SPECIAL REPORTS Bioterrorism and the NCCAM The Selling of 'Complementary and Alternative Medicine' The recent bioterrorism threat has attracted renewed attention to the myriad pseudoscientific claims that permeate "complementary and alternative medicine. " Past history predicts that there will he continued pressure far the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) to fund studies of claims that can already be dismissed on the basis of established knowledge. KIMBALL C. ATWOOD IV, M.D. hanks to the threat of bioterror- "alternative medicine." Republican Dan and smallpox. According to the AP ism, Dr. Stephen E. Straus, Burton battled to legalize the dangerous report quoted on CNN.com, Rep. director of the National Center quack cancer "cure" laetrile in his home Burton opined that since there are only T state of Indiana in the 1970s. He is called 15 million doses of smallpox vaccine for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), may be on the "quackery's best friend in Congress" by available, the government should be verge of shedding his naivete about the Stephen Barrett, M.D., the creator of the pursuing "alternative" remedies. "We're real purpose of the organization that he award-winning Quackwatch Web site facing a terrorism threat now," he said. runs. At a hearing of the House and the vice-president of the National Rep. Burton suggested that the lack Government Reform Committee on Council Against Health Fraud of government interest in "alternative" November 10, 2001, Dr. Straus warned (NCAHF). Although laetrile remained proposals might be due to a conspiracy against the use of "alternative" remedies outlawed in the U.S., Rep. Burton has between the FDA and the pharmaceuti- for the prevention or treatment of continued to support other dangerous cal industry. Queried Burton, "unless it's anthrax or other diseases of bioterror- and absurd cancer treatments, such as brought to you by a pharmaceutical ism. He pointed out that there is no evi- die "anti-neoplastons" of Stanislaw Bur- company, you don't take action?" A rep- dence supporting the use of such reme- zynski and the regimen of coffee enemas, resentative of the FDA replied that any- dies, and that they may interfere with hundreds of daily "dietary supplement" one may apply for drug approval, but the effectiveness of proven measures pills, and hair analyses of Nicholas that no applications for "alternative" (Associated Press 2001). Dr. Straus is a Gonzalez. Burton also supports passage substances had been made. Dr. Straus, virologist, and his statements were con- of the Access to Medical Treatment Act, for his part, said that he would be sistent with the views of any reasonable, an annually defeated bill that would per- "open" to funding research on "natural scientifically trained physician. mit quacks to prey upon unsuspecting remedies" for the agents of bioterrorism. What Dr. Straus may not have appre- consumers without having to worry He would be wise to do just that if he ciated is that die chairman of the com- about legal interference. Most recendy hopes to keep his job; but should he? mittee to which he addressed his remarks Rep. Burton showed how rabid his inten- The OAM Legacy is not pleased by rational evaluations of tions are by falsely accusing another NCAHF board member. Dr. Tim Straus began his tenure as the sixth (but Dr. Atwood is an anesthesiologist at the Gorski, of having misrepresented his cre- only third full-time) director of the Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, dentials following Dr. Gorski's incisive NCCAM two years ago, when the name Massachusetts, and Clinical Assistant testimony at die Senate Hearing on Anti- of die organization had just changed Professor at Tufts University School of Aging Quackery on September 10. The from the "Office of Alternative Medicine. He is a Contributing Editor of the details of that event are available at the Medicine." The OAM had been estab- Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine, Quackwatch Web site (Barrett 2001a; lished in 1991 not because of any scien- and represented the Massachusetts Medical Burton 2001; Gorski 2001). tific or medical need, but because of the Society at the Massachusetts Special Rep. Burton was disturbed, at the sectarian leanings of Iowa Senator Tom Commission on Complementary and bioterrorism hearing, to learn that nei- Harkin, who was convinced diat his hay Alternative Medical Practitioners from ther the NCCAM nor the FDA is test- fever had been cured by bee pollen. The October 2000 to January 2002. ing "alternative" remedies for anthrax first full-time director was Joseph 1 6 March/April 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER Jacobs, M.D., like Straus a nonideo- animals infected with anthrax, ground up, is recommended in virtually every logue with an ingenuous enthusiasm for and diluted in alcohol to well beyond the naturopathic treatise. The 1994 edition "alternative medicine." Jacobs's tenure point at which