- The doctor-patient relationship is based on confidence.
Anthroposophical medicine is effective and safe
Anthroposophical medicine is comprehensive. It works hand-in-hand with conventional medicine, is complementary, integrated, effective and safe.
Anthroposophical medicine aims at comprehensive healing. Using also the methods and understandings of modern science, it is not in opposition to conventional medicine. It is a complementary, integrated medicine. All anthroposophical doctors are conventionally trained, and have specialised. They always begin with a conventional diagnosis and include where necessary conventional methods and knowledge.
Patients share responsibility
Anthroposophically understood, illness is always seen as intimately linked to the individual. Its origin is in an imbalance between body, soul and spirit. In making their diagnoses, anthroposophical doctors take account of both other bodily and soul aspects of their patients, placing them also in a context of their biographies and personalities. This approach presupposes a relationship of confidence between doctor and patient. In this medicine of meeting, both research together to understand the problem in its entirety and to find ways to remedy it.
Anthroposophical medicine does not aim to suppress symptoms, but to awaken and reinforce the forces of healing that are dormant in everyone.
Anthroposophical medicaments and therapies
Anthroposophical remedies encompass a wide range of natural substances. They are administered both internally and externally. Artistic therapies such as therapeutic painting and rhythmical massage support the healing process. Above all, anthroposophical medicine enjoins patients to find a new inner equilibrium in order to recover their health and give it new longer-term stability.
Cheaper than conventional medicine
Anthroposophical medicine is not only effective, safe and compatible as shown by the Complementary Medicine Evaluation Programme (PEK); it is also value for money. It often takes up extra time, for example in biographical conversations, but its extra costs are largely offset by savings on laboratory analyses and diagnostic techniques; not to mention conventional medicaments.
Anthroposophical medicine was developed at the beginning of the 1920s by Dr Ita Wegman (18761943) and other doctors in cooperation with Rudolf Steiner (18611925). It has been developing ever since.
Anthroposophical medicine coordination service (SIAM)

Complementary medicine should no longer be the poor relation
Dr Hansueli Albonico, Principal Doctor for Complementary Medicine, Emmental Regional Hospital took part in the Complementary Medicine Evaluation Programme (PEK).
Dr Albonico, people generally appreciate complementary medicine a lot. Its critics claim they are not serious. As one who took part in the PEK study, what is your view?
Complementary medicine covers a vast field, which makes the need for solid criteria indispensable. The therapeutic disciplines that we evaluated scientifically (see foregoing article) are effective and safe and, in general, less costly than conventional medicine. This is particularly so for the medicaments.
You are responsible for one of the few hospital-based complementary medicine services. What is its advantage from a patients point of view?
What is often called integrated medicine, the alliance between conventional and complementary medicine, is what we offer. There are still many difficulties, but I am confident we can continue to encourage complementary medicine. It is crucial that they are recognised by professionals and politicians, as this will enable their general use in hospitals.
But we also need to increase research and training collaboration with universities. As soon as patients generally make use of such medicines, future doctors will need to be familiar with them. Complementary medicine must not remain the poor relation.
Not enough research is done in complementary medicine. What has to change?
It is true that there is insufficient research in this area. The time has come to give it the necessary financial resources. For this it is important not to conceive conventional and complementary medicine as opposites, but as sensible complements which, when used well, are also economic.