August 21, 2006

Table of Contents:

  1. Expo 2006 Status Report
  2. SAR Celebrates 10th Anniversary of NIH Consensus Conference
  3. National OM Day is October 24 - NCCAOM Spearheads Effort
  4. AOM Students - Help Create Your Future!
  5. HR-5688 Threatens Scope of Practice - An Open Letter
  6. Michigan Governor Makes Acupuncture Board Appointments
  7. James Snow Appointed Program Director at Tai Sophia institute
  8. Fifth Annual Integrative Medicine for Healthcare Organizations Conference
  9. Integrating Key Western Botanicals Seminar by Michael Gaeta
  10. "The Way of Master Tung" by Dr. Wei-Chieh Young
  11. Workshops on North American Plants at TAI Sophia Institute by Herbalist Michael Moore
  12. Vermont Fall Foliage CEU Event: Bi Obstruction Syndrom by Jeffrey Yuen
  13. Pao Zhi Two-day Seminar by Dr. Cheng Chi
  14. AWB Needs Final Member for Katrina Team

This Issue Sponsored By:


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Greetings OM Members and Colleagues:

Language is the root of medical practice. The ability to convey medical practices from one culture to another is dependant upon the translational and linguistic assumptions in both the language of origin and the language of arrival. Is standardization necessary? If so, then how does the profession of Oriental medicine concede?

In this issue of the Qi-Unity Report, we’re focusing AAOM’s letter of greeting on an important all-day pre-conference event to be held October 19, 2006 from 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM - The Asian Medical Nomenclature Debates. This is a complex topic that will span a multi-year duration. A formidable panel was chosen to open the door to discourse and discussion for the purpose of beginning the exploration of transmission of Asian Medical texts to the West.

The Asian Medical Nomenclature Debates provides a forum for a discussion of these vital concerns by recognized experts in the field of Oriental medical education, certification and publication.

A. Part I of II - October 19, 2006 - 8:00 AM – 12 Noon: Nomenclature panelists will each present their position paper, followed by attendee questions and answers.

B. Part II of II - October 19, 2006 – 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM: The workshop will continue with a moderated open debate between all panelists. Audience members will be given an opportunity to provide their positions (limited to 5 minutes per person, based on time availability.) The day’s activities will conclude with a moderated Q&A discussion among panelists and attendees. In this two-part workshop, attendees will take away a keen understanding of the depth and breadth of the divergent historical, cultural, and scientific translational complexities involved, but more importantly its impact on the future of the day-to-day practice of OM and the future sustainability and growth of this profession.

Moderators: William Morris, OMD, MSEd, LAc; Master Xiaotian Shen, OMD, LAc
Panelists: Dan Bensky, DO; Charles Chace, DiplAc, DiplCH; Weiyi Ding, MD(China), RN, Dipl. O.M. (NCCAOM); Marnae C. Ergil, MA, MS, LAc; Robert L. Felt; Bob Flaws, DiplAc, DiplCH, FNAAOM, RegAc [UK]; Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD, LAc, DiplAc, DiplCH; Craig Mitchell, MSTCM, LAc; Miki Shima, OMD, LAc
Sub-Panelists: Adam Burke PhD,MPH,LAc; Jeannie Kang, LAc (CA); Z'ev Rosenberg, LAc, OMD
Contributors: Jason Blalack, LAc

Panelist Biographical Information:
http://www.aaom.info/06/08/panel_bios.pdf

General Background: Asian medicine began to take root in the United States after President Nixon visited China in 1970 and observed an appendectomy being performed using Acupuncture anesthesia. This news shocked the American people and veterinarians were the first to utilize acupuncture as a method of analgesia. Quickly after Nixon’s visit to China, the State of Nevada and the State of California both began to license acupuncturists in the mid-1970’s, and a few state-approved acupuncture schools were established. Due to the scarcity of English acupuncture literature, schools were forced to use English textbooks from China, which were insufficient. However, since then, an increasing number of books on Asian medicine have been written in English and some translations of medical classics have been also published.

About 15 years ago, Bob Flaws and Honora Wolfe of Blue Poppy Press hosted a small, private brainstorming workshop in Colorado, where this “terminology and translation debate” began, and the Consortium for Oriental Medical Publishers (COMP) was formed. Hitherto, our profession at the national level has failed to discuss this important issue. After calling this to the attention of the AAOM, its leadership agreed to sponsor a panel discussion on the subject and asked six experts to be panelists. Each of the six panelists was to write a position paper on the “terminology and translation” prior to the debate.
Miki Shima, OMD, LAc
from “Asian Medical Nomenclature Debates Position Paper

