Stephen E Straus

Dr Stephen E Straus, director of the US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the NIH, died in May 2007 aged 60, after a long and brave struggle with brain cancer. He had been the founding director of this institution since 1999. Dr Straus had been an accomplished scientist in his own right before he took up this position. His vision of assessing CAM with the most rigorous science was refreshing and silenced some of the criticism the predecessor organisation within the NIH had attracted. Dr Straus’s impact on the direction and rigour of CAM research was felt worldwide. I met Stephen on many occasions and considered him a personal friend. He never ceased to impress me through his determination and enthusiasm, and clarity of vision. There are very few people like him and he will be sadly missed.

E Ernst, Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, Exeter, UK