Abstract

Ménière’s disease (MD) is a disorder of the inner ear, with a triad of symptoms consisting of spontaneous and episodic vertigo, aural fullness and/or tinnitus and sensorineural hearing loss. Increasing evidence suggests that psychological factors may play a significant role in the onset of the disease and/or its progression. Current conventional treatment does not provide a cure, nor complete relief of symptoms, and there is limited literature on alternative treatment options.

The World Health Organization strategy for global health includes a culturally-sensitive blending of western biomedicine with traditional forms of healing; in practical terms this approach is often referred to as integrative medicine. One distinct element within the systems of North American integrative healthcare is naturopathic medicine; while the basic premise of its fundamental approach to care – supporting healthy lifestyle behaviors – is as old as medicine itself, the early history of organized naturopathy in North America was heavy in theory and light on critical analysis.

This editorial serves to introduce the Journal of Natural Health Product Research (JNHPR), published by NHP Publications based out of Toronto, Canada; the JNHPR is the world’s first journal focusing exclusively on the publication of high-quality, peer-reviewed, open access and multidisciplinary research on natural health products (NHPs). Furthermore, NHP Publications is supported in part by the Federal Government of Canada’s Department of Canadian Heritage, which fittingly aligns with the fact that Canada is a world leader in NHP research.

Objectives

To determine acceptability of medical cannabis research in critically ill patients.

Design

Q-methodology survey.

Setting

Convenience sample of health-care providers and the general public were recruited at an acute care community hospital in Ontario, Canada.