Aims & Scope
Research Scope: Tiered Structure
These represent our primary focus areas where we actively seek high-quality submissions and offer expedited review for methodologically rigorous studies.
Traditional Medicine Systems
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) including acupuncture, moxibustion, and Chinese herbal medicine
- Ayurvedic medicine: diagnostic methods, therapeutic interventions, and botanical formulations
- Homeopathy: clinical trials, mechanism studies, and systematic reviews
- Naturopathy: whole-system approaches and clinical outcomes
- Tibetan medicine and other indigenous healing traditions
- Integrative diagnostic and treatment protocols
Randomized controlled trial comparing acupuncture plus standard care versus standard care alone for chronic pain management, with validated outcome measures and 12-month follow-up.
Mind-Body Interventions
- Meditation and mindfulness-based interventions (MBSR, MBCT)
- Yoga therapy: clinical applications and physiological mechanisms
- Tai chi and qigong: movement-based practices for health
- Biofeedback and neurofeedback applications
- Clinical hypnosis and guided imagery
- Breathwork techniques and pranayama
- Relaxation therapies and stress reduction protocols
Prospective cohort study examining neuroplasticity changes following 8-week mindfulness meditation program in patients with anxiety disorders, using fMRI and validated psychological assessments.
Manual & Body-Based Therapies
- Massage therapy: clinical efficacy and physiological effects
- Chiropractic care and spinal manipulation
- Osteopathic manipulative treatment
- Reflexology and acupressure
- Shiatsu and tui na
- Craniosacral therapy
- Therapeutic touch and healing touch
Systematic review and meta-analysis of massage therapy for musculoskeletal pain, including subgroup analyses by technique, duration, and patient population.
Natural Products & Nutritional Approaches
- Herbal medicine: phytochemistry, pharmacology, and clinical trials
- Botanical extracts and standardized preparations
- Nutritional supplements and nutraceuticals
- Dietary interventions and food as medicine
- Aromatherapy: essential oils and clinical applications
- Bach flower remedies and vibrational medicine
Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of standardized herbal extract for metabolic syndrome, with biomarker analysis, safety monitoring, and quality control documentation.
Cross-disciplinary research and methodological innovations that advance the field of complementary and integrative medicine.
Integrative Healthcare Models
Studies combining conventional and complementary approaches, comparative effectiveness research, health services research, and patient-centered care models.
Creative & Expressive Therapies
Music therapy, art therapy, dance/movement therapy, and other creative arts interventions with documented clinical outcomes and theoretical frameworks.
Energy Medicine & Biofield Therapies
Reiki, therapeutic touch, qigong healing, and investigations of subtle energy phenomena using rigorous measurement methodologies.
Psychosocial & Spiritual Interventions
Prayer and spiritual practices, social support interventions, cognitive-behavioral approaches within integrative contexts, and patient support groups.
Technology-Enhanced CAM
Digital health applications, AI-assisted diagnosis and treatment planning, biofeedback devices, neurostimulation technologies, and data analytics for personalized care.
Healing Environments
Environmental design for health, chromotherapy, nature-based interventions, and architectural elements supporting healing processes.
Novel frontiers in complementary medicine research. Submissions in these areas undergo additional editorial review to ensure alignment with journal scope and scientific rigor.
Artificial Intelligence in CAM
Machine learning for pattern diagnosis in traditional medicine, AI-assisted treatment personalization, predictive modeling for treatment response, and computational approaches to understanding CAM mechanisms.
Precision Integrative Medicine
Genomics-informed CAM interventions, metabolomics and systems biology approaches, biomarker-guided treatment selection, and personalized mind-body protocols.
Neuroscience of CAM
Neuroimaging studies of meditation and mindfulness, neural mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia, brain-body interactions in manual therapies, and consciousness studies.
Intuition in Healthcare
Systematic investigation of clinical intuition, practitioner-patient energetic interactions, and phenomenological research on healing presence (requires rigorous qualitative or mixed-methods design).
We Do Not Consider
- Purely anecdotal reports: Single case reports or case series without systematic analysis, comparison groups, or contribution to mechanistic understanding.
- Commercial product promotion: Studies primarily designed to market specific products, devices, or services without independent scientific merit or transparent conflict of interest disclosure.
- Methodologically flawed research: Studies lacking appropriate control groups, randomization (when applicable), validated outcome measures, or ethical approval documentation.
- Unsubstantiated claims: Research making extraordinary claims without extraordinary evidence, or proposing mechanisms inconsistent with established biological principles without rigorous proof.
- Non-health applications: Studies focused on performance enhancement in healthy populations, cosmetic applications, or lifestyle optimization without clear health-related outcomes.
- Purely theoretical papers: Philosophical or theoretical manuscripts without empirical data, systematic review methodology, or testable hypotheses (opinion pieces are rarely considered).
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Fast-Track Review
High-impact contributions receive expedited editorial assessment and peer review (target: 21 days to first decision).
- Original Research Articles
- Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
- Clinical Trials (RCTs, Pragmatic Trials)
- Methods & Protocols
- Mechanistic Studies
Standard Review
Valuable contributions following standard peer review timeline (target: 35 days to first decision).
- Short Communications
- Data Notes & Datasets
- Perspectives & Commentaries
- Qualitative Research
- Mixed-Methods Studies
- Replication Studies
Selective Consideration
Accepted only when presenting exceptional insights or addressing critical gaps in the literature.
- Case Reports (must demonstrate novel findings)
- Opinion Pieces (by invitation only)
- Historical Reviews
- Educational Articles
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
Manuscripts must follow discipline-specific guidelines: CONSORT (RCTs), STROBE (observational), PRISMA (systematic reviews), CARE (case reports), SRQR (qualitative).
Data Policy
Data sharing encouraged. Clinical trial registration required (ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN). Raw data deposition in recognized repositories preferred.
Ethics Compliance
IRB/Ethics committee approval mandatory for human studies. Animal research must follow ARRIVE guidelines. Informed consent documentation required.
Preprint Policy
Preprints accepted from recognized servers (medRxiv, bioRxiv, OSF). Must be disclosed during submission. Does not affect consideration.
Decision Metrics & Author Experience
Our commitment to authors: transparent, efficient, and constructive peer review process.
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