Modulatory effects of acupuncture on resting-state networks: A functional MRI study combining independent component analysis and multivariate granger causality analysis†

Further exploration of brain - acupuncture connection with magnetic resonance imaging

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmri.22887/abstract 

Researchers reported: "Following acupuncture at GB40, the strength of causal connectivity between the superior temporal gyrus (STG) and anterior insula was enhanced, while the connection strength between the STG and postcentral gyrus increased following acupuncture at KI3. Additionally, the causal influences within the auditory network increased following acupuncture at GB40, in comparison with the executive network following acupuncture at KI3."

1. Chongguang Zhong PhD¹,
2. Lijun Bai PhD^1,†,
3. Ruwei Dai PhD¹,
4. Ting Xue PhD²,
5. Hu Wang PhD¹,
6. Yuanyuan Feng PhD¹,
7. Zhenyu Liu PhD¹,
8. Youbo You PhD¹,
9. Shangjie Chen PhD³,
10. Jie Tian PhD^1,2,*

Comment NOW on Acupuncture for the Affordable Care Act

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2011

Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343

HHS to give states more flexibility to implement health reform
Approach will help ensure consumers have quality, affordable coverage
starting in 2014

The Department of Health and Human Services today released a bulletin
outlining proposed policies that will give states more flexibility and
freedom to implement the Affordable Care Act.

The Affordable Care Act ensures all Americans have access to quality,
affordable health insurance. To achieve this goal, the law ensures
that health insurance plans offered in the individual and small group
markets, both inside and outside of the Affordable Insurance Exchanges
(Exchanges), offer a comprehensive package of items and services,
known as “essential health benefits.”

The bulletin released today describes an inclusive, affordable and
flexible proposal and informs stakeholders about the approach that HHS
intends to pursue in rulemaking to define essential health benefits.
HHS is releasing this intended approach to give consumers, states,
employers and issuers timely information as they work toward
establishing Exchanges and making decisions for 2014. This approach
was developed with significant input from the public, as well as
reports from the Department of Labor, the Institute of Medicine, and
research conducted by HHS.

“Under the Affordable Care Act, consumers and small businesses can be
confident that the insurance plans they choose and purchase will cover
a comprehensive and affordable set of health services,” said HHS
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “Our approach will protect consumers and
give states the flexibility to design coverage options that meet their
unique needs.”

Under the Department’s intended approach announced today, states would
have the flexibility to select an existing health plan to set the
“benchmark” for the items and services included in the essential
health benefits package. States would choose one of the following
health insurance plans as a benchmark:

One of the three largest small group plans in the state;
One of the three largest state employee health plans;
One of the three largest federal employee health plan options;
The largest HMO plan offered in the state’s commercial market.

The benefits and services included in the health insurance plan
selected by the state would be the essential health benefits package.
Plans could modify coverage within a benefit category so long as they
do not reduce the value of coverage. Consistent with the law, states
must ensure the essential health benefits package covers items and
services in at least ten categories of care, including preventive
care, emergency services, maternity care, hospital and physician
services, and prescription drugs. If a state selects a plan that does
not cover all ten categories of care, the state will have the option
to examine other benchmark insurance plans, including the Federal
Employee Health Benefits Plan, to determine the type of benefits that
will be included in the essential health benefits package.

The policy proposed today by HHS would give states the flexibility to
select a plan that would be equal in scope to the services covered by
a typical employer plan in their state. States and insurers would
retain the flexibility to evolve the benefits package with the market
as innovative plan designs are developed and advancements in care
become available, and meet the needs of their citizens.

“More than 30 million Americans who newly have insurance coverage in
2014 will have a comprehensive benefit package,” said Sherry Glied,
PhD, assistant secretary for planning and evaluation. “In addition to
assuring comprehensive coverage for the newly insured, many millions
of Americans buying their own insurance today will gain valuable new
coverage, including more than 8 million Americans who currently do not
have maternity coverage, and more than 1 million who will gain
prescription drug coverage.”

The bulletin issued today addresses only the services and items
covered by a health plan, not the cost sharing, such as deductibles,
copayments, and coinsurance. The cost-sharing features will be
addressed in future bulletins and cost-sharing rules will determine
the actuarial value of the plan.

Public input on this proposal is encouraged. Comments are due by Jan
31, 2012 and can be sent to: EssentialHealthBenefits@cms.hhs.gov.

For the essential health benefits bulletin, visit:
http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/regulations/index.html#hie

For a fact sheet on the essential health benefits bulletin, visit:
http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/12/essential-health-benefits12162011a.html

For a summary of individual market coverage as it relates to essential
health benefits, visit: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2011/IndividualMarket/ib.shtml

For information comparing benefits in small group products and state
and Federal employee plans, visit: http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2011/MarketComparison/rb.shtml


###


Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials
are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.

Last revised: December 16, 2011

Is acupuncture safe for children?

November 22, 2011, *11:00 am*

*Acupuncture Is Safe in Children, Study Finds*

*By **ANAHAD O'CONNOR* 

Joe Raedle/Getty ImagesCan acupuncture help children?

Is acupuncture safe for children?