Nomenclature and the study of naming objects and ideas are at the core of the medical professional life. They dictate the procedures of medical culture. The descriptions, names and classifications of disease entities are directly tied to the beliefs of the culture within which the medical services are provided. However, there is the risk that professional language can be used politically to exclude and mystify outsiders, holding power over the public (Said, 1996). Take for instance the bombardier who uses the term ‘target acquisition’ instead of ‘bombing a tank.’ There are further risks if the goal of glossary standardization is achieved through dominance including alienation, fragmentation and conflict. The current push for a standardized terminology creates clarity for learners and a reduced level of confusion for accurate translational processes. But it also poses risk. The use of political power to mandate standardized translation can create alienation, fragmentation and conflict within our profession. That said, a standardized professional language permits professionals to self-identify, this is part of what creates the boundary between who is and is not in a profession. William Morris, OMD, MSEd

A Chinese word or phrase can have an evolutionary process. The best interpretation of their original meanings should and could be a big debate even for some already commonly accepted terminologies used today. It’s almost inevitable that different interpretations from the original language of Chinese will be brought into existence using English translations. If the terminology is in the Chinese language, the Chinese characters and phrases used in TCM will not change that much. Yet, after thousands of years of evolution, people’s understanding and interpretation of their meanings will almost never be the same. On one hand, the debate on the meaning of the language won’t affect the language itself in Chinese. On the other hand, the situation is very different in English. Once someone comes up with a different interpretation of a word, the translation will have to be changed to reflect this new understanding. In other words, how a translator understands terminology will affect how the terminology will evolve in the destined language.
Master Xiaotian Shen, OMD, LAc
from "An Extra Thought about Nomenclature of Eight Extraordinary Channels"

Over the last fifteen years or so there has been a great deal of discussion related to the proper way of transmitting Chinese medicine to the West, with a specific emphasis on translation methodology. We are a group of practitioners of Chinese medicine who are native English speakers and who have varying degrees of experience translating Chinese medical texts for a variety of forums. We represent a broad spectrum of translation approaches that includes extensive direct experience with all of the major positions being advocated. Our individual views on the transmission of Chinese medical texts to the West are by no means monolithic, and in some cases they are almost diametrically opposed. In this paper we will define the areas in which we all agree. We will present the basic operating principles that we all work with in the hopes of helping to define a common ground for all approaches to Chinese medical translation. Although our individual application of these essential premises will inevitably vary among us, they are the principles that ultimately determine the course of our decision-making in specific situations.
Dan Bensky, DO; Jason Blalack, LAc ; Charles Chace, DiplAc, DiplCH; Craig Mitchell, MSTCM, LAc
from "Toward a Working Methodology for Translating Chinese Medicine"

Because a name is used to identify or define, if the thing defined changes significantly, or if the context within which that thing is used changes, then it may become necessary for its name to change as well. One key to successful naming, however, is an agreement of usage so there can be a basis for sharing knowledge and for true understanding between individuals and groups.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhong Yi, is changing, as it has been for millennia. The myriad pages of its rich story have provided us with oracle bone divination, the emergence of classical medicine, significant growth in herbal knowledge, acupuncture and moxibustion during the Tang, Song and Ming dynasties, decay and the threat of abolition under Manchurian rule, revival and modernization in 20th century China, and an increasing international presence in contemporary healthcare. Indeed, the medicine has always been changing. So what is more significant now in the nomenclature debate is not that the medicine is changing, but rather that its moderns contexts are changing. Consequently, to find the most suitable name for this medicine it will be essential to consider the modern context in which it now exists.
Adam Burke PhD, MPH, LAc
from “The Naming of a Medicine”

Several circumstances must be considered when addressing the problems surrounding the translation of Chinese medical texts. These are the fact that Chinese medicine has been a text based practice since antiquity, that distinctive authorial conceits informed the production of classical Chinese texts, that the processes of engaging classical texts from the linguistic perspective of different historical periods present specific problems of their own, and that the contemporary production of marketing of texts both in China and the English speaking world are distinctively and historically determined. Translation of classical and modern Chinese medical texts into English has, in the last 20 years, set the stage for an often heated and generally lively discussion. This debate has crystallized over the question of the choice to use denotative / functional translations that use a standardized terminology that is freely available to readers in the form of a glossary versus the use of connotative translations where terminology is more loosely glossed, and where the text is interpreted by the author for his/her perception of the audience that is being addressed.
Marnae Ergil, MA, MS, LAc, Dipl. OM (NCCAOM) and Kevin Ergil, MA, MS, LAc, Dipl. OM (NCCAOM)
from: “Issues Surrounding the Translation of Chinese Medical Texts into English”.

