I was disappointed to read David Crosby's attack on complementary medicine (Letters, 30 July). It is inaccurate to suggest that all complementary therapies are untested or untestable. Therapies that have been extensively researched include acupuncture, osteopathy and chiropractic approaches, all of which are being increasingly integrated alongside orthodox medicine.

Perhaps surprisingly, even approaches such as spiritual healing are not exempt from controlled studies. In The Therapist in 1994, a doctor, Daniel Benor, referred to 155 published controlled studies on healing.

It is also worth noting that certain complementary therapies such as acupuncture are in fact part of the mainstream in their own culture.

I would like to bring Mr Crosby's attention to the work of the Research Council in Complementary Medicine, which holds a database of more than 40,000 references to research published worldwide since the mid-1960s. Rather than condemn complementary therapy out of hand, a rigorous study of the evidence might even challenge some of our most cherished beliefs about health and healing.

Chartered health psychologist, registered complementary practitioner

Beverley, East Yorkshire