According to a large new study in the journal
Pediatrics<http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/>,
the short answer is yes — in the hands of a trained practitioner. The
study, the first large-scale systematic review on the safety of pediatric
acupuncture, found that about one in 10 children had experienced mild side
effects, like bruising and pain and numbness at the puncture site. More
serious side effects, like infections and nerve impairment, were rare.

AOMA President's Blog: Speaking at American Herbal Guild

AOMA President's Blog: Speaking at American Herbal Guild: http://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/

Speaking at American Herbal Guild

It is important for acupuncturists to be conversant in western herbal traditions as patients will self-prescribe the materials, or may have received them from other providers. Here is a ink to the American Herbal Guild where I will be speaking pulse and tongue diagnosis for western herbalists: http://www.americanherbalistsguild.com/

First Published in: Acupuncture Today September, 2010, Vol. 11, Issue 09

Proving East Asian Medicine

By William Morris, DAOM, PhD, LAc

East Asian medical research focuses on quantitative means of proof. This affects the information obtained, thus what become considered best practices. I maintain that the world of East Asian medicine might also be understood through qualitative means.

In this article, I address the thinking behind these forms of research and to provide some examples of, and resources for, qualitative methods.

Quantitative Research
The traditional scientific approach to research has its underpinnings in what is called positivist philosophy. As a paradigm, positivists consider that true knowledge is scientific and measurable. The methods of positivism are informed by a set of principles including:
Value-freedom. Human beliefs and interests should not influence the choice of what and how to study a problem. Rather, it should be determined by objective criteria.
Causality. Research should identify causal explanations and fundamental laws.
Operationalization. The methods should enable facts to be measured quantitatively.
Independence. The researcher is independent of the subject.
Reductionism. Problems are better understood if they are reduced to the simplest possible elements.

Qualitative Research
Qualitative researchers consider that human beliefs and interest form the bedrock of decisions about what should be researched. The focus upon fundamental laws creates general information, and causes may change when applied to the individual human being. Qualitative methods of capturing information can often provide rich depth compared to quantitative. Regarding independence, qualitative research represents the researchers’ participation in, and influence upon, research and its outcomes. For Chinese medicine, which is a model of care that embraces complex systems and conditions, reductionism might miss the point.

In the hierarchical scheme of knowledge for evidence-based medicine, the randomized controlled trial sits at the top of the pyramid. This comes from a positivist point of view and does have value. The application of pharmaceutical treatments and population studies for risk-benefit assessment make the randomized controlled trial vital.

The extension of the resulting assumptions into social systems and individual lives poses a problem, however. Speaking about the world of human experience requires an extensive commitment in terms of time and dedication to process. However, this world is often dismissed as subjective and regarded with suspicion. Small qualitative studies are not generalizable in the traditional sense, yet have redeeming qualities that set them above that requirement.

Qualitative research investigates the why, not the how. Often, data is unstructured and can involve interview transcripts, e-mails, notes, feedback forms, photos and videos. Qualitative data can be used to gain insight into people’s attitudes, behaviors, value systems, concerns, motivations, aspirations, culture or lifestyles. Here, I will present six methods of qualitative research including case study, grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography, narrative methods and historical research. Last, I will briefly present models for mixing qualitative and quantitative methods.

Case-study research is a form of qualitative descriptive research that looks intensely at an individual or small participant pool, drawing conclusions only about that participant or group and only in that specific context. Researchers do not focus on the discovery of a universal, generalizable truth, nor do they typically look for cause-effect relationships. Instead, emphasis is placed on exploration and description. Developing a case study involves gathering all the data, organizing it into an approach to highlight the focus of the study. Then, a case study narrative is developed. The narrative might be validated by review from program participants. Further, a case study series might be cross-compared to isolate any themes or patterns. The writings of Robert Stake and Robert Yin should be seriously considered by anyone wishing to employ case studies and case series in their graduate work.^1-4

Grounded theory is a systematic generation of theory from data. Rather than beginning with a hypothesis, the first step is to collect data via qualitative or quantitative means. Key points are identified in the data and marked with codes and grouped into categories which become the basis for the development of theories and reverse-engineered hypotheses. Grounded theory is gaining strength in the area of medical research and there are medical research projects receiving funds from the NIH.^5,6

Phenomenology involves describing the structures of experience as they present themselves to consciousness, without recourse to theory, deduction, or assumptions from other disciplines. Phenomenology studies the structures of consciousness as experienced from the first-person point of view. The central structure of an experience is its intentionality, being directed toward something, as it is an experience of or about some object. An experience is directed toward an object by virtue of its content or meaning (which represents the object) together with appropriate enabling conditions.^7-9

Ethnography is a form of research focusing on creating meaning through close field observation of sociocultural phenomena. Typically, the ethnographer focuses on a community that may occur geographically or in cyberspace, They may be practitioner groups, patient groups and provider networks. From these groups, informants are selected who are known to have an overview of the activities of the community. Such informants are asked to identify other informants representative of the community, using chain sampling to obtain a saturation of informants in all empirical areas of investigation. Informants are interviewed multiple times, using information from previous informants to elicit clarification and deeper responses upon re-interview. This process is intended to reveal common cultural understandings related to the phenomena under study.^10-12

Historical research involves the systematic collection and objective evaluation of data related to past occurrences in order to test hypotheses concerning causes, effects or trends of these events that may help to explain present events and anticipate future events.¹³ Historical research involves developing an understanding of the past through the examination and interpretation of artifacts such as texts, physical remains of historic sites, recorded data, pictures, maps recordings and other forms of evidence. The historian’s job is to find evidence, analyze its content and biases, corroborate it with other evidence, and use the evidence to develop an interpretation of past events that has some importance for the present. Historians use libraries to locate primary sources (firsthand information such as diaries, letters and original documents) for evidence find secondary sources, historians’ interpretations and analyses of historical evidence verify factual material as inconsistencies arise.

