FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Are there fees required to use the CAM-Quest databases?

No, both the Quick Search as well as the Expert Search are free of charge.

What does "CAM-Quest" stand for?

"CAM" is the abbreviation for "Complementary and Alternative Medicine". "Quest" is equivalent to "Search". In combination, the slogan "CAM-Quest provides the answers" intends to convey the possibility of finding literature on complementary and alternative medicine vis-a-vis the available databases on this website.

What can I find here?

The CAM-Quest databases contain literature on clinical research regarding research, systematic reviews as well as meta-analyses addressing the treatment of most prevalent diseases with CAM methods.

What precisely is meant by clinical studies which I can search in the databases?

Clinical studies refer to scientifically monitored observations, both non-randomized and randomized research as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses (definition: see glossary).

How would one initiate a Quick Search?

  1. Searching for therapies: Please click the button "Therapies".
  2. Searching for diseases: Please click the button "Diseases".
  3. Read the "Terms of use" and click on "agree".
  4. In the following window, click either on a therapy or a disease pattern.
  5. In subsequent windows lists, you have the opportunity to choose a disease or a study design.

Why am I asked to accept the "terms of use"?

This is necessary to avoid an abuse of the database records as well as other data. The acceptance of the "terms of use" do not allude to hidden commitments, costs or data storage.

Is it possible to create and print a reference list of favored studies?

Yes, by first choosing from a list of possibilities (terms) and subsequently clicking on "Show results" in the same window. To print your choices from "results", click on the relevant boxes and then again on "Print selected items".

Why should a search be restricted?

To avoid lists that are too extensive before tagging the selection boxes to be printed.

What can be done when the favored disease or therapy was not found?

  1. By moving the cursor over single terms in the lists, in most cases a box with synonyms will appear. Perhaps the favored term can be found there.
  2. It is also possible to perform a search within the Expert Search. It offers clinical studies in the whole field of complementary and alternative medicine within a context that provides a more extensive choice of diseases.

Which studies can neither be found in the "Quick Search" nor in the "Expert Search"?

  • Prevention studies
  • Diagnostics studies”
  • (Questionnaire) surveys
  • Pharmacological studies
  • Studies with the main focus on “side-effects" or "drug interactions”
  • Studies investigating the placebo effect
  • Cost-effectiveness studies
  • Studies with the main focus on "nutrition therapies” or "orthomolecular medicine"
  • Methodological studies
  • Studies published in non-common languages like Chinese or Russian.

Why are the full texts of articles not directly available via the CAM-Quest databases?

Due to strict copyright laws in Germany and other countries, the deliverance of full text articles is, unfortunately, not possible. In the near future, new links to abstracts will be created that will enable people to order full texts of favored studies directly from publisher websites.