THENCRHI BULLETIN BOARD NOVEMBER/DECEMBER,1~
TM NCRHI Bu/le/in Boanl is SCD1to mcmbcn and mmplimeotaiy median:cipimts only. It ic ioreodcxlto mrmlatc ~maidin activism against bcalth fraud, misinformationand quactay at the kJalJ,Slate & national level&.
ANNUAL GENERALMEMBERSHIP MEETING CR111OUEOF ANDREWWEIL MD The 1999 Annual General Membership Meeting will be held on Arnold S. Reiman, editor-in-dlief emeritus of the New England March 1 at the Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia, PA. This JSthe Journal of Medicine, provides the most detailed and penetrating day following the conference that will examine alternative and critique of Andrew Weil, MD, that has been written to date. The complementary healthcare sponsored by the· ScientificReview of article, entitled "A trip to Stonesville: Andrew Weil, the boom in AlternativeMedicine (SRAM) journal and the Committee for the alternative medicine, and the ~treat from science," appears in ScientificInvestigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), The New Republic, Dea=Qlber 14. Relman's article explains Weil February 26-28 (meetings are on Feb 27 & 28). For a brochure in Weil's own words. . Those who have read Weil's book, The containing details on the SRAM conference contact: Barry Karr, Natural MuuJ (1972), will be familiar with its fondness for "stoned SRAM/CSICOPConference, P.O. Box 703, Amherst, NY 14226- t'- 1nking." This refers to states of "altered oonsciousness"that are 0703; Tel: 716-636-1425, ext 217; fax 716-636-1733; email: common to trances, rituals, meditation, hypnosis, and drug skeptinq@aoLcom. The board of directors will meet Sunday induced states of mind. Weil holds that stoned thinking has eveningFebruary 28. For more information contact Dr. Renner. advantages over "straight" tbiokiog becauseit is more intuitive, aa:epting of the coexistence of opposites that appear to be NCAHFTRANSmON CX>MPLETED mutuallyantagonistic, ie, illogical. Weil is so enthralled by illogical Starting January 1, 1999, most administrative activities will be stoned thinking that he extols psychotics as potential sages or done at Dr. Renner's office in Missouri, but subscriptions and healers. He believestbat psychotics possessthe secret of changing memberships will still be handled at P.O. Box 1276 at Loma reality by changing the mind and are thus the "evolutionary Linda. Inquiries about these may also still be made at 9()1)-824- vanguards of our species."Tbi1 is another expression of the "mind 4690,which is WilliamJarvis's number at Loma Linda University. over matter" beliefs atteodam to faith healing and ritual magic. Weil pretends to be all things to all people. Sometimes criticizing NUTRITION VALUES OF SPIRUUNA, alternative medicine, but usually defending iL Sometimes BLUB-GRBBNALGAE. WHEAT G~ defending standard medicine, but usually criticizing iL Rel.man Information taken from manufacturer's literature or labelsreveals acknowledgesthat some criticismsof standard medicine are valid, that common foods such as broccoli, carrots, milk, and macaroni but that Weil goes too far and offers nothing better. or at least have superior nutritional values to spirulina, blue-green algae, no evidence of anything better. Like many of his ilk, Weil and wheat grass (Alternative Medicine-An Objective View, promotes the notion that quantum physics validate his view of Institute for Natural Resources, 1998, 2nd :Ed). This is useful reality based upon the riddle of panicles behavingas waves. information for counseling patients and advising consumers on Reiman undoes such thinking by citing the oomments of these products. (POB 4218, Berkeley, CA 94704; 510-450-1650) physicists who see such ideas as quantum nonsense because physics,above all sciences, &mands that demonstrated realities OFFICE OF ALT MED ELEVATED TO CBNTER must used to validate theories. Spaceis too. limited here to do The new federal budget passed in mid-October contained a Relman's article justice. It is must reading for anyone who is provision to elevate the NIH Office of Alternative Medicine to a interested in Andrew Weil or who wants to understand how National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine seeminglyintelligent