The Problem… Over the last 800 years, but especially during the last 30 or more years, the English language terminology of acupuncture and Chinese medicine has grown up in an unplanned, haphazard way. Practitioners, teachers, students, authors, and translators have been left to their own devices to adopt or create whatever terms they like regardless of their linguistic accuracy and faithfulness to the medicine as described and expressed in Chinese. This has led to a veritable Tower of Babel within the study and practice of Chinese medicine in the West in general and in North America in particular. Based on my 25 years experience as a teacher, writer, and translator of Chinese medicine, the single greatest impediment to the learning and skillful practice of Chinese medicine in the West as it was created and is practiced in China is the lack of a linguistically accurate, standard English language translational terminology for this medicine. This problem is highlighted by the fact that such a linguistically accurate, standard English language Chinese medical terminology has existed for more than 20 years. Unfortunately, because there is no equivalent of Latin and Greek academic terms in Chinese, all too few Western students and practitioners of Chinese medicine have understood that this medicine does, in fact, have a standard professional terminology. Nevertheless, this is most definitely the case.
Bob Flaws, DiplAc, DiplCH, FNAAOM, RegAc [UK]
from "Arguments for the Adoption of a Standard Translational Terminology In the Study & Practice of Chinese Medicine In the English-speaking World"

"We do not need an arbitrary standard, something imposed from “on high.” Neither do we need a hidden standard, something that closes primary markets to investment and development. We need an open standard that encourages competition and development."

Standardization is a concept that is greatly misunderstood. People tend to think of a standard as a set of rules that everyone is forced to apply. People also tend to think that standardization of the English terminology of Chinese medicine means choosing one equivalent for each Chinese term, and forcing everyone use that term. Western practitioners are resistant to the idea of standardization—of terminology or anything else—because they fear that it goes against what they consider to be the “spirit of Chinese medicine,” which is individual and holistic. They see standardization is limiting their freedom of choice. I would like to show you that in the real world, standardization does not mean a single set of rules imposed by a single authority. The actual practice is quite different. In many cases standardization is the existence of multiple implementations that are carefully interfaced with each other. It does not limit personal preferences. In fact, an “Open Standard” gives individuals a maximum freedom of choice.
Robert L. Felt
from "The Role of Standards in the Transmission of Chinese Medical Information"

"The true spirit of the Chinese language is to use simple terms when explaining complex subjects."

There has been significant interest by the English speaking traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) community as to which English words to use for Chinese medical terms. The Chinese medical language is very precise, and will have different words for similar concepts, such as boost, assist, nourish, or tonify. These differences are quite important to the well-trained practitioner, ultimately indicating which particular herb is required for therapy. For example, various herbs may affect qi in the following ways: tonify, support, secure, consume, descend, rectify, absorb, break, normalize, harmonize, warm, move, increase or correct. All of these terms are represented by different Chinese characters, and may indicate the need for a specific type of medicinal herb. … First is my agreement that there should be some basic consensus on English language translations of TCM terms in the hopes of creating a solid front and foundation for students and practitioners. Second is a desire to be in step with the mainstream trends promoted by the Western TCM publishing houses.
Jake Paul Fratkin, OMD, LAc, DiplAc, DiplCH
from "ASIAN MEDICAL NOMENCLATURE DEBATE Position Paper"

In teaching courses on Chinese herbal medicine, focusing on prescriptions, materia medica, and classics such as the Shang Hán Lùn, it became apparent that there was much confusion in most students over much of the material being taught. The many inaccuracies in translation led to distortions in understanding the subject, and allowed misconceptions to flourish as gaps in understanding were filled by inappropriate biomedical and alternative medical substitutions. Even though most translators aimed at “transparency,” i.e., a simple, easy-to-read approach, the end result was often a poor transmission of core concepts. This contributed to poor communication between practitioners, students and teachers alike. While each person in our field has valuable perspectives and original insights that should be shared with others, several authors were not careful to differentiate between original ideas and source materials in their textbooks. Several of these textbooks became the basis of TCM college programs, and ultimately state and national board exams and certifications.

An Open Standard is, in my opinion, the best choice. Attempts at an open standard in publication were an essential part of the foundation of COMP. (Council of Oriental Medical Publishers), but COMP was perhaps an idea before its time. An Open Standard doesn’t require rigid conformity to specific term sets, but does encourage an accountable, source-based approach to translation. That source is primarily the Chinese language, specifically technical Chinese medical language encoded in voluminous dictionaries derived from thousands of medical texts over two thousand years of history.
Z'ev Rosenberg, LAc, OMD
from "Asian Medical Nomenclature Debates Position Paper: A Personal Perspective from a Professor of Herbal Medicine"

This is a must attend event – nomenclature is the “voice” that represents the art, science, heart and soul of our medicine.

To register:

Expo 2006 Conference Brochure
http://www.aaom.info/2006_conf_brochure.pdf

Online Registration
http://www.aaom.org/default.asp?pagenumber=45076

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION
CLOSES AUGUST 31

DON'T MISS OUT - REGISTER TODAY!

Greetings OM Members and Colleagues:

By now 18,000 members of the practitioner community should have just received their conference reminder postcard as we are entering the final two weeks of Early-Bird Registration for Expo 2006. This year’s event is being held at the Wigwam Resort and Spa in Litchfield Park (Phoenix), Arizona. Three Pre-conference workshops are planned for Thursday, October 19 with two post conference activities concluding the event on Monday, October 23. Each workshop classroom offers a maximum attendance of 100. To assure you can attend the classes of your choice at the lowest possible rate, REGISTER TODAY!