Narrative research methods involve the researchers collecting and telling stories about people’s lives, and writing narratives of individual experiences. As a distinct form of qualitative research, a narrative typically focuses on studying a single person, gathering data through the collection of stories, reporting individual experiences, and discussing the meaning of those experiences for the individual.

Mixed-methods research provides for quantitative and qualitative points of view to be used simultaneously. Mixed methods research refers to methods, design and philosophical assumptions. There is a good deal of discussion about philosophical assumptions that guide the direction of the collection and analysis of data.¹⁴

There are other forms of qualitative inquiry. The ones I presented here are representative of more common methods and applications. I hope that the tools presented here can further the dialog.
References

1. Yin R. Applications of Case Study Research. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage, 2003.
2. Yin R. Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage, 2002.
3. Stake R. The Art of Case Study Research. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage, 1995.
4. Stake R. Multiple Case Study Analysis. New York: Guilford Press, 2006.
5. Glaser BG, Strauss A. Discovery of Grounded Theory. Strategies for Qualitative Research. Edison, N.J.: Aldine Transaction, 1967.
6. Bryant A, Charmaz K, eds. The Sage Handbook of Grounded Theory. In: The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications, 2007.
7. Merleau-Ponty M. Phenomenology of Perception. New York: Routledge, 1962.
8. Husserl E. Ideas Pertaining to a Pure Phenomenology and to a Phenomenological Philosophy. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1991.
9. Moustakas C. Phenomenological Research Methods. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 1994.
10. Denzin NK. Interpretive Ethnography: Ethnographic Practices for the 21st Century. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, Inc, 1996.
11. Denzin NK. Interpretive ethnography for the next century. J Contemp Ethnography Oct 1, 1999;28(5):510-9.
12. Heivilin D, MacColl G, Jackson E, Edwards T. Federal Programs: Ethnographic Studies Can Inform Agencies’ Actions. www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-03-455.
13. Gay LR. Educational Research. Competencies For Analysis and Application. Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1996.
14. Clark VLP, Creswell JW. The Mixed Methods Reader. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, 2008.

Military Does Acupuncture for PTSD

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/military-tries-acupuncture-to-treat-troops-for-ptsd-757786.html

Clean Needles for Acupuncture Safety

First Published in Acupuncture Today June, 2010, Vol. 11, Issue 06

By Michael Jabbour, MS, LAc, William Morris, DAOM, PhD, LAc and Steven Schram, PhD, DC, LAc

A recent article in the British Medical Journal by Woo et al. argues that infection from acupuncture needles is a serious problem.¹ Pointing at 50 cases worldwide since 1970, the author implies that acupuncture is dangerous because the risk of infection is high and that acupuncturists are not using sufficient care to prevent infections.

Both assertions are patently false, the risks greatly exaggerated and, if anything, has clarified for the public how safe trained practitioners of acupuncture are. Every medical treatment from aspirin to brain surgery carries some risk and acupuncture is no exception. According to one study, "Although the incidence of minor adverse events associated with acupuncture may be considerable, serious adverse events are rare."2

Consider the facts in context. There are currently 30,000 acupuncturists and 8,000 acupuncture students in the U.S. Each sees an average of 50 patients per week. This equates to roughly 1.5 million treatments per week and 78 million acupuncture treatments per year. This does not include the multitude of acupuncturists in Europe, Australia or the Far East, where acupuncture is routinely practiced and, in main cases, fully integrated into mainstream medicine and government-reimbursed health care. The claim of 50 disparate infections worldwide over a 40-year period comes to approximately one infection per year globally. If anything, this article highlights the extraordinary safety of acupuncture treatments, not that acupuncture presents a danger to the public. Given the billions of acupuncture treatments administered worldwide, it is clear that there is an extremely low risk of infection from acupuncture needle insertion.

If these same low levels of adverse events were reported for any treatment method in conventional medical practice, that treatment would rightly and routinely be touted as a huge success. With regard to mainstream medical practice, an average of 195,000 people in the U.S. died due to potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors from 2000 to 2002, according to a new study of 37 million patient records that was released by HealthGrades, the health care quality company.³ In addition to the deaths, 1.14 million patients also suffered a "safety incident," which represents one in four Medicare patients admitted from 2000 to 2002.⁴

Another risk gauge for infection or other side effects in acupuncture is the cost of malpractice insurance. A $1 million to $3 million policy for an acupuncturist in the U.S. is less than $800/year. If there was an infection risk of any magnitude, the premiums would be significantly higher.
According to Adrian White, clinical research fellow at the Peninsula Medical School, and Mike Cummings, both editors of Acupuncture in Medicine, the risks associated with acupuncture can be considered negligible in the hands of competent practitioners.^5-7 In fact, White and Cummings go further to say that the currently published opinion of medical experts is that routine disinfection of skin prior to needle insertion is actually unnecessary in healthy patients, even though it is regularly practiced in acupuncture clinics in the U.S.^8,9