people can believe in and promote dubious within NIH, and allocated $50 million for its first year of alternative medicine. There are not two kinds of legitimate operation. Wayne Jonas, MD, who has been serving as director medicine, two legitimate kinds of thinking,or two ways to find of the OAM since 1995on a 3-year detail from the military leaves out what works. There is one kind of thinking that inclu~ at the end of the year. A search for a new director is.under way. imagination and intuitivene3, but doesn't end there. It mus~go (Medical News & Perspective,JAMA, 11/11/98). on to prove safety and efficacy in a way that will be open ,to replication by others. Relman'sanicle is available on the internet NCITO EVALUATEALT-COMP REMEDIF.S < http://wWW.thenewrepublic.com/magazines/tnr/current/relman NCI has long been interested in testing natural products Ul498.html>. purported to be of value against cancer, and now it will begin testing methods that are being promoted as cancer remedies. NEW ~ITE. ON CHIROPRACOC Shark cartilage, Qom.ales therapy, and green tea are being Stephen Barrett, MD and William Jarvis, PhD have teamed up reviewed. NCI is revamping the way it presents information to on a website that will provide detailed information on the public on alt-comp methods. NCI Director Richard Klausner, chiropractic. The addre3 is www.chirobase.org. MD, said that as a result of "constructive input from the alt-comp medical community,"the new information will treat the methods "dispassionately and fairly." It sounds to NCRHI more like Pka,c KIIii itam ol pmiblc iDlaclt to NCRlil mcmbcn &Jr 77teNCRHJ "politicalcorrectness" is about to weaken warnings against cancer &dJdin llotJnJ,Ol'(Ol'rc:adaJI ol tbcNCRJII N__,,,, to NCRI-Il to 300 Eaat quackery. (Oncology News lntemational, 10/98) Pink HiD Road, Ia-qa YIM e, MO 64057; PnMdr drar (aot Fa) copia IUiaable &JrpbDIOoopyillg, :wt mmplele rde:reaica for c:iWioa purpas. NATIONALCX>UNCll. FOR REUABLBHEALTII INFORMATION, INC 1999 DIRECTORY
Maia Ollillc & Raoan:e O:nla' EagopicAida Olqpc Ben Wilson, MD INDHPBNDHNT AFFn.lATF.S 300 E. Pink Hill Road (David Lightsey, MS; 700 Bellevue St., #290 AllllfC Coom:ilOP S, .... rw\ HcaJda Independence, MO 64,057 Kl!JJl@/ightspeed.na) Salem, OR 97301 1995 Broadway, 2nd floor 816-2284595; fax 4995 Habd llcmatira 503-399-8105 New York, NY 10023 (William Jarvis, PhD) 212-362-7044; fax 4919 Maabmbipl & Slda::aqmuaa ffnn.cc... ,., Urab: David Roll, PhD [email protected] P.O. Box 1276 (William Jarvis, PhD) College of Pharmacy, Univ of Utah Loma Linda, CA 923.54-1276 lata:md VwnliMiilllNM Salt Lake City, UT 84112 Cllildran Hclbb la. I.cpl Duty (John Renner, MD) 801-581-6731;fax 581-3716 Rita swan,PhD BootSaka Maliclllllcvia:a droll@du,,n&phllnn.edu Bait2.604 P.O. Box 1747 (John Renner, MD) Sioux City, IA 51106 Allentown, PA 18105 MiliofmmaliDla in Dadillly AREA NB'l'WORK 712-948-3500 voice or fax 610-437-1795;fax 2730 (John Dodes, DDS) COORDINATORS [email protected] Camda Intamt: ru:ahf.org ~ams, PhD) Oreg Dubord, MD, MPH Camm D die Scimfi§c lnuatipfim Coonlimtor:lraMilner PrOllaleRrmntic:a 99 Harbour Square,Ste 1506 of.Claim of.die ,.,,,INN I 11W imilner@mindsprcom (Aubrey Pilgrim; apilp,@aoLcom) Toronto, Ontario MSJ 2H2 Barry Karr Wc:IJmala:Rebecca Long Pobtic:aticn, 416-203-3142;fax: 203-6585 Central Park Sta Box 229 [email protected] (John Renner, MD) tbJbord@aoLcom Buffalo, NY 14215 AOililk:: quac/cwalch.com QuntjngaNc .l\dbritiaRanalica 716-834-3223; fax 636-1733 Pmprimr. Stephen Barrett, MD (Richard Panush, MD) CaJiforDia:Km CoaolJ (}ueslimaNc ~lllling Pllldias David Lightsey, MS GeorgiaComlCil Apillll Hallb Fnod Gc:m:nlQiuad (Linda Rosa, RN; ""'[email protected]) 120123rd SL Rebecca Long .vlorse' Uehrban, Esq. Su(41hnmr Abme Bakersfield,Crl. 93301 P.O. Box 451393 3700 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 480 (Nancy Cotugna,DrPh, RD) 805-327-4357 Atlanta, OA 31145 Los Angeles, CA 90010; nanc:[email protected] 770-493-6857; fax same 213-382-3183, fax: 3430 Vctaioaly P....nw ·ro r Lm Allplm & Omtp Coaotim [email protected] [email protected] Robert Imrie, DVM KateyJohansen, MPH, CHES eanhJink.na/-mehrban. . al.eoni.s@a/,tonis.seanecom 461 ~--OlassellS.L