CEU APPROVALS

Event Overview: We are pleased to announce that this year’s conference features 36 workshops and events, 39 speakers, for a total of 44 CEUs (pending and approved) over a 5-day span. The conference opens on Thursday, October 19, 2006, with an 8-hour panel; The Chinese Medical Nomenclature Debates.

HOW TO REGISTER

AAOM provides 3 convenient ways to register for the conference:

EXHIBITORS – ONLY 13 BOOTHS REMAIN!

There are only 4 booths remaining for pop-up displays inside the Exhibit hall, and 9 additional table top booths in the hallway outside the exhibit all. Current booth sales to date have already surpassed total booth sales from last year by 38%. We anticipate that sell-out will occur within days of this announcement. The BENEFITS of being an Exhibitor can be found in our Exhibitor Invitation.

STUDENT REGISTRATION – INCREASES 20% SEPTEMBER 1

Student rates will increase the same 20% when Early Bird Rates Expire August 31. Students must provide, at time of registration, a copy of a valid student ID. Those registering for the $60 rate must register and attend the Student Caucus on Saturday morning, October 21. Registration includes the conference binder, and excludes Pre- and Post-Conference Classes, food and overnight lodging.

The AAOM is pleased to announce that it will provide work-study scholarships for volunteer students. Pre- and Post-conference workshops, the Pow-Wow Friday evening, and the Awards Banquet Saturday evening all require volunteer support.

Duties: Volunteers are assigned various tasks during the conference; registration, door and room monitor’s for workshops, and/or exhibition area support staff. You may volunteer to monitor more than one class if you choose. These will be determined based upon need and the order in which requests are received.

Sign-up as a volunteer is made through our online registration form. As indicated, where the form requests your member number, please insert “VOLUNTEER” in the space provided. Questions can be referred to Brian Smither (techservice@aaom.org) or by calling 866-455-7999.

Volunteer Training Workshop: For those that can attend, a volunteer training class will be held Wednesday, October 18, 2006, at the Wigwam Resort and Spa at 7:00 P.M. Further information will be provided in early September.

We expect all volunteers to:

OVERNIGHT ROOMS – EARLY SELL-OUT PREDICTED!

Via the information provided below, registration for overnight rooms can be made online, or via phone. Via telephone, you must request the AAOM Conference Rate of $168, single or double occupancy. ROOM REGISTRATIONS to DATE HAVE EXCEEDED ROOM REGISTRATIONS FROM THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR. Last year our contracted rooms sold-out 30 days before the event. Fortunately the conference venue had additional rooms available that they extended at the conference rate. This year AAOM contracted ALL ROOMS AVAILABLE, so once sold, attendees will be subject to off-site reservations only. WE SUGGEST YOU NOT DELAY IN RESERVING YOUR OVERNIGHT ROOM RESERVATIONS – as it relates to the Wigwam – when they’re gone – they’re gone! Since we do expect to sell out all available rooms, we offer this open-access forum for attendees to announce and respond to room-sharing possibilities. Login as Guest/Guest.

THE WIGWAM

Wigwam Destination Resort and Spa
Litchfield Park, AZ
800-327-0396
Online Overnight Room Reservations


From now until the convention, we will be featuring the “best of the best” that’s scheduled for this year’s event. As these updates hit your email mailbox, take a second to scan what’s in store as the value of your choices = the professional growth and return on investment you shall receive. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn and expand your educational and clinical horizons; to greet and nurture old friendship and meet new, and see the latest and greatest in business products and services! All that and more… We guarantee soul-soothing serenity and party-hearty escape.
DON’T MISS OUT – BE THERE!

Thank you for your interest and participation,


Deborah Lincoln, LAc, Conference Chair
Lloyd Wright , LAc, Conference Co-Chair

 

Expo 2006 – Full Conference Program
http://www.aaom.info/2006_conf_brochure.pdf

Online Registration Form
http://www.aaom.org/45076.asp

Exhibitor Invitation / Contract
http://www.aaom.info/2006_conf_exhibit_invite.pdf

Online Overnight Room Reservations
http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/booking/reservation?id=0603275105&key=691A4

Member Application
http://www.aaom.info/docs/aaom_member_app.pdf

Online Application
https://www.aaom.info/memberapp.html

AAOM Room Sharing Forum
http://forums.aaom.org/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=5

News From National Associations

SAR - Status and Future of Acupuncture Research
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the 1997 NIH Consensus Conference on Acupuncture, review the past decade of acupuncture research and discuss the challenges and opportunities for future research.

http://www.aaom.info/qiunity/06/08/sar_conf.pdf

National OM Day

National Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Day Aims To Educate Consumers About Benefits Of Using Certified Practitioners

Alexandria, VA (August 9, 2006) – October 24 is Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM) Day, a designation recognized by leadership organizations in the field of Acupuncture and Oriental medicine, and spearheaded by the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). The purpose of the designation is to raise awareness about the benefits of acupuncture — a viable form of medicine with a 3,000 year history — and how consumers can find certified professional practitioners to ensure better care, better treatment, and better outcomes.

