AAMA
Newsletter
Serving the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture
October 2001

Page
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Call for Symposium posters

This is a call for abstracts of research projects or case reports to be presented as Posters at AAMA's 14th Annual Symposium in Los Angeles, April 19-21, 2002.

Due by Jan. 31, 2002, abstracts should be a 200-250 word description of the research project and findings or be a summary of the case, treatment approach and outcomes. They will be reviewed by the Poster Committee. Authors of abstracts selected by the Committee will be invited to present their work in Poster format at the Symposium. Poster presenters will get 50% off their Symposium registration fee.

Posters will be presented at the Symposium's Wine and Cheese Reception and remain up the next day. Poster presenters will be invited to submit their abstracts for publication in the journal, Medical Acupuncture.

Abstracts should be submitted to AAMA offices by Jan. 31, 2002 to be considered for Poster presentation. You are encouraged to submit the abstract via e-mail, in Microsoft Word or text format, to:jdowden@prodigy.net. Selected abstracts will be announced by late February.

Call AAMA Executive Administrator James Dowden (323/937-5514) for further information.

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Member News

Russ Erickson, MD, was invited to give a talk in September to a Permanente Medical Group ER physicians' educational conference. He presented a written brief history, physiology and research paper for all participants and centered the talk on practical acupuncture approaches to common acute ER problems that can be used by any such physician. It was so well received that he sent a copy of that part of the talk to all listed AAMA ER physicians for their use with colleagues, as desired.

Editor Richard Niemtzow, MD (n5ev@aol.com) is seeking articles for AAMA's journal, Medical Acupuncture, which has increased frequency from two to three issues annually. See submission guidelines on the inside cover of any journal, which is mailed free to Academy members.

Ivanhoe, a syndicated agency specializing in health news produced for TV stations nationwide based in Orlando, FL, interviewed a patient of Roberto Jodorkovsky, MD, whose asthma improved significantly after she was treated with hand acupuncture. The interview included a simulated treatment performed by the Academy member and a brief explanation of his office-based integration of traditional and acupuncture treatment for pediatric asthma. This interview is being shown on TV stations nationwide during the 6 pm news. Viewers interested in pursuing acupuncture treatment were advised to call AAMA's referral line.

Members participating in AAMA's referral program will be happy to hear that 671 inquiries came into national headquarters in June (2,477 website hits to the referral page), 604 in July (3,181 hits) and 293 in August (3,085 hits) from patients seeking medical acupuncturists. The toll-free number patients are calling for referrals is 800/521-2262.

Alison Lee, MD, DABMA, reports a quiet summer-"unless you count 66 hours of labor to release the product of my past nine months work on Aug. 15: Lydia Danielle at an amazing 8 pounds, 7 ounces and 20 inches at 7:35 pm (the treatment of De Morant for healthier, bigger, more beautiful babies seems to have worked)." The proud mother has returned to a busy lecture schedule, with engagements in October that included an executive wellness center on Alternative Medicine for Pain Management, and an Integrative Medicine Grand Rounds on Chinese Medicine, with an emphasis on 5-Phase theory in conventional medical practice at a local hospital.

National Cancer Institute is looking for CAM that's helping cancer patients. Data from best cases will receive NIH funding, recommendations, increased awareness and feedback. For a submission package, e-mail: ncioccam-r@mail.nih.gov, visit online: http://occam.nci.nih.gov or call 301/435-7980.

John M. Ackerman, MD, urges members to look into benefits of joining the International Association of Auricular Medicine ($45 annual dues). He said IAAM is a democratic, multi-disciplinary association that includes veterinary medicine, meetings, website chat room and peer-reviewed Coherence-The Journal of Integrated Medicine. For more details, e-mail Judy Krayk (jkrayk@silcom.com).
To find technical articles on CAM, visit CAM on PubMed, a new subset of a medical literature database that provides free access to more than 230,000 related journal citations. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has partnered with National Library of Medicine for this service, which can be found at NCCAM's website: http://nccam.nih.gov.