any trace of die original of the Journal of Naturopathic Medicine was short precisely for that reason. As preparation remains. According to the (the "official publication of the reported in Science magazine in 1994, article mis works like a vaccine and is American Association of Naturopathic Senator Harkin drummed Jacobs out of utterly safe. Nevertheless, Ullman recom- Physicians"), as reviewed by Stephen the office after only a year, once it mends that its use be limited to high-risk Barrett, promotes homeopathic became clear that Jacobs felt that the persons such as postal workers. "nosodes" as safer and more effective role of the OAM was to subject aberrant Ullman is well known and respected than real vaccines (Barrett 2001b). methods to rational scrutiny (Marshall in CAM circles. According to the Web Many naturopaths consider themselves 1994). Harkin would apparently have site Integrative Medicine: the Worldwide to be "specialists" in homeopathy. preferred that these methods simply be Authority on Integrative Care, "Mr. These naturopaths are by no means declared valid and integrated into com- Ullman is a member of the advisory the only advocates for homeopathy who mon practice. In an article in The New council of the Alternative Medicine have the ear of Dr. Straus. On the Republic in 1996, Dr. Jacobs was quoted Center at Columbia University's College NCCAM Cancer Advisory Panel is as saying, "it's pathetic. They were so of Physicians and Surgeons [and] a for- Ralph Moss, whose Cancer Chronicles naive about science. I wouldn't trust mer consultant to the World Health newsletter has suggested that homeopa- anything coming out of the OAM as Organization" (Integrative Medicine thy and many other unlikely trearments long as the Harkinites are micromanag- 2001). A visit to the Web site of can cure cancer (Moss 1995). Across ing it" (Satel and Taranto 19%). Columbia's Rosenthal Center for town the White House Commission on The next full-time director of the Complementary and Alternative Complementary and Alternative Medi- OAM was Wayne Jonas, M.D., a Medicine confirms that Ullman's Web cine Policy (WHCCAMP) includes believer in homeopathy, an absurd eigh- site, Homeopathic Educational Services, Pizzorno (the co-editor of the naturopa- teenth century "healing system" that has is recommended, as is another link in thy textbook), Dr. Jonas, and a host of been known to be at odds wim the fun- which "(d)ozens of full-text articles and other magical thinkers headed by the damentals of chemistry and biology excerpts from books by Dana Ullman are chairman, psychiatrist James Gordon. since shortly after its introduction. available" (Rosenthal Center 2001). Such Dr. Gordon is best known for his belief Homeopaths maintain that "like cures is the topsy-turvy world of pseudomedi- in alien abductions and his contention like" (hence the name): thus the "cure" cine and its startling patrons. that schizophrenia is a rational response for a disease is a substance that produces to an irrational world (Gorski and Curry similar symptoms when given to a NCCAM and Advisors 2001).' The rosters of all of these panels healthy person. An example is die use of Dr. Straus can assume that there will be have been examined by Dr. Gorski and onion for the common cold. Medical pressure for the NCCAM to investigate consumer health activist E. Patrick historians, anthropologists, and psychol- Ullman's ridiculous claim. In addition Curry, who found few critical thinkers ogists recognize this as a variation of the to the advocacy of legislators such as among the lot. Their findings are avail- "doctrine of signatures," a prescientific Harkin and Burton and the legacy of able for public review at the myth common to the folklore of many Dr. Jonas, ilicic aic sevcial influential Quackwatch Web site is part of Gorski's cultures. I Ioniecpathy doesn't leave it at NCCAM advisors who can be expected rebuttal to Rep. Burton's misrepresenra that, however. The curative agent must to agree with Ullman. On the National tion charges (Gorski 2001). be "potentized" by a series of dilutions Advisory Council, for example, are three and "succussions," such that not even a "naturopathic doctors." Naturopathy is Is Dedicated CAM Research molecule of the original substance an eclectic assortment of implausible Justified? remains in the "remedy." Thus the "alternative" claims, one of which is Straus revealed his na't'vetd regarding patient is given a sugar pill, or possibly a homeopathy. Homeopathy is taught, the truth of the NCCAM shortly after small quantity of water or alcohol. uncritically, in all four naturopathic his tenure began. It was the case then, Homeopathy offers the very sort of schools. Ullman's Web site is listed as a and still is, that not a single Comple- "alternative remedy" that Rep. Burton "recommended Web site" by the mentary and Alternative Medicine might imagine could solve the bioterror- National College of Naturopathic (CAM) claim had been shown to be ism problem.