Complementary and controversial

Many people swear by herbal remedies, writes Sarah Boseley. They are passionately grateful to their acupuncturist, and the osteopath is spoken of in reverent tones.

There is no doubt that a huge number of people think complementary medicines work. It's very likely that they do work - for them. It does not follow that the NHS should be adopting them wholesale.

This is a hugely touchy area. Christopher Smallwood, the economist and former SDP policy director asked by the Prince of Wales to take an independent lookat what complementary medicines could do in the context of the NHS, has produced a report that attempts to be calm and rational, but still has an aftertaste of capture by the complementary medicines lobby.