Woo's second claim that acupuncturists are not using sufficient care to prevent infections is also not factual. Without current best acupuncture practices, Woo states that the cause of most outbreaks was from "improperly sterilized reusable acupuncture needles." But he fails to mention the fact that qualified acupuncturists in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and many other countries must adhere to strict clean-needle guidelines and, by law, may only use sterile, single-use disposable needles.¹⁰ In fact, the article fails to cite research published in the same journal showing acupuncture to be extremely safe when practiced by a trained acupuncturist.⁶

The Woo article errs on two counts. It sensationalizes negligible risk and omits current best practices that mitigate what little risk is, in fact, there. Additionally, Woo's analysis undermines the scientific and regulatory integrity of the profession, clearly pointing to academic bias. What would be more appropriate and useful to health care providers and the public is recent data taken from prospective studies of the incidence of infection from acupuncture.^11,12 This would place the risk associated with acupuncture treatment delivered in the U.S., U.K., and Europe in true perspective.

It is perplexing to the academic community how this irrelevant and misleading editorial was allowed through the BMJ's rigorous editorial process. The publication of inaccurate and alarmist data that does not consider current safety precautions is ill-conceived and irresponsible on the part of the author and the publisher. The article created the impression that acupuncture may be dangerous, while in fact, the readily available data shows extraordinary safety compared to many other medical interventions. The subsequent dissemination of this editorial via the BBC Web site and other news outlets raises disproportionate concern and fear mongering regarding one of the safest of the medical practices.

The reach of this inaccurate article continues worldwide. It is being republished on the BBC, Reuters, FOX News, and a growing number of other news organizations. This misinformation could lead to unnecessary panic and people choosing not to use this safe and effective treatment modality. An immediate public statement of clarification by the BMJ is warranted to preserve its reputation and give a balanced, accurate representation of factual medical information.

All authors of this article are members of the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) and active contributors to the community through academic, research, professional, legislative and regulatory work. One of the primary purposes of the AAAOM is to promote adherence to high ethical, safety, and professional standards on part of the practitioner. The AAAOM works with a wide range of national and international standards-setting and research organizations, legislative and regulatory bodies, and institutions that oversee, govern, and advance the practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. The AAAOM takes patient risks associated with acupuncture seriously and works to advance the practice of acupuncture and Oriental medicine in the safest ways possible.

References

1. Woo PCY, Lin AWC, Lau SKP, Yuen KY. Acupuncture transmitted infections. BMJ 2010;340:c1268.
2. Ernst E, White AR. Prospective studies of the safety of acupuncture: a systematic review. Am J Med 2001;110:481-5.
3. www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/11856.php.
4. www.whale.to/a/iatrogenic_q.html.
5. White A, Hayhoe S, Hart A, et al. Adverse events following acupuncture: prospective survey of 32 000 consultations with doctors and physiotherapists. BMJ 2001;323(7311):485-6.
6. MacPherson H, Thomas K, Walters S, et al. The York acupuncture safety study: prospective survey of 34 000 treatments by traditional acupuncturists. BMJ 2001;323(7311):486-7.
7. Witt CM, Pach D, Brinkhaus B, et al. Safety of acupuncture: results of a prospective observational study with 229,230 patients and introduction of a medical information and consent form. Forsch Komplementmed 2009;16(2):91-7.
8. Walsh B. Control of infection in acupuncture. Acupunct Med 2001;19(2):109-11
9. Hoffman P. Skin disinfection and acupuncture. Acupunct Med 2001;19(2):112-6.
10. www.ccaom.org/cntprogram.asp.
11. White A. The safety of acupuncture; evidence from the UK. Acupunct Med 2006;24(Suppl):S53-7.
12. Witt CM, et al. Efficacy, effectiveness, safety and costs of acupuncture for chronic pain; results of a large research initiative. Acupunct Med 2006;24(suppl):S33-9.

---

Michael Jabbour speaks on technology, medicine and politics pertaining to traditional Chinese medicine. He is one of the founding directors of the New York State Acupuncture Coalition and the current president of the Acupuncture Society of New York, and chairs the AAAOM Medical Integration committee. He maintains a private acupuncture and herbology practice in midtown Manhattan.

Click here for more information about William Morris, DAOM, PhD, LAc.

Dr. Steven Schram has been a licensed acupuncturist since 1996. He is the past president of the Acupuncture Society of New York, and is the current president of the Manhattan District of the NY State Chiropractic Association. In addition, he serves on the Insurance Committee of the AAAOM, remains a member in the States President's Council of the AAAOM, and has maintained a private practice in Manhattan since 1984.

AOMA President's Blog: Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Acupuncture?

AOMA President's Blog: Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Acupuncture?

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and Acupuncture?

Link To Audio File of the Interview

R. Douglas Fields interviews Geoffrey Burnstock of the University College London at an international meeting in Fukuoka. They discuss a new biological hypothesis for the action of acupuncture using ATP.

P2x3 respond. to ATP reacts to nerve signals interneurons go to the brain stem which has the motor neurons for organic function in digestion and respiration there are relay stations in the cortex for pain. Apparently, ATP is released in the presence of acupuncture needles.

