Perspective: The clinical trial barriers: Nature Publishing Group (western medicine/Asian approaches)

"Western medicine depends on science to create and assess drugs at the molecular level. In Asia, there is a commonly held belief that there is an art to healing too, and that both art and science should cooperate to help eradicate illness and relieve suffering."

"For traditional Asian approaches to become integrated into modern medicine, we need to consider alternative inclusion and exclusion criteria for RCTs. We also need to review how outcomes are assessed. These concepts are neither new nor unproven. Both Western-style modern medicine and traditional Asian medicine aim to heal patients in a harmonized way and can be developed together into an integrated form of personalized medicine. Redesigning clinical trials will accelerate the blending of these two styles of healing, for the benefit of humankind."