lead and coordinate the formation of a Consortium Rapid Response Team Network to field and respond to queries from the media on breaking news and publications in CAM research. The RWG would like to take a proactive role in this and would welcome accepted papers, in confidence, prior to their publication, from CAM researchers within and outside the Consortium, in order to facilitate the most fully considered and timely responses. They will also prepare statements in response to selected publications, (e.g. letters to editors), and write reviews in CAM research areas. CAM research will also be supported through scientific meetings, education related to research, communications and mentoring. The RWG will continue to evolve and adjust its activities in response to the needs of the Consortium, its members, the research community and the public.