Further Reading

Burnstock, G. (2009) Acupuncture: a novel hypothesis for the involvement of purinergic signaling. Med. Hypotheses, October, 74:470-2.

Fields, R.D. (2009) New Culprits in Chronic Pain. Scientific American November, 301: 50-57.

Fields, R.D. and Burnstock, G. (2006) Purinergic signalling in neuron-glia interactions.Nature Reviews Neuroscience June, 7(6): 423-36.

InteractionsGuide™ - Herb, Nutrient and Drug Interactions

I have used this database and its variations since 1992. You might find it useful.

Warmly,

Will

InteractionsGuide™ - Herb, Nutrient and Drug Interactions

http://www.InteractionsGuide.com

Free Access during February!

Electronically Empowered Access to the Standard Reference Work in the Field:
Herb, Nutrient and Drug Interactions:
Clinical Implications and Therapeutic Strategies
Mitchell Bebel Stargrove ND, LAc
Jonathan Treasure MNIMH, AHG
Dwight L. McKee MD
MosbyElsevier 2008
932 pages

Presenting detailed, evidence-based coverage of the most commonly encountered therapeutic agents in modern clinical practice, this resource is designed to help you safely and effectively integrate herbal, nutrient, and drug therapy for your patients or clients. Combining pharmaceuticals with herbs or nutrients may complement or interfere with a drug's therapeutic action or may increase adverse effects. Drug-induced depletion of essential nutrients contribute to acute and long-terms adverse effects that are preventable through informed clinical management. Comprehensive clinical data, quick-reference features, and the insight and expertise of trusted authorities help you gain a confident understanding of how herbal remedies and nutritional supplements interact with pharmaceuticals and develop safe, individualized treatment strategies for your patients.

Key Content Features:
   * Seventy comprehensive monographs of herb-drug and nutrient-drug interactions cover the most commonly used herbs and nutrients in health-related practice and help you coordinate safe, reliable therapy.
   * Each herb and nutrient monograph features summary tables and concise, practical suggestions that provide quick and easy reference and complement the systematic review and in-depth analysis.
   * Unique icons throughout the text differentiate interactions, evidence, and clinical significance.
   * Up-to-date information keeps you current with the latest developments in pharmacology, nutrition, phytotherapy, biochemistry, genomics, oncology, hematology, naturopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, and other fields.
   * A diverse team of authoritative experts lends valuable, trans-disciplinary insight.

Instant Online Access With Powerful Database Tools Through Web Application:
   * Elegant Design – opens to summary tables and provides easy access to the depth of content that you choose.
   * Instant Full Text Search - type what you're looking for, and be taken right to it.
   * Intelligent Analysis Tool - select up to 10 substances and see the possible interactions presented according to clinical significance
   * Inline Linked Citations - view the full citations in context, and access the original abstract on pubmed with just one click.

Institutional access, multiuser accounts and academic discounts available.

Recommended by Leading Educators and Practitioners

"The most comprehensive and substantiated resource I have seen on drug/herb/nutrient interactions. I was especially impressed by Dr. Stargrove and his interdisciplinary team's ranking of the quality of the available evidence as well as their careful consideration of beneficial interactions, not just adverse effects. Required for every clinician serious about integrative medicine."

Joseph E. Pizzorno, Jr., ND

Co-founder, President Emeritus, Bastyr University, Kenmore, WA

Editor, Integrative Medicine: A Clinicians Journal

 

It has been well documented that many patients often do not share with their practitioners all of the medicinal products they may be using.  It behooves all practitioners to not only ask patients what they are taking, but also understand potential interactions and deficiencies that might occur and make recommendations. This book, by acknowledged experts in the field of integrative medicine, offers evidence-based advise for clinicians of all types.  I whole-heartedly recommend this book for its thoughtful, balanced and well-referenced presentation integrating scientific evidence with practical clinical experience."

David Riley, MD

Editor in Chief - EXPLORE - The Journal of Science and Healing

Clinical Associate Professor - Univ. of New Mexico School of Medicine

 

".... I enthusiastically welcome this book, a collaboration written by experienced clinicians within the fields of conventional, integrative and natural medicine for health professionals who wish to effectively counsel their patients on the safe and beneficial use of dietary supplements. As the title suggests, this book addresses herb-drug interactions, nutrient-drug interactions, and drug-induced nutrient depletions in a clinically oriented, and integrated manner. The authors demonstrate an appropriate balance between recommendation and risk based upon the overall strength of the scientific evidence and their own clinical experience. The text is well referenced, balanced and objective and the use of icons and summary tables allows the clinician to quickly identify areas of potential risk, as well as potential benefit.  This book is a major contribution to the field of integrative medicine and an invaluable resource to practitioner and researcher alike."

from the Foreward, by

Tieraona Low Dog, MD

Director of Education, Program in Integrative Medicine

Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine

University of Arizona College of Medicine

Chair, U.S. Pharmacopeia Dietary Supplements Information Expert Panel

For further information, including book samples and reviews in professional journals, visit MedicineWorks athttp://www.medicineworks.com

AOMA Acquires New Campus

AOMA in the Statesman


View Larger Map

February 1, 2010

AOMA announces new campus location

Enrollment growth, alternative medicine trends driving expansion

Note: Media are invited to a brief event at the new campus Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 11 a.m. Speakers, who will also be available for interviews, include AOMA President Dr. William Morris, AOMA Board Member Betty Edmond, and Seton Vice President James Davis. Qi gong and acupuncture demonstrations will be given, and drawings and plans for the new campus will be on display.

