Parents-interview on use of complementary and alternative medicine in pediatric oncology in Germany

Background: There are no published data on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in pediatric oncology in Germany. Patients/method: All parents of children, who where diagnosed a disease registered in the German Childhood Registry in 2001 were sent a questionnaire to evaluate possible CAM-use. Results: 1602 questionnaires were sent to the families, from whom 1063 sent the questionnaire back to us. They reported a 35% CAM-use-rate. The probability to use CAM was positively influenced by preexisting experience with CAM, higher social level and poor prognosis. 71% of the users discussed the CAM-use with a physician. The reason for CAM-use seldom was missing trust in conventional medicine. 89% of the CAM-users would recommand CAM-use to other parents in a comparable situation. Conclusions: The reported CAM-use rate of 35% in pediatric oncology in Germany is as reported in the international literature for other European countrys. Essential parts of CAMadvise and -prescription are done by non-professionals, so that there is a need to get competence in CAM in pediatric oncology in Germany.