In the United States, the use of acupuncture and Oriental medicine is at an all-time high. According to a recent study conducted by the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), an estimated 36% of U.S. adults use some form of alternative therapy, and 25% have tried acupuncture. According to recent research, 64% of physicians have referred patients to certified practitioners of alternative therapies, including acupuncture and Oriental medicine, and more than $17 billion is spent on the therapies annually.

“Acupuncture and other traditional Oriental medicine therapies are gaining momentum and popularity at a rapid pace, but it’s important not to rush off to a practitioner without proper research,” said Kory Ward-Cook, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of the NCCAOM. “Consumers should be responsible about ensuring that the practitioner they visit is properly trained and is an NCCAOM-certified practitioner.” Ninety-seven percent of the states currently require that acupuncturists are NCCAOM certified. NCCAOM-certified practitioners have an average of more than 2,000 hours of training, and have passed multiple rigorous national examinations.

Knowledge is power when it comes to making informed healthcare decisions. NCCAOM has not only established a website in honor of AOM Day at www.aomday.org, but the NCCAOM website at www.nccaom.org, hosts an excellent source for consumers to locate certified and good-standing acupuncturists and practitioners of Oriental medicine (to include Chinese herbology and Asian Bodywork Therapy) throughout the nation and worldwide.

With an increasing number of health care organizations reimbursing patients who turn to Oriental medicine, another excellent resource is the National Institutes of Health (www.nccam.nih.gov), who is also dedicated to educating consumers about its approved uses for alternative therapies. Currently, the National Institutes of Health lists the following as approved uses for acupuncture: pain management, dental pain, headache, menstrual cramps, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, postoperative or chemotherapy related nausea and vomiting, addiction, stroke rehabilitation, infertility and asthma. In addition, the World Health Organization (WHO) also lists acupuncture as proven effective in relieving nausea during pregnancy, anxiety, panic disorders and insomnia.

“Five years ago, we established this annual event as a means to educate the public,” said Dr. Ward-Cook. “Misconceptions about these areas of practice still exist, and we want to take the mystery and fear out of making the decision to seek acupuncture and Oriental medicine therapies.”

National AOM Day is supported by a consortium of international organizations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Pakistan; including the NCCAOM, Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Alliance, American Association of Oriental Medicine, American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia, and the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine. The term “Oriental Medicine” encompasses acupuncture, Chinese herbology, Asian bodywork techniques, and the general study of traditional Chinese medicine.

About the NCCAOM
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is a non-profit organization established in 1982. Its mission is to establish, assess, and promote recognized standards of competence and safety in acupuncture and Oriental medicine for the protection and benefit of the public.

It is a considerable professional achievement to earn the Diplomate designation . NCCAOM Certification indicates to employers, patients, and peers that one has met national standards for the safe and competent practice of acupuncture as defined by the profession. The first NCCAOM Comprehensive Written Examination (CWE) in Acupuncture (ACP) was given in March 1985. Since its inception, the NCCAOM has certified more than 17,000 Diplomates in Acupuncture, Chinese Herbology, Asian Bodywork Therapy, and Oriental Medicine.

For more information on the NCCAOM, please visit its Web site at www.nccaom.org.

AOM Students - Help Create Your Future!
After four years of student caucus conference meetings, AAOM is launching a Student Organization subsidiary. The 2006 Conference in Phoenix, AZ, will be a landmark meeting for the foundation of the American Association of Oriental Medicine- Student Organization (AAOM -SO). The meeting agenda will include a historical first presentation of the AAOM-SO by-laws, national appointments and elections, establishment of local and regional chapter charters and an action plan for 2006 regarding such topics as: license reciprocity between states, key leadership appointments and elections for regional directors, student support of AAOM position on state and national political issues, student loan forgiveness, national public relations campaign, mentorship program. This new organization needs your participation!

The Phoenix conference will be held at the Wigwam Resort and Spa in West Suburban Phoenix's lovely Litchfield Park. Students (and practitioners) can sign-up for roomshares http://forums.aaom.org/default.asp?CAT_ID=3 online. Through room-sharing, the $168 per night resort room cost to attend the entire conference is significantly reduced. (Non-conference rates are $289-$300 per night). Overnight room reservations are currently exceeding the registration level from our 2005 conference. Last year, overnight rooms were a sell-out - so early registration is recommended. The conference brochure and/or online registration is available at: www.aaom.org. Come learn and make a difference in your profession's development!

