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July 21, 2006

OK Congressman introduces bill to research limiting CAM scope

To your left is the face of evil. Though I wouldn't consider all Republicans evil (just most), a group of them have, at the behest of the AMA, written a piece of legislation to battle the "lack of transparency" in CAM practitioners practicing medicine without a license. This was born of the AMA "Scope of Practice" Cabal noted below.

If you read the actual wording of the bill: it doesn't seem that evil. However, it doesn't list what actions the FTC or Congress can take once the investigations have been made.

I wish I could give you a plan of action right now, but simply keep it in your minds and be ready to act!

Posted by Admin at 06:11 PM | Comments (3)

HR 818 Update - We're at 50 cosponsors, but why don't we have more

Back in September, I wrote how my congressman was the 49th co-sponsor to sign on to Maurice Hinchey's Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act that would mandate Acupuncture coverage for Medicare and federal employees. Here we are almost 10 months later, and again with my help we now have 50 co-sponsors thanks to Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-13th PA).

My congressman and Ms. Schwartz took no more than 2 constituents and 2 phone calls to make happen. How is it that we don't have the needed 100+ co-sponsors already. Do Acupuncturists not want this??? It seems to me that with a concerted national effort this could happen within a matter of months, certainly by the end of session deadline in November! I found this information below posted on Acu Today and I think we should all be flooding this guy's email with how we can help!

"Your help is needed to help move this bill. Please contact Robert E. Marcus, J. D, of Marcus & Associates, lobbyist for the AOM Alliance and the Council of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Associations (CAOMA), by e-mail at Marcus_Associates@yahoo.com, or by telephone at (276) 492-8098, so you can find out the name of your U.S. Representative and how you can urge your congressperson to become a co-sponsor of H.R. 818."

Posted by Admin at 11:42 AM | Comments (2)

Study shows acupuncture can aid neck pain

This Scottish Paper is reporting on a meta-analysis done of 10 trials that shows that Acupuncture is effective at treating neck pain and stiffness. Unfortunately it doesn't list the source of the study. Keep your eyes peeled for this one. Article Here

Posted by Admin at 11:29 AM | Comments (0)

July 03, 2006

Be Very Afraid - AMA Moves to Limit CAM Scope

In a move reminiscent of their initial battle with the Chiropractors over 30 years ago, the AMA has resolved to partner with their own "Scope of Practice Partnership" to study CAM providers education and backgrounds. Presumably, the goal is to limit what non-physician practitioners will be allowed to do legally. Acupuncture Today has the details here: Link

What scares me the most is not that I think they'll completely succeed. It is that the Chiro's had to band together and spend over $100k in legal fees to battle the AMA in this. Even if all CAM practitioners got together on this one I don't know if we'd be able to come up with that kind of money as needed. And as we all know that if you can't afford to legally fight something, you lose. I'll keep you posted as I find out more. Thanks to Marilyn Allen for bringing this one to my attention.

Posted by Admin at 04:22 PM | Comments (3)