A closer look at the historic law that grants Naturopathic Doctors the right to licensure and independent practice in the state of California.
As part of our ongoing effort to educate the medical community about safe, effective natural therapies, Holistic Primary Care is launching a series of accredited continuing medical education modules on nutrition. The first in the series is on natural approaches to managing high-risk lipid profiles to reduce heart disease.
After a protracted struggle with the California Medical Association and organizations representing other holistic practitioners, Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) in California won the right to licensure. Under SB 907, NDs in California will now be able to practice as independent primary care doctors.
The federally funded clinical trials in natural medicine now underway are essential for evolution of the field, but they do not go far enough, according to Marc Micozzi, MD, PhD, director of the newly formed Policy Institute for Integrative Medicine. His goal is to translate findings from clinical trials into actionable public health policy.
In the interest of drawing experienced medical researchers into the field of natural medicine research, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is offering a number of financial aids, including loan repayment programs and special stipends.
When Joseph Pizzorno, ND, and Pamela Snider, ND, were named to the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee, they went to Washington, DC with the hope of bringing the preventive philosophy of naturopathic medicine to the Medicare policy-making table.
Statins are very effective at reducing LDL and total cholesterol, but they also deplete coenzyme Q10, a naturally occurring substance that is essential for normal muscle and heart function. Citing evidence that a major statin manufacturer knew the risks in the early ’90s but took no action, Dr. Julian Whitaker sent a petition to the FDA to put a black box warning on all statin labels stating the dangers of CoQ10 depletion.
Most of the nation’s medical schools now have some coursework in natural medicine, but to date, there are no residency training programs for up-and-coming MDs and DOs wishing to practice holistic health care. Demand from recent medical school grads is very strong, and the University of Colorado’s department of family medicine is attempting to lay the groundwork for a holistic residency.
Under pressure from the federal Department of Health and Human Services, the American Medical Association initiated a series of meetings with an independent company that has developed a comprehensive set of billing codes for holistic health care. Establishment of a coding system is essential for development of insurance reimbursement for alternative medical services.
The White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine released its final policy report and called on the Department of Health and Human Services to create a permanent, federally funded office for scientific research, education, and public policy on holistic health care.
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