AUSTIN—Leadership of the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin announced today that the college will be expanding to a new, larger main campus in the spring of 2011.  AOMA’s new 19,000 square foot headquarters campus, at 4701 WestGate Blvd., will include smart media classrooms, a student intern clinic, a mind/body center, faculty and administrative offices, a library, student and faculty gathering spaces, quiet and group study areas, an herbal medicine center and a bookstore/retail space.

“Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are increasingly recognized as important components in American healthcare,” says Dr. William Morris, president of AOMA. “With our internationally renowned faculty, demonstrated student success, and a new campus designed to provide excellence in every aspect of teaching, learning and student life and support, we are positioned for national leadership.”

A primary benefit of the new campus, Morris says, is that its master plan is designed to meet the specific needs of AOMA’s growing student population. Continued growth is expected because of the college’s new status as the first and only stand-alone, single-degree granting school of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in the nation to be regionally accredited.  AOMA became accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in December, 2009.

AOMA offers a masters level graduate program in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, preparing its students to be skilled, professional practitioners. SACS accreditation signifies that AOMA has a mission appropriate to graduate education; resources, programs and services sufficient to accomplish and sustain the college’s mission; clearly specified educational objectives in line with the degree offered and proven success in achieving its stated objectives.

Since its founding in 1993 AOMA has grown rapidly in size and reputation, drawing students from around the nation and faculty from around the world.  Current student enrollment is 204, and the school has more licensed graduates than any other acupuncture and Chinese medicine school in Texas.  AOMA also conducts more than 20,000 patient visits annually in its student intern and professional clinics.

The use of acupuncture is on the rise in the United States. The number of visits rose from 27.2 to 79.2 per 1,000 adults between 1997 and 2007. According to the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), approximately 3.1 million adults in the United States used acupuncture within the year prior to 2007, a 47 percent increase from the 2002 NHIS estimate. The increases are related to increasing evidence for acupuncture in the treatment of medical ailments including chemotherapy-induced nausea, chronic back pain, hypertension and allergic rhinitis.

James Davis, senior Vice President for Mission Integration, Seton Healthcare Network says, “We have seen increasing demand for alternative and complementary medicine from our patients, and have been pleased to partner with AOMA administration and faculty to provide this care at Seton Medical Center Williamson and Seton GoodHealth Commons. AOMA curriculum includes the study of integrating acupuncture and Chinese medicine with Western medicine, and students are able to see how this works in practice through our partnership,” Davis says.

AOMA Student Association President Cynthia Clark says students are looking forward having a new main campus, and to participating in the detailed design process. “The plans for the new campus are exciting for students,” Clark said. “The new campus has a more cohesive feel. We will have a larger library, improved technology, more space for clinical practice, and better places to gather and to study,” she said.

AOMA’s student intern clinic and bookstore/retail space are already open at the new 4701 Westgate Blvd. site. The existing professional clinic and bookstore/retail space at AOMA’s current location at 2700 West Anderson Lane will remain to serve patients and customers after the new campus is in full operation beginning in April, 2011. AOMA also serves patients at Seton Topfer clinic, Seton GoodHealth Commons, and People’s Community Clinic.

The extensive remodeling of the new campus site has been designed by Austin architectural firm Steinbomer & Associates, known for their design of Austin Studios, the private airport hangar at Austin-Bergstrom Airport and 524 North Lamar, among other projects. Detailed design is currently underway, with construction anticipated to begin in winter 2010. The outline of the new campus design is available at www.aoma.edu.

###

About AOMA                        

The Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin offers a masters level graduate program in acupuncture and Chinese medicine, preparing its students for careers as skilled, professional practitioners.  AOMA is known for its internationally recognized faculty, award-winning student clinical internship program, and for having more licensed graduates than any other acupuncture and Chinese medicine school in Texas. Since its founding in 1993, AOMA has grown rapidly in size and reputation, drawing students from around the nation and faculty from around the world. AOMA also conducts more than 20,000 patient visits annually in its student and professional clinics. AOMA collaborates with healthcare institutions including the Seton Healthcare Network, and gives back to the community through partnerships with nonprofit organizations and by providing free and reduced price treatments to people who cannot afford them.

The Academy of Chinese medicine at Austin is located at 2700 West Anderson Lane, Austin, Texas, 78757. AOMA also serves patients and retail customers at its south Austin location, 4701 WestGate Blvd.  For more information see www.aoma.edu or call 512-492-3051.

A biomedical view of Shang Han Lun

Date:

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 19:00 - 20:00

Presenter:

Will Morris

Watch this Webinar:

Click here to enter webinar: it's Free & No registration required

In the biomedical view of Shan Han Lun, we will explore western physiological concepts related to the practice of Shang Han Lun. We discuss concepts such as the peripheral nervous system, the sympathetic-parasympathetic axis and the affects of the neuro-vascular-humeral loop. Western systems theory is woven into the Shang Han Lun Stages.

