The growth in complementary medicine and its integration into conventional medicine will certainly require the development of a well defined research strategy within the UK. This paper summarizes discussions that occurred under the umbrella of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine, involving both conventional and complementary medical practitioners. It is the first UK-based consensus document that defines a research strategy for complementary and alternative medicine and looks specifically at problems such as priority setting, research methodology, research capacity and support, potential funding streams and possible routes for the dissemination of CAM research. It concludes that for CAM to have an established future within UK healthcare, it must be subject to rigorous scrutiny. The methods employed should be appropriate to the task and should embrace a wide spectrum, both quantitative, qualitative and incorporating projects that involve good practice and audit.