News & Views From State Associations

Open Letter in Response to HR-5688

Dear Friends,

I am an acupuncture and Oriental medicine provider in private practice in Prescott, AZ. Through the years I have developed close and collegial working relationships with many of the allopathic providers in our town in the co-management of our patients. In fact, many of these doctors are my patients as they strive to pursue wellness and balanced health. They have taken the time to learn what is required of us in our didactic and clinical training and understand that in addition to pre- medical preparation similar to their own, many of us complete rigorous four year programs prior to board examinations. Many of us go on to post-graduate study to increase our skill and knowledge, as do the allopathic physicians. And all of us complete continuing education studies as a condition of our licensing, as do they.

Twenty years ago, the mainstream medical community largely discounted the efficacy of Oriental medicine as quaint quackery. With the growing interest in alternative health care by the patient public, and increased clinical studies proving the successful treatment of a wide array of illness, both chronic and acute, the Western medicine organizations seem to now believe Oriental medicine, specifically acupuncture, is a modality of merit (and money) they should control within their scope of practice.

The thousands-year-old practice of traditional acupuncture and Oriental medicine and the recently developed method of medical acupuncture differ in the underlying medical principles, methods for differential diagnosis, understanding of treatment principles, and in outcomes.

Most of us who have been properly trained in this complicated and wonderful medicine have many patients who have been treated by medical acupuncturists and realized the practitioner was not expert in the medicine. Their results were short lived or ineffective. They have come to us for proper treatment.

So why is there this difference in treatment outcomes between the fully trained Oriental medicine provider and the medical acupuncturist? To my mind, it is because acupuncture is one part of Oriental medicine; a very important part certainly, but it is best combined with the other very important parts of classical treatment: Oriental medicinal herb formulas, dietary modifications, movement medicine and lifestyle changes, all of which are individually designed for the patient's current condition and constitution to further enhance and continue the work that the acupuncture begins. Without this comprehensive approach, the patient is receiving sub-standard care.

I strongly oppose HR-5688 as it seeks to remove the qualified practitioners of Oriental medicine and replace them with individuals which have little training in the science and art of this magnificent healing practice.

Thank you for your kind attention in this very important matter.

Sincerely,

Jean Painter, Dp. OM, L.Ac
Harmony Integrative Medicine, LLC
Education Chairperson
Arizona Society of Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture
1000 Willow Creek Road, Ste A
Prescott, AZ 86301
(928) 776-4895

Michigan Governor makes Appointments

LANSING, MI, August 15, 2006 – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced the following appointments to the Michigan Board of Acupuncture. The Board is responsible for promulgating rules that set forth minimum standards for registration as an acupuncturist.

"Deborah E. Lincoln, R.N., M.S.N. of East Lansing, acupuncturist with the Meridian Health and Wellness Center. Ms. Lincoln is appointed to represent acupuncturists for a term expiring June 30, 2010."

Deborah Lincoln is the AAOM's 2005-2006 Convention Chairman. She is President of the Michigan Association of Oriental Medicine, and in February 2006, saw a 20-year endeavor culminate in the passage of Michigan's first-ever Acupuncture Law. Deborah's extensive education in Western and Chinese Medicine spans over 36 years. She has been in private practice in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs and Oriental Medicine over 24 years in Lansing, Michigan. Deborah is the VP of Corporate Events of the AAOM Board of Directors.

Governor Jennifer Granholm signed Michigan’s first ever Acupuncture Law on February 23, 2006, recognizing practitioners of Acupuncture as Registered Acupuncturists. This achievement is the result of a 20 year legislative process that now ensures public access and personal choice to a proven modality of medicine while protecting public health and safety. SB 351 was sponsored by Senator Beverly Hammerstom (R) and Representative Kevin Green (R) and passed unanimously in the State Senate and received 92% approval in the House of Representatives. It was as a result of the passage of this legislation that the Michigan Acupuncture Board was formulated. Deborah Lincoln, President of the Michigan Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, was instrumental in the passage of this bill. This new law, PA 30, is a shared success for Acupuncture providers and the people of Michigan as it represents the State’s desire for new healthcare options.

Other Board Members Announced by Governor Granholm:

Howard J. Abel-Horowitz, M.D. of Franklin, physician in private practice. Dr. Abel-Horowitz is appointed to represent licensed physicians for a term expiring June 30, 2009.

Arthur L. Kaminsky, M.D. of Marquette, general manager and acupuncturist with Kaminsky Group, LLC. Dr. Kaminsky is appointed to represent acupuncturists for a term expiring June 30, 2007.

John L. Pappas, M.D. of Bloomfield Hills, vice chief of anesthesiology and director of the International Pain Clinic at William Beaumont Hospital. Dr. Pappas is appointed to represent licensed physicians for a term expiring June 30, 2010.

Jason T. Pettet, M.O.M. of South Haven, national board certified acupuncturist with Michigan Health and Energy, P.C.. Mr. Pettet is appointed to represent acupuncturists for a term expiring June 30, 2007.

