Division of Data Sharing and Medical Art Research Project for Improving Quality in Healthcare and Collecting Scientific Evidence on Integrative Medicine

Integrative medicine is diverse and there is limited evidence for some treatments. Under these circumstances, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare set up an expert committee in March 2012 on the roles of integrative medicine. The committee complied with the interim report in February 2013 and defined integrative medicine as follows: Integrative medicine is a complementary or alternative medicine provided on the premise of western medicine, and its purpose is to improve the quality of life of patients. It is provided by a medical doctor, but in some cases, it is also provided in a multidisciplinary setting.

This program is conducted to collect scientific evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of integrative medicine.

In addition, the evidence obtained in this program is widely disseminated through the “Information site for evidence-based Japanese Integrative Medicine" operated by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

PS (Program Supervisor)

• Hidehiko Saito, M.D., Honorary Director, Nagoya Medical Center

PO (Program Officer)

• Hideo Kusuoka, M.D., Ph.D., President, National Hospital Organization
• Nobutaro Ban, M.D., Ph.D., Professor, Aichi Medical University / Director, Medical Education Center