Patient choice and evidence based decisions: The case of complementary therapies

Abstract

Objective Current government policies simultaneously pursue the development of 'patient‐led' and 'evidence‐based' approaches to healthcare. The objective of this study was to explore how primary care clinicians and Primary Care Trust (PCT) managers balance these potentially competing tensions when considering popular, controversial treatments, like complementary therapies, in consultations (clinicians) or funding decisions (PCT managers).