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Bulletin Board Is Sent to Members and Media Recipients Only THENCAHF BULLETINBOARD JANUARY/ FEBRUARY2002 The NCAHF Bulletin Board is sent to members and media recipients only. It is intended to stimulate and aid in activism against health fraud, misinformation and quackery at the local, state & national levels. CONFERENCEWILL PROMOTECRITICAL the San Bernardino County [California]Nutrition Quackery THINKINGABOUT DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS PreventionTask Force (NQPT) and the Orange County [California] A conferenceon "Dietary Supplements:Critical Thinking Skills for NutritionAlert Coalition (NAC). The award honors Dr. Jarvis for Consumers"is scheduledfor Friday, May 3, 2002 from 9:00 am to establishmentand support of the two consumer advocacyprograms. 2:00 pm at the Food and Drug Administrationfacility at 19900 The Jarvis.Awardwill be given annually by NAC in recognitionof MacArthurBlvd, Suite 300, Irvine CA 92612. The conferencewill the distinguishedservice of a deserving NAC member. featurelectures by: (1) NCAHF Board member Ellen Coleman,RD, The programs have implementedanti-quackery initiatives such MA, MPH on sports nutrition quackery,(2) NCAHF program as essay contests, newsletters,resource lists, feature articles in local directorWilliam M. London, EdD, MPH on the unreliabilityof newspapers,radio interviews,the Media AccountabilityProject to testimonials,and (3) syndicatednutrition columnist Ed Blonz, PhD counter outlandish endorsementsby radio program hosts, and on "HealthFraud Is All QuackedUp!" It will conclude with a communityand professional educationalpresentations. discussionof law enforcementissues by a panel of representatives from the FDA, FTC, CaliforniaDepartment of Health Services Food READINGSAVAILABLE ONLINE FOR and Drug Branch, and AIDS Task Force, San Diego. Nurses may SCIENCE-BASED"ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE" COURSE earn contacthours, and RDs and health educatorsmay earn CEUs, Most university-basedcourses on "alternative medicine" fail to for attendingthe conference.The registrationfee of $15 covers encouragestudents to think critically and analytically.However, a parkingand lunch. For more informationon registration,contact notable exception is the science-basedcourse taught by ThomasJ. Leigh-AnnRice, MPH, RD, CLE, Public Health NutritionistII, Wheeler,PhD, an associate professor ofbiochemistry and molecu­ Countyof Orange Health Care Agency, 1725 W. 17th St., Room lar biology at the University of Louisville Medical School.Anyone 110G,Santa Ana, CA 92706; 714-834-7704(phone); thinking of teaching about methods promoted in the marketplace [email protected]. with euphemisticbuzzwords such as "alternative"would do well to Conferencesponsors include the County of Orange Health Care follow Dr. Wheeler's model. Links to online readings for Dr. Agency,the Orange CountyNutrition Alert Coalition,the California Wheeler's course are available at http://www.louisvi1le.edu/ DieteticAssociation-Orange District, the Orange County Nutrition medschool/biochemistry/grad/alternative_med/Syllabus.htm. Council,the US Food and Drug Administration,the Federal Trade CHILDINC. PRESIDENT Commission,the Departmentof Health Services State Food and RECEIVESCHILD ADVOCACY AWARD Drug Branch, and the AmericanCancer Society. Rita Swan, PhD, president and co-founder of Children's Health Is a NEWNCAHF TASK FORCE ON FIBROMYALGIAINITIATED Legal Duty (CHILD, Inc.) received the 2001 OutstandingLegal BrandonBurton, MS ([email protected])is the coordinator AdvocacyAward from the National Associationof Counsel for of a new NCAHF Task Force that will examine dubious treatments Children at the NACC's annual conference in October.Through Dr. for fibromyalgia,a chronic condition of musculoskeletalpain of Swan's work, the NACC said "CHILD has become a powerful force unknowncause. Fibromyalgiasyndrome is recognizedby the World in persuading states to repeal statutes that exempt parents from Health Organizationand the American College of Rheumatology prosecutionfor murder, manslaughter,or abuse and neglect, if they (ACR).Estimates of the number of afflictedAmericans are in the rely solely on spiritual prayer to heal their sick children." millions.Most of those afflicted are women. Accordingto ACR, "Due in large part to CHILD's efforts," NACC continued, fibromyalgiais characterizedby: (1) aching, soreness, or burning "Colorado, Massachusetts,Maryland, South Dakota, Hawaii, and pain throughoutthe body; (2) an abnormal sleep pattern, often Oregon have all removed laws which provided exemptionsfrom accompaniedby fatigue and morning stiffuess; and (3) undue muscle prosecutionsto parents who fail to provide medical care for their tendernessat 11 or more of 18 "tender points." Such criteria are childrenbased on religion." controversial;many