Acupuncture Improves Quality of Life Among Breast Cancer Patients

Eleanor M. Walker, et al at Henry Ford Hospital (Michigan), determine that “Acupuncture appears to be equivalent to drug therapy in these patients. It is a safe, effective and durable treatment for vasomotor symptoms secondary to long-term antiestrogen hormone use in patients with breast cancer.” 


They studied 50 breast cancer patients, randomized to receive either acupuncture or drug (venlafaxine) treatment for 12 weeks. Both groups experienced a 50% decline in hot flashes and depressive symptoms.  Over time, the acupuncture group  experience minimal hot flashes, while the drug therapy group had a significant increase in hot flashes. The acupuncture group did not experience an increase in the frequency of their hot flashes until three months post-treatment. The group further sated that ”the acupuncture group experienced no negative adverse effects. Acupuncture had the additional benefit of increased sex drive in some women, and most reported an improvement in their energy, clarity of thought, and sense of well-being.”


While 50 is an insufficient number to create the power to generalize, this is a very promising study. It is one more piece of knowledge that demonstrates that acupuncture and Chinese medicine have a place in the American medical systems. 


Go here for a link to the study

AOMA Accreditation - Integrator Blog Top 10

Integrative Medicine and Integrated Healthcare Round-up: December 4, 2009-January 5, 2010

Two Integrator Top 10 lists for integrative care from 2009 ... LA Times article on licensed CAM practices and non-discrimination provision in Harkin's Senate health legislation ... George DeVries' transformation of American Specialty Health into a health and wellness firm ... Academy of Oriental Medicine of Austin becomes first AOM school to gain regional accreditation ...  Adam Perlman, MD, MPH and Ben Kligler, MD, MPH take over as chair, vice chair for CAHCIM ... AOM accrediting agency still seeks comments on "First Professional Doctorate" standard for the field ...  Frank Nicchi, DC, MS honored for strengthening chiropractic-public health ties ... Bravewell, the IOM and the AARP join to found Healthy Nation Partnership; inputs solicited ... American Association for Health Freedom becomes Alliance for Natural Health-USA ... New York Beth Israel creates no-cost, online Prepare for Surgery program ... Seattle-based Alternative Health Access Campaign seeks to meet growing demand among the homeless ... Oregon's largest natural health clinic opened by National College of Natural Medicine ... Chiropractors in campaign to regain recognition as providers by Boy Scouts of America ... Integrative Healthcare Symposium sponsors major conference in New York, February 25-27, 2010 ... North American Research Conference on Complementary and Integrative Medicine set for May 15-18, 2012 in Portland, Oregon ... New American Holistic Medicine Research Institute formed with led venerable Robert Anderson, MD in lead; sets sights on first multicenter project ... Massage accrediting agency seeks public member ...  H1N1 lifts dietary supplement sales ... Michael Cohen re-frames his legal services 

Pulse diagnosis from a 10,000 foot view: Time Space State

Dear All:

Thursday, January 14th 07:00 pm - 08:00 pm PST Pulse diagnosis from a 10,000 foot view: Time Space State. I provide the backbone for my dissertation on Chinese Pulse Diagnosis: Epistemology, Practice and Tradition. It's free, it's cool.

Click here to watch the webinar:

http://healthstream.tv/tv/pulse-diagnosis-10000-foot-view-time-form-and-state

Pulse diagnosis from a 10,000 foot view explores pulse from the perspective of how we build clinical knowledge from the pulse. It structures the information according to time, space and state. Useful methods are discussed, such as the use of the three burners for selecting back shu points. Warmly,


Will

Other topics this month on TCMTV - go to this link and click on the calendar option for access http://tcmtv.net/

Tuesday January 19th 7-8pm PST Biomedical View of Shang Han Lun

In the biomedical view of Shan Han Lun, we will explore western physiological concepts related to the practice of Shang Han Lun. We discuss concepts such as the peripheral nervous system, the sympathetic-parasympathetic axis and the affects of the neuro-vascular-humeral loop. Western systems theory is woven into the Shang Han Lun Stages.

Tuesday January 26th 7-8pm PST Politics of Evidence

Politics of evidence is a discussion that is vital to the evolution of Chinese medicine in the west. With the advent of Evidence Based Medicine, we are quickly defining what constitutes good knowledge. This presentation speaks about the risks, benefits and alternatives to the emerging Evidence Based Medicine standards.

Happy New Year...

Dear People of the AOMA community

Happy New Year...

Here is to wishing you great health, wealth, happiness and harmony. It is such a great privilege to serve where transforming lives and communities is the mission.

In reflection, 2009 was an amazing year for AOMA. We achieved membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools http://sacs.org/. This is a unique honor and it makes AOMA a representative of high quality education in the field of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Anne Province is who I will name as the prime mover on this extraordinary multi-year effort.

The facilities team timed and performed the build out of a new clinic for AOMA that is sparkly. Smart rooms were implemented, so that the LCD projectors are drop downs from the ceiling. The foot print of the campus was reconstructed around a “back quad” with the Coi pond and turtles in the center. All of the potential chaos was contained and the move happened in a way that people were comfortable, and change management can be a demanding set of efforts. Kudos to the facilities team – Stuart Bailey and Aaron Shafer. Linda Fontaine – the genius negotiator made it possible and Anne Provicnce the genious planner made the timelines spot on!

