Anthroposophic medicine: a new paradigm for the questions of modern medicine.

Abstract

This is a brief introduction to the system of Anthroposophic
Medicine (AM), its cognitive and scientific foundation, its diagnostic and therapeutic approaches and information on research, safety and effectiveness. Anthroposophic Medicine is a complementary therapy system that acknowledges a spiritual and existential dimension in man, which is assumed to interact with psychological and somatic levels in health and disease. AM it is not an alternative medicine; it aims to integrate the methods, diagnosis and treatment of conventional medicine with an holistic approach to promote health and preventing and treating disease provided by Anthroposophy. AM has a multidisciplinary approach provided by physicians, and therapists and includes anthroposophic
therapies (counseling, special medications, artistic and physical therapies). The treatment is individualized according to the needs of the patient. Complementary and alternative medicine has been adopted in the last decades because it appears as an answer to the needs and demands that have not been addressed by the conventional model of health care. In this scenario, AM has a new paradigm to offer in order to help address the questions faced by modern society, be it at existential level, be it the social and ecological questions. AM can contribute to the extension of conventional medical care because has an clear and well established epistemological basis that can help support the conceptual integration of complementary and conventional medicine, an approach to promote health , prevent and treat illness, and is safe, effective and can add value to the health system.