physicians question whether it is meaningful NACC's OutstandingLegal AdvocacyAward "recognizes and helpful to identifyfibromyalgia as a distinct syndrome. recipients for significant accomplishmentsin the representationand Treatmentsrecommended by the American College of Rheuma­ protection of children in the legal system." It is presented "to tology are conservative.They include a carefully planned exercise individualsand agencies working to ensure that children's voices program,low-dose antidepressant drugs, physical therapy,and are heard and that the courts are a vehicle for prompt and just occupationaltherapy. These treatments are often beneficial,but still determinationsin proceedings involving children." are often unsatisfactoryas patients may continue to experience CHILD Inc. is an independent affiliate ofNCAHF. Its Web site severesymptoms. Fibromyalgia is a fertile field for quacks offering is at http://www.childrenshealthcare.org. irrationaldiagnostic methods and "cures." FOCUS ON THE FAMILY NCAHF'SFOUNDING PRESIDENT HONORED CRITIQUES"ALTERNATIVE" MEDICINE CurrentNCAHF Board member and NCAHF founding president Quackery,presented as "alternative" medicine, is often packaged WilliamT. Jarvis, PhD received was the recipient on January 15th of for conservativeChristians with messages of God or Bible-inspired, the first WilliamT. Jarvis, PhD DistinguishedService Award from miracle cures. Christian broadcasting organizationshave frequently providedopportunities for promotersof "alternative"methods to A chronologyof the saga withlinks to reports and key testi­ publicizebizarre and irrationalmethods. mony is availableonline at http://www.ndir.com/chiro/ But JamesDobson, PhD, presidentof Focus of the Family,a chronology.html. Christianorganization, has providedinstead a platformfor critics of In a written supplementto oral testimonyprovided at York "alternative"medicine to expresstheir views. Dr. Dobsoninter­ Universityin 1999(see http://www.chirobase.org/03Edu/york.html), viewedPaul C. Reisser,MD and Walt Larimore,MD for a January StephenBarrett, MD stated: 3rd Internetradio broadcastvia http://www.oneplace.com/Minis­ "If CMCC is seriousabout affiliation,it should pledge in tries/Focus_ on_the_ Family/ .. The programincluded responses to writing to: hostile listenercomments about a November28th broadcast • "Teachfuture studentsthat subluxationtheory and the listed featuringthese "alternative"medicine critics. A clear messagein the practicesare wrong. programwas that claims made for health productsneed to be based • "Announcethis positionpublicly. on scientificevidence. Dr. Larimorerecommended visiting • "Attemptto educatethe practicingchiropractic community to Quackwatch,one of the Web sites managedby NCAHFVice abandontheir improperpractices. PresidentStephen Barrett, MD. Dr. Dobsonhimself expressed • "Call for a stricter scope of practicethat would discipline skepticismand outrageregarding the alarmingclaims made by chiropractorswho persist in improperpractices. promotersof supplementsand gadgets in infomercials • ''Provide coursesthat would inoculatetheir studentsagainst Focus on the Family is selling at its Web site (http:// adoptingimproper beliefs and practices." www.family.org)Alternative Medicine: The ChristianHandbook by Donal O'Mathuna,PhD and Walt Larimore,MD. Dr. O'Mathunais CHIROPRACTICBOOK PROFITS WILL GO TO NCAHF a contributingeditor of The ScientificReview of Alternative L.A. Chotkowski,MD, FACPhas offeredprofits from sales of his Medicineand a critic of"alternative" methodsand philosophy. new secondedition of Chiropractic:The GreatestHoax of the Focuson the Family'sPhysician magazine has included Century?(2001) to NCAHF.This 228-pagesoftcover book was articlesby Dr. Reisserthat are critical of "alternative"methods. editedby StephenBarrett, MD. The price for NCAHFmembers is Physician:S, online editionhas includedhostile responsesfrom ·$13.50 plus $2.50 for postage & handling (add $5.00 outsidethe chiropractors,naturopaths, and other assortedpromoters of"holis­ United States).Order throughNCAHF Book Sales, PO Box 1747, tic" approachesto healthcare. Allentown,PA 18105.An order form is availableat http:// If Focus on the Family continuesto instructits audienceto be www.quackwatch.com/04ConsumerEducation/orderform.html. wary of sensationaland nonsensicalmarketing claims for health productsand services,it must be preparedto respondto criticism NURSINGJOURNAL EDITOR fromdefenders of "alternative"methods. Focus in the Familycan CRITICIZES"THERAPEUTIC TOUCH" turn to NCAHFfor guidancein providingcarefully considered, Many healthcareleaders have taken a "live and let live" attitude scientificallysound responses to the rhetoricalploys of alternativists. towardthe scandalousproliferation of nonsensicalhealth practices in their professions.It's importantto recognizethose
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