Rapport de l'A.R.E.D.O.E. pour la commission européenne

Abstract : The AREDOE study group reviewed 393 osteopathic studies from France, England and Germany.The following steps enabled to establish a system to evaluate and classify the studies : Organization of a centralizing group and of two reading groups : one Franco-Swiss group, one German group. Setting up of a reading grid, with osteopathic and methodology criteria as well as classification according to rate and rank. A method for double reading and for analyzing the results. The dividing up of the studies in two lists, the attribution depended on whether study has been evaluated according to its rank or not. Each study had its commentary Results : 25 % of the studies were classified. The outcome after analyzing the results is as follow :  The osteopathic criteria should be specified and the concept better defined. The methodology criteria are often insufficient. There is a lack of publication at an international level.  However : Although the substance of many of the studies is of interest, they lack form in spite of an unquestionable amount of work. Several studies ranking 5 or 6, the maximum being 7, offer real quality. (l) By giving ourselves a system for self-evaluation, the maturity of osteopathic medicine confirm itself. (l) A new grid is in the process of elaboration and should enable better and more precise analysis of the studies. It will thus be able to serve studies in osteopathic medicine.