Managing Director,
UClinic

An appraisal of health services data and outcome measurement tools for use in an Australian Primary Care Integrative Medicine setting

This project describes and document an Australian primary care clinic that integrates natural therapies with mainstream medicine. Reviews the quality of information routinely collected by the clinic and pilot test questionnaires for measuring the outcomes of patients who attend the clinic.

Department of Medicine, University of Sydney
Concord Repatriation General Hospital

Randomised clinical trial: Impact of Medical Qigong on wellbeing of women with breast cancer after adjuvant chemotherapy

Professor Clarke’s grant is primarily funded by the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Research suggests that up to 84% of people with breast cancer are using complementary medicine. This study aims to evaluate in a randomized controlled trial, to test potential effects of a set of Medical Qigong practices (mind/body medicine) on quality of life, fatigue, cognitive function, satisfaction with sexual life and inflammation in 170 women with breast cancer aged 18 years and over who complete chemotherapy treatment. The comparison intervention will participate in a supportive educational program for women with breast cancer.

Professor and Head, Chinese Medicine
RMIT University

A ginseng product for people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease caused by smoking where the lungs are progressively damaged to the extent that the person becomes disabled and his or her life is shortened.  It affects over 700,000 Australians and is a significant cause of suffering and cost.

Head of Unit, Cardiothoracic Surgical Research
Monash University and Alfred Hospital

Integrative cardiac surgery wellness research project

Patients presenting for cardiac surgery are increasingly elderly with many co-morbidities. The result is that hospital length of stay is prolonged and complication rates are increased. This study will evaluate the feasibility, practicability and benefits of broad-based implementation of an integrative cardiac wellness program consisting of metabolic supplementation in elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients at a busy, city hospital, the Alfred Hospital. The program is based on research previously conducted by this unit and aims to enhance patients’ preparation and recovery from cardiac surgery, promote change towards life-long wellness and provide cost savings for the public hospital system.

Staff Specialist, Sydney Cancer Centre, Department of Medical Oncology
Research Fellow / Conjoint Senior Lecturer, CeMPED, Department of Cancer Medicine, University of Sydney

Clinical studies of the efficacy and tolerability of systemically administered complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in conjunction with standard therapy in cancer patients

Dr Vardy’s grant is funded by the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Recent studies in cancer patients show a progressive increase in the number of patients using complementary medicine (CM), with one recent study describing use in 84% of a female adjuvant breast cancer population. This use is frequently undertaken in addition to their prescribed conventional therapy, often without their physicians’ knowledge.