Shu-Ming Wang, MD, who specializes in treating children, currently has two clinical studies with articles published in Anesthesia and Analgesia on auricular acupuncture for a decreased state of anxiety (February 2001 and November 2001, respectively).

John Flanagan, MD, has resigned as a director from AAMA's Board and as chairman of the 2002 Symposium for health reasons.

Sai H. Oh, MD, was a featured speaker at the 25th annual Meeting of American Society of Orthopedic Physical Assistants in July in Chattanooga, TN. He presented an overview of medical acupuncture and the role of acupuncture in musculoskeletal disorder.

AAMA Treasurer Nader Soliman, MD, DABMA, has a new e-mail address: alternativemedicinecenter@msn.com.

Joseph Helms, MD, is offering the following equipment free: Videonics Edit Suite: A/B Roll Edit Controller, Sony Edit Studio: Video Sketch Titler X V-T33 and 1998 Family Medicine Board Review Video Program by George Washington University School of Medicine faculty (used only once). Call 510/841-7600.

British Medical Journal recently gave medical acupuncture a shot in the arm with the editorial, "The Safety of Acupuncture: Acupuncture is Safe in the Hands of Competent Practitioners." Two papers were cited: "The York acupuncture safety study: prospective survey of 34,000 treatments by traditional acupuncturists" (BMJ 2001; 323: 486-487) and "Adverse events following acupuncture: prospective survey of 32,000 consultations with doctors and physiologists" (BMJ 2001; 323: 485-486). To read these studies (which feature data collected by British Medical Acupuncture Society), visit: http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/323/7311/486 and http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/323/7311/485, respectively.

William D. Rutenberg, MD, obtained media attention for the Academy by sending out a press release announcing his election to the Board of Directors.
After the ICMART/DAGfA Symposium in Berlin last summer, participants issued a statement on the value of medical acupuncture. Joseph Helms, MD, shared this directive for collaborative effort, in which delegates committed to: 1) set up unified international Western quality standards of medical acupuncture in education, practice and research according to principles of orthodox Western medicine; 2) strengthen relationships between national medical acupuncture societies in Europe and the rest of the world; 3) further collaboration with the World Health Organisation and 4) extend national cooperation with universities, national medical and healthcare instituions, health funding and patient organizations and other medical groups of acupuncture and TCM.

The article, "Back on Track," about using medical acupuncture to treat chronic low back pain coauthored by John P. Kohler, MD, was published in Practical Pain Management (July/August 2001). The piece focused on the history and advantages of medical acupuncture, concluding with the general surgeon's credentials and his affiliation with AAMA.
Send your news to: bdortberg@aol.com.

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MARF Research Competition announced

MARF Research Competition Chair Lowell E. Kobrin, MD, PhD, announces the call for entries for the annual MARF Acupuncture Research Award, sponsored by Seirin-America. Submissions must be received by Jan. 31, 2002.

First-, second- and third-place awards will be given:

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White House Commission on CAM Policy issues report

James S. Gordon, MD, chair of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy (WHCCAMP) and Commission Executive Director Stephen C. Groft, Pharm.D., recently presented an update to NACCAM.

The WHCCAMP, established by President Clinton in March 2000, has been charged with making recommendations to the president on a variety of CAM policy and legislative issues ranging from research to practitioner licensing. During the past few months, the Commission has been finalizing an interim report. Dr. Groft explained that the Commission is working to reach a consensus before making policy recommendations. Final recommendations will be sent to the president in March 2002.

A 25-page Interim Progress Report has been written and is posted on WHCCAMP's site: http://whccamp.hhs.gov/meetings/index.cfm.

Dr. Gordon described the wide range of written communication and testimony that the Commission has received from all over the United States. Comments have come from conventional physicians, medical acpuncturists, herbalists, patients and many others. AAMA representatives, such as now-President Marshall H. Sager, DO, DABMA, have emphasized the importance of medical acupuncture as a CAM modality to the Commission. (See December 2000 AAMA Newsletter.)

"It is clear that there is a mandate for more education about CAM practices at every stage of training," said Dr. Gordon. He also stressed the importance of understanding and communication among professionals in CAM practice and those in conventional medicine.