New guidelines aim to improve reporting of biofield therapy trials

New guidelines for reporting clinical trials of biofield therapies are presented in the peer-reviewed Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine (JICM). Biofield therapies (BFTs), such as External Qigong, Healing Touch, Reiki, and Therapeutic Touch, are a related group of integrative medicine interventions in which practitioners use their hands on or above a client's body to stimulate healing and well-being. 

The guidelines call for including details of the intervention protocols relevant to biofield therapy trials. The Reporting Evidence Guidelines comprises a 15-item intervention checklist. Included for each item are an explanation, and exemplars of reporting from peer-reviewed published reports of biofield therapy trials.

"We anticipate that Biofield Therapies Reporting Evidence Guidelines will expedite the peer review process for biofield therapy trials, facilitate attempts at trial replication and help to inform decision-making in the clinical practice of biofield therapies," state Richard Hammerschlag, from Consciousness and Healing Initiative, and coauthors.

Reporting guidelines are proven to increase the quality of evidence in the respective research area. The innovative and unique Reporting Evidence Guidelines will decisively advance the quality and thus also the acceptance of Biofield Therapies research."

Holger Cramer, PhD., JICM Editor-in-Chief