Brief Notes, Links and Personnel News -- July 6, 2006

Longtime chiropractic leader Jerry mcAndrews, DC

Jerry McAndrews, DC, long-time leader of the chiropractic profession,

Marsha Handel, MLS

Marsha Handel, MLS, information and education coordinator with the New York Beth Israel Center for Health and Healing recently received a National Library of Medicine (NLM) grant to develop online, multi-media, Spanish/English modules on integrative approaches to diabetes/obesity, chronic pain and cardivascular diseases. Handle wished to let others know that the NLM may be a source of project funding ... Dana Ullman, MPH

Dana Ullman, MPH

, the honorary ambassador for homeopathy to the rest of the universe, is working on what he calls "the most important project of (his) life." The project is a book which will promote the use of infinitesimal doses by showing how homeopathic medicines have been favored by scores of peacemakers, personalities, sports figures and other historic figures who have shaped life in large ways. Ullman recently celebrated the 30-year anniversary of his arrest in California for practicing (homeopathic) medicine without a license. He transformed that very public event into a position as an advisor to California on homeopathic regulation. Ullman works through Homeopathic Educational Services  ...

Association News: AHNA/AHMA, Nat'l Detox, AOM Accreditation, HerbDay

The historic joint conference of the American Holistic Medical Association and the American Holistic Nursing Association drew upwards of 800 souls to Minnesota's Twin Cities earlier this month according to AHMA past-president Karen Lawson, MD, and AHNA president Carla Mariano, RN, EdD,  AHN-C. Attendees reportedly urged that the mixed convening happen again. Present commitments of both organizations to conference place and time for 2007 means that 2008 will be the first opportunity to jointly meet again. Kudos to the two associations for this step in modeling physician-nurse collaboration  ... The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association has a new president in Ken Carter, MD

Ken Carter, MD, NADA president

.  NADA's auricular acupuncture protocols for treating addiction and mental disorders are now in use in over 500 locations around the world ...
 

To many in AOM, the news was good when an application for US Department of Education recognition of a splinter-group AOM accrediting body, the National Oriental Medicine Accrediting Agency, was withdrawn recently. A 70 page DoE report found 436 violation of guidelines and recommended against recognition of the group. The Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is among those which opposed the recognition.  Meantime, the presently-recognized Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine was granted a five year extension by the US DoE.

Long-time herb industry leader Linda LeMole has brought to my attention the work of five organizations to promote a national HerbDay 2006.  The "coordinated series of independently-produced public educational events" is slated for October 14. The sponsoring organizations are the American Botanical Council, American Herbal Products Association, American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, American Herbalists Guild and United Plant Savers. The public event is meant to stimulate awareness and choice around the diverse uses and benefits of herbs and herbalism.

Some Follow-up: Patient-Centered Care, Disparity Reduction, Integative Pharmacy

Medical errors and Patient-cented Care

In response to the suggestion of Milt Hammerly, MD, that patient centered care as a direction for hospitals trying to get out of the mire of medical deaths, futurist Clem Bezold, PhD, sent a link to a report which his Institute for Alternative Futures, developed for the the Picker Institute entitled Patient-Centered Care: Scenarios, Vision, Goals and Next Steps. The