The burgeoning interest in natural medicine has initiated an important trend of increasing collaboration between naturopathic medicine and conventional medical schools and research institutions. This cooperative relationship is still in its infancy, but steady progress is being made. Naturopathic doctors have been invited to sit on various committees organized under Health Canada. NDs also work as individual researchers in institutions and in their private practice.
The naturopathic profession in Canada recognizes the value of research and seeks to make appropriate use of science to further the understanding and advancement of naturopathic medicine. As professional health care providers, it is part of our responsibility to our patients that we are critical thinkers regarding the known limitations of conventional medical research. The challenge is to find research methodologies that understand and are equipped to evaluate multi-factorial and individualized naturopathic treatments.