RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 ‘If it helps my patient…’: Perspectives on complementary medicine JF Clinical Medicine JO Clin Med FD Royal College of Physicians SP 242 OP 243 DO 10.7861/clinmedicine.4-3-242 VO 4 IS 3 A1 E Ernst YR 2004 UL http://www.rcpjournals.org/content/4/3/242.abstract AB The argument ‘if it helps my patient, I don't need science to prove that it works’ is rife in complementary medicine. This article is an attempt to examine it from the perspective of the provider of complementary medicine, the clinical scientist and the politician. It is concluded that the dichotomy between experience and science is a regrettable misunderstanding. The revised argument should be ‘if it helps my patient, I want research undertaken to find out whether more people could benefit from it’.