Virginia C. Vary, M.S.W., M.O.M. of Grand Rapids, acupuncturist and owner of Acupuncture & Natural Healing Arts. Ms. Vary is appointed to represent acupuncturists for a term expiring June 30, 2008.

Leonard D. Wright, M.D. of Muskegon, practitioner with the Saint Mary’s Wege Institute. Dr. Wright is appointed to represent licensed physicians for a term expiring June 30, 2009.

News From OM Colleges

James Snow at Tai Sophia Institute
James Snow, a faculty member of the Tai Sophia Institute since 2002, has been appointed program director of the Master in Science herbal medicine program. Snow worked with the program’s first director Simon Mills to develop the program at the Institute. Mills will continue to teach in the program. The Master’s degree program has the distinction of being the first graduate level degree program in herbal medicine in the United States. In addition to teaching at the Institute, Snow served as the Chair of the herbal medicine program. He studied herbal medicine at the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine and the California School of Herbal Studies, where he was also an instructor. In addition to his teaching, Snow has maintained a private practice as an herbalist. Snow is a professional member of the American Herbalist Guild.

The Tai Sophia Institute is a graduate school for wellness-based education, clinical care, research and public policy discourse. Founded in 1975 as a small healing arts clinic, the Institute now offers Master’s degrees in acupuncture, herbal medicine and the applied healing arts. More than 900 of the Institute’s alumni actively practice acupuncture and other healing arts around the country. Its current enrollment totals more than more than 320 graduate students. In addition to its degree programs, the Institute offers a wide variety of wellness educational programs that are open to the community. The Institute also maintains clinics for acupuncture treatment and herbal consultations.

Professional Development

5th Annual IMHO Conference
The 5th Annual Integrative Medicine for Healthcare Organizations Conference will be held on April 12-14, 2007 in San Diego at the Rancho Bernardo Inn.

The two-and-a-half day program has been customized to provide you and your team with top-notch educational sessions, in-depth case studies, skill building workshops, onsite visits to successful integrative medicine centers, a cutting-edge poster and exhibit forum and ample time for networking. For sponsorship and exhibit opportunities and to be added to the mailing list, please contact Sita Ananth at sananth@healthforum.com or call 707-644-1181.

Integrating Key Western Botanicals
Western herbal medicine has much to offer the Chinese medicine practitioner. Rather than attempting to teach how to integrate the entire Western material medica into an AOM setting, this presentation will explore the clinical relevance of incorporating a limited range of essential Western herbs. We will begin with an overview of Western herbal medicine, including the energetics of Western herbs, and issues of efficacy and quality. We will continue with a short review of key Western herbs that have major relevance in the AOM clinic. Echinacea, for example, emerges as a key herb for immune system function that has no counterpart in TCM. You will learn of groundbreaking new research, which will significantly change what you know about Echinacea's effects on the immune system and how it actually works. The seminar emphasizes a practical way to introduce Western herbs into the AOM clinic—based on the presenter’s clinical experience and validated with case histories, which demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.

Michael Gaeta holds New York State licenses in acupuncture, nutrition and massage therapy. He received his Master’s degree from the New York College of Health Professions, where he was a faculty member for ten years. In 1990, Michael founded the Hands-On Health Wholistic HealthCare Centers, a successful group practice with three locations in New York. His passion is to give, love and serve through teaching, hands-on therapies and music.

San Francisco, CA. Call 800-662-9134. 7 NCCAOM CEUs approved.

Gaeta Herb Seminar (PDF)

Tung's Acupuncture
Dr. Wei-Chieh Young (www.drweichiehyoung.com) is scheduled to be held on the 2nd weekend of November and December 2006 in Los Angeles. It will cover the acupuncture points, needling techniques/methods, treatments and theoretical principles, etc.

The four-day seminar will issue 30 hours of continuing education credits to California licensed acupuncturists. The tuition is $750. Those who purchased the book Tung's Acupuncture will receive a $50 discount.

Invited by The American Association of Oriental Medicine (AAOM), Dr. Young is going to present the topic of "The Way of Master Tung" in October. Compared to this seminar, the former can mainly cover the "basic way" due to time constraints, while the latter will reach to a more advanced level and could be called "The Dao (Philosophy) or the Keys of Tung's Acupuncture".

Seminar Location: Considering many non-local attendants' convenience, we have decided to change the location to BEST WESTERN EXECUTIVE INN (about 25 minutes from Ontario airport). Seminar attendants will receive 15% off discount) 18880E.GALE AVENUE, ROWLAND HEIGHTS, CA91748 TEL:(626)8101818 (or contact us: 626-581-1755)

Registration: If you would like to attend the seminar, please register with us. To register, please send us your name, address, telephone number, and email by fax (626-581-1688) or email to dryoung@drweichiehyoung.com.

