Defining Criteria for Guiding Cancer Patients to Find a Reputable Complementary Medicine Provider: Results of a Literature Review and a Consensus Procedure

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flowchart of the criteria list development process.

Table 1 Criteria for Reputable CM Providers from the Literature

Education & Training	Medical Approach	Attitude	Cost & Reimbursement
Further training and education after graduation^Citation8,Citation11,Citation13,Citation15,Citation16,Citation19	Using of medical methods (anamnesis, diagnosis, documentation)^Citation8^–^Citation11	No polemical statements against therapeutic alternatives^Citation8,Citation18 orfurther CM therapies [10]	No disproportionate financial demands^Citation8
Additional title, if applicable^Citation9,Citation12,Citation19	Diagnosis and treatment plan are set before start of treatment^Citation9,Citation10,Citation12,Citation17	Medically prescribed conventional medicines are taken into account^Citation9,Citation10,Citation16	Treatment costs and possible reimbursement costs are discussed prior to the therapy^Citation9,Citation10,Citation12,Citation17,Citation18
Certificates and quality or association seals^Citation9,Citation12,Citation20,Citation21	Compliance of code of ethics^Citation13^–^Citation15	Acceptance of conventional medical procedures/treatment methods^Citation9,Citation10,Citation16,Citation19	Communication of length/duration of therapy^Citation15,Citation18
Study degree or basic education^Citation11,Citation18,Citation20,Citation22 including a specific regulation of the length of education^Citation12,Citation13,Citation16,Citation19	Respect for the individual^Citation8,Citation11	No false pretense of prospects of success^Citation8,Citation10
Clinical training or experience^Citation13,Citation18	Professionalism^Citation11,Citation14	Possibilities and limitations of CM treatment are shown^Citation9,Citation11,Citation16^-^Citation18
Protected title^Citation12,Citation13	Acceptance of patient autonomy^Citation16,Citation17	Willingness to work interdisciplinary^Citation18,Citation19
Willingness to proof qualifications^Citation15	Therapy freedom^Citation16	Commitment to scientific-oriented, empirical medicine^Citation16
Knowledge about their own possibilities and limits^Citation8,Citation11	Fixed practice location and times^Citation10	Rejection of alternative medicine with better evidence of orthodox medicine^Citation16
Willingness to name empirical knowledge (evidence) on CM treatment^Citation8,Citation12,Citation17,Citation18
Practical experience^Citation16
Special training in specific CM treatment^Citation16

Figure 2 Flowchart for literature search and study selection.

Figure 3 Leaflet for patients without the disclaimer.

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