RESEARCH METHODOLOGY POSTER PRESENTATION ABSTRACTS
Please note: All posters will be displayed in
Salons 10-12.
FRIDAY, 10:15-11:00 AM
Plotnikoff G, LaValleur J, Torkelson C, Radosevich D,
Watanabe K.
Traditional Asian medicine for menopause: Methodologic
challenges for clinical trials in the West.
Keio University Medical School Gregory@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
Menopause in Japan is experienced differently
than in Western cultures. For example, leading symptoms including hiesho
and katakori have no equivalents in Western cognition. Hot flashes may
be experienced less frequently. And the other frequently experienced
significant symptoms have no correlation with hormonal levels and do
not respond to hormonal therapies.
Kampo, traditional Japanese herbal medicine,
includes a number of formulas which address menopause symptoms that
may be of interest to non-Japanese women. However, history, diagnosis
and treatments with the Kampo tradition are distinctly different than
Western approaches. These may reflect the Japanese culture's priority
for the subjective/non-quantifiable aspects of human experience and
may not easily translate across cultures. However, Kampo's emphasis
on the intuitive/qualitative approach to health concerns represents
a significant counter-balance to the Western preference for quantifiable,
objective and non-intuitive approaches. As such, through the study of
Kampo, significant new insights and advances in women's health might
be possible.
This presentation will address the cultural,
epistemological and methodological challenges identified in the current
phase II FDA-approved clinical trial in 180 post-menopausal American
women of the Kampo formula entitled TU-025 keishi bukuryo gan. Specific
lessons for the conception and conduct of future trials will be discussed
in detail.
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