Register before August 10th with $100 deposit will get a free copy of ILLUSTRATED TUNG¡¦S ACUPUNCTURE POINTS* ($60 value). The book contains more than 200 color photos of point locations. Send your contact information and a $100 check payable to Wei-Chieh Young to CHINESE MEDICAL CENTER, 19161 Colima Road, Rowland Hts, CA 91748.

North American Plants
Michael Moore, founder of the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine, will conduct two one-week workshops, Materia Medica of the American West and Field Lecture Workshop: An In-depth Exploration of Regional Medicinal Plants at the Tai Sophia Institute. Scheduled for the week of August 28, Materia Medica of the American West will cover Moore’s most favored plants and clinical applications. He will discuss their habitat, environmental risks and availability.

Field Lecture Workshop: An In-depth Exploration of Regional Medicinal Plants will take place the week of September 4. The workshop includes visits to regional parks and focuses on plant personalities, constituents, historical uses, and therapeutic applications. The hours for each workshop will be 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. The cost for each workshop is $450 or $850 for both. Five percent of workshop proceeds will be contributed to United Plant Savers, an organization dedicated to protecting native medicinal plants of North America. To register, or for more information, contact the Tai Sophia Institute at 410-888-9048, Ext. 6611 or visit www.tai.edu.

Bi Obstruction Syndrome
Bi obstruction syndrome is one of the most common conditions seen in an acupuncture office. Mr. Yuen will present the use of Classical Chinese Medicine to treat this common condition. The treatment of BI will be discussed according to the 5 Channel System including the Sinew Channels, Luo Vessels, Divergent Channels and Extraordinary Vessels. We will also examine treatments in relationship to Wai Ke (external medicine).

Jeffrey Yuen presents "Bi Obstruction Syndrome" on October 21 & 22, 2006 (9am - 5:30pm) in Burlington, Vermont. Course will provide 15 NCAAOM approved CEUs. Visit http://www.vaaom.org/events to register.

Bi Obstruction Syndrome (PDF-600KB)

Pao Zhi
This two-day short course focuses on the theory and practical application of herbal preparation techniques, collectively called páo zhì. Course includes lecture, demonstration, and first-hand application of the techniques at each participant’s own cook top station. Taught by Dr. Cheng Chi, faculty member at AAAOM in Roseville. Dr. Chi earned a Masters Degree in TCM pharmacology and has extensive experience in the cultivation and processing of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs.

Where: University of Minnesota’s Food Science and Nutrition facilities, St. Paul McNeal Hall, Room 126
When: Part 1: Sunday September 17, 2006 8:30 am – 5 pm, Part 2: Sunday September 24, 2006 8:30 am – 5 pm
Cost: $200 (by 9/10/06), $250 (after 9/10/06), $150 (Student)
CEUs: 15
Register: Gail Behr, 715-425-8365

News Elsewhere

Acupuncurists Without Borders
AWB needs one more team member for the August 30 – September 8th team. If you are thinking about it, now would be a good time to go for it!

Read the Tuesday Update from Team Leader Erika Eddy in New Orleans here:

AWB Tuesday Update (PDF)

Within humanity and within our Medicine…

We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made of layers, cells, constellations.
-Anaïs Nin

Sincerely,


Rebekah Christensen,
Executive Director

PS: Don't miss Expo 2006, scheduled October 19-23, at the Wigwam Resort and Spa, Litchfield Park (Phoenix), Arizona. You'll find Exhibitor and Attendee Brochures online at www.aaom.org!

September's Issue

With 50 States individually reporting to the constituents they serve, it is difficult for all of us to keep abreast of the myriad news and issues impacting our medicine, as well as the cause and effect of the actions of one state that could impact us all. Equally, it is important that we are able to come to the aid of each other swiftly when the need arises.

All of us want to see acupuncture and Oriental Medicine become a societal right and a healthcare choice for all by achieving enough awareness and acceptance to increase its stature. We feel a key in achieving this goal shall be derived through our communication and collaborative efforts; i.e., unity. As organizations, schools, practitioners, students and businesses of OM, we must all recognize that a direct benefit of honoring our interdependence through collaboration is decreased fragmentation and increased prominence of our profession within the healthcare community.

Who can Participate? As an AAOM member, you are being sent an invitation to participate by submitting to this collaborative news alert. You can access the submission form online by visiting www.aaom.org/?pagenumber=45160. Topics that will be published are varied. If you want to contribute something and don't know if it would be appropriate, just drop us an email or give us a call. AAOM's Editor-in-Chief, editor@aaom.org, will be happy to assist you or answer additional questions you might have.

Each issue's deadline is the first Monday of the month. Submissions received after that date will be published in the next month's issue.

Note: Should you no longer choose to receive AAOM Updates and News Alerts, please notify us. Your name will be removed from our files, and we apologize for the inconvenience.

AAOM
PO Box 162340
Sacramento, CA 95816
916-443-4770
916-443-4766 Fax
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info@aaom.org | www.aaom.org

 

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