This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) encourages investigator(s)-initiated applications that propose to develop, enhance, and validate translational tools to facilitate rigorous
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study of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) approaches that are in wide use by the public.
Data from the most recent National Health Interview Survey [http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm] establish that Americans are utilizing CAM approaches to promote health and well-being, to treat or prevent disease, and for symptom relief.
CAM approaches being widely used include manual therapies, meditation, and yoga with chronic pain, back pain and musculoskeletal pain being the most commonly cited reasons for their use.
This FOA focuses on encouraging the development of improved research methodology to study safety, efficacy, and clinical effectiveness of mind-body interventions (such as meditation), manual therapies (such as spinal manipulation or massage), and/or yoga therapy.
Investigations of other CAM interventions (including natural products, dietary supplements, acupuncture or traditional Chinese medicine) are not allowed for this FOA.