The Student Association leadership under Cynthia Clark has flourished with learning activities and participation in national professional association activities. AOMA is truly fortunate to have such a committed and active group of students. It is often times difficult to raise one’s head above the demands of building the knowledge, skills and abilities of a new profession. This group of people has a vision and I believe will make a difference in the field.

It is AOMA’s faculty who are the resource that these efforts are built to ensure

There are new developments in clinics, the Southwest Symposium and other updates regularly refreshed by the awesome Sarah Bentley - http://www.aoma.edu/.

Brenda Thompson is doing a spectacular job assisting us in getting our message out http://www.brendathompson.com/.

Thank you all - much love and happiness in the New Year!

Warmly - Will

AOMA accredited by SACS

On Monday, December 7^th at 5:00pm, AOMA (Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin) achieved membership in SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools).

Dear AOMA Community,

Anne Province and I are here at the SACS Conference in Atlanta Georgia.  We have great news.  The Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin was granted full membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

Thanks to each and every one of you for the efforts you have placed in this endeavor. It is a sign of the excellence this community brings to the table, not just in our field but in the field of higher education.  We are transforming lives and communities.

Thank you!

Will and Anne

Accreditation is a voluntary process whereby academic institutions seek recognition for meeting academic standards. AOMA maintains both programmatic and regional accreditation. Accreditation is typically conducted by private not-for-profit agencies, which receive recognition from the USDE (United States Department of Education).

For learners in the AOMA community, accreditation gives a particular sheen of quality to the degree. On a practical level, a regional accredited degree allows for transfer of credits into other university programs when appropriate. Similarly, graduates of AOMA’s master degree program may qualify to enter PhD and other doctoral programs with master degree requirements for admissions. A regionally accredited master degree also makes it possible for AOMA graduates to teach in college settings.  

Regional accreditation is AOMA’s most recent land mark accomplishment. It is a high level of quality recognition for the AOMA community including students, faculty, staff, patients, partners, alumni and board of governors. Most well-known colleges or universities participate in regional accreditation. As AOMA’s president, I sit next to presidents of schools ranging from Texas A&M to Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Mississippi to Georgia Tech.  It is inspiring and it is a new day for the AOMA community.

 

AOMA has experience in programmatic accreditation via ACAOM (Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) since 1996. Programmatic is a specialized accreditation for educational programs that prepare people for specific professions.  Schools of medicine, psychotherapy, chiropractic and physical therapy all have programmatic accreditors. ACAOM does this for acupuncture and Oriental medical education.

AOMA is the first single purpose school of AOM (acupuncture and Oriental medicine) to achieve regional accreditation. Other schools have accomplished regional accreditation with multiple programs. AOMA is also the first school of AOM in the SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and Schools). Further, SACS is the last regional accreditor to recognize a school with an AOM program. We save the best for last!

Here is my official communication to the AOMA community when we discovered that we were invited to the official reception for new SACS member schools:

Interlude from Guangzhou - Book Deal in Beijing

During my recent visit to Guangzhou, I took a couple of days to meet with the team at People’s Medical Publishing House. The flight was only a few hours, and I took a cab to the multi-story facility in downtown Beijing.

My project, a book on pulse diagnosis, focuses upon the works of one of China’s great compilers, a man named Li Zhishen. Author of one of the great herbal compendiums, Li has also published two works on pulse diagnosis, one is the Lakeside Master and the other is the Mysteries of the Extraordinary Vessels.

In order to realize a quality work, the team involves two authors, two editor/project managers and two translators. The individuals involved are: Walter Liu (Líu Shuĭ, 刘水), Vice-Director of International Publications Department and head of Department of Clinical Chinese Medicine and Integrative Medicine; Harry F. Lardner, Department of Clinical Chinese Medicine and Integrative Medicine; Amber Huang (Huáng Lĕi黄蕾), Department of Acupuncture and Tui Na; Mark Mondot, Department of Patient Education. 


This "golden bridge" of international collaboration in the development of Chinese medical knowledge is significant news for the profession. Each section of the team involves an American and a Chinese person. This type of collaboration allows for a rich representation and accurately portrays the source material while maintaining sensitivity to the needs of the user.

Pulse diagnosis is my area of academic specialty. I have spent 28 years on the topic. My latest efforts are in an area that I call medical epistemology – that is – how we build knowledge in medicine. Pulse diagnosis is an area of practice that is often dismissed as subjective. It is. And that is the advantage. We, in this world of high tech and looming global chaos need a personal touch. Pulse diagnosis provides a direct and immediate non-verbal contact between the physician and the patient.

People’s Medical Publishing House is the largest and most influential book maker in China. I felt privileged to participate with the group on a project that fit exactly with my values with respect to translation and the building of knowledge across the cultural and language bounds. I had an opportunity to see the galleys for Understanding the Jin Gui Yao Lue - A Practical Textbook. This is one of the most important historical texts in Chinese medicine, one that is still used in core curriculum for Chinese medicine programs at the major universities in China. The core text of the Essential Prescriptions of the Golden Cabinet (Jīn Guì Yào Lüè) has been praised by Chinese physicians as "the book that saves lives" and "the ancestor of all formula books".

I believe that PMPH is doing very important work and it is a privilege to participate with them on the development of Chinese medicine in the West.