ACAM HQ Blog

ACAM Annual Meeting CANCELED Due to Hurricanes Irma & Jose

Fri, 15 Sep 2017 20:51:59 GMT

Thank you for your patience with ACAM and AAPMD as we work through this trying time of natural catastrophes Hurricane Irma and the impending Hurricane Jose. At this time we can officially say that the ACAM 2017 Annual Meeting and the AAPMD 2017 Airway Summit have been cancelled.

As our first concern is with the safety of our members, valued partners and esteemed faculty we cannot in good conscious ask any of you to board an airplane as flight interruptions look like they may last for several days. In addition to flight interruptions, we believe there is reason for concern due to the questionable infrastructure within Puerto Rico, including Government warnings of an increased risk of Zika spread due to flooding, the very public knowledge of their currently overstressed load on energy, as well as the load on their hospitals from neighboring islands who've faced catastrophic loss. All of this warrants the cancellation.

ACAM and AAPMD leaders were on a call early this morning with the claims adjuster assigned to us via our event insurance company. We have notified them officially that we will be seeking a claim for our meetings and have been advised of the next steps required for documentation. This process will be underway over the next weeks and we'll ask for your patience in seeking refunds on registration or exhibiting monies as we work through the required submission materials. We will also be legally notifying the headquarter hotel, The Condado Plaza Hilton, of our cancellation and request that our Impossibility Clause be recognized, so they may honor the return of hotel deposits and waive the nonrefundable hotel charges within their normal 30 day cancellation penalty period. There will be no rescheduling of these 2017 meetings, as our organizations are already committed to contracts for the 2018 meetings.

There is no need to contact ACAM or AAPMD to cancel your registration as our notification to the hotel and our registration company will effectively cancel you, provided you booked your hotel through A Meeting by Design, our authorized Housing and Meeting Management company. If you booked your hotel through other sources, you will need to cancel these yourself, as we have no control over their policies or regulations. You will need to work directly through your airline to facilitate a re schedule or obtain credit for your airline tickets according to their policies.

ACAM leadership sends their hopes and prayers to all those at home and abroad who have been affected by Hurricane Irma and to all those who are still in harms way. Please be safe and take good care of yourself and your loved ones.

The Next Big CAM Battle is Here and It's Ugly

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 19:31:30 GMT

CAM or integrative medicine doctors have had their problems with the state medical boards. And CAM organizations have had their run-ins with governmental agencies. However, the groups have always survived in large part because they have had a steady income from membership dues and from their annual conferences, where their members learn the latest and greatest from their thought leaders. But the CAM organizations’ income stream is now in jeopardy, and thus so is their existence, based on what looks to be well-planned, systematic effort to put CAM groups out of business, and stop the dissemination information about CAM therapies.

AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS A VERY BIG DEAL.

Here is what’s going on

For months, at least two CAM groups have been under review/ investigation by the primary private CME accrediting company, the ACCME (Accreditation Counsel for Continuing Medical Education). Recently, the ACCME has determined that a significant portion of the groups’ prior year’s CME courses does not meet various ACCME standards. ACCME is demanding that everyone involved in these courses be informed that:

“they were presented invalid information….”

and that the groups:

“instruct them [everyone] to avoid making any clinical decisions for testing and/or treatment based on what was presented, and
direct the registrants to accurate and valid sources of information for the problems or systems presented.”

I should point out that this “incorrect” information came from some of the most accomplished, respected and published thought leaders/teachers in the CAM community. These folks have been giving CME courses without incident for decades.

Further, in terms of future CME courses at their conferences, ACCME has informed these groups – and this is the key to understand what this is all about – that:

“recommendations involving clinical medicine must be based on evidence that is accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their indications and contraindications in the care of patients and all patient care recommendations must conform to evidence emanating from guidelines and data that meet generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.”

In short, ACCME is trying to require these groups to only teach mainstream medicine! This is crazy and a huge deal!

Furthermore, the effect on the members of these organizations who attended the conferences last year and who used these courses to satisfy their state CME requirements is unclear.

I am not familiar with ACCME’s inner workings or guidelines, but it doesn’t seem out of the question that ACCME could contact state boards about these groups’ “noncompliance” and the retroactive withdrawal of CME credits. That could cause the state boards to retroactively hold the doctors non-CME compliant. I’m not saying that this will happen, but only that it’s a possibility. But I am saying that if the idea is to delegitimize CAM and cause problems for its practitioners, notifying the state boards would certainly advance that goal.

A specialty interest group also gets the same treatment

Beyond these two professional groups, a disease based group has recently been informed that its CME status for future conferences has been rescinded by its CME intermediary. The intermediary denies that it received any pressure or orders from ACCME.

Three CAM groups which have previously received ACCME course certification without any undue problems who in the last few months have had their prior CME course approval rescinded and/or their future CME approval withdrawn or placed in serious doubt.
Is this all a coincidence? Not a chance in hell.

My guess is that more of the same has or is going to happen to other CAM groups.

What to do?

At this stage, these groups need information about what’s behind this campaign to deny CME credit and delegitimize CAM teachings.

We need to get the word out to the CAM community.

Why?
Someone out there has to know something or know someone who knows something about how this came about, and who or what group is behind it. (My guess is that ACCME is the vehicle not the originator.)

I think there is a smoking gun out there, and if we find it, we can probably reverse ACCME’s decision quickly, so my suggestion is that all the CAM groups and interested parties get the word out to search for the smoking gun.

But let’s dig in to this and see if there is anything else that can be done. A logical place to start is:

What exactly is the ACCME and what does it do?

I don’t have any special info on ACCME, but here is what it says about itself:

“CME ACCREDITATION OF, BY, AND FOR THE PROFESSION OF MEDICINE.
The ACCME was founded in 1981 in order to create a national accreditation system. It is the successor to the Liaison Committee on Continuing Medical Education and the American Medical Association’s Committee on Accreditation of Continuing Medical Education. The ACCME’s purpose is to oversee a voluntary, self-regulatory process for the accreditation of institutions that provide continuing medical education (CME) and develop rigorous standards to ensure that CME activities across the country are independent, free from commercial bias, based on valid content, and effective in meeting physicians’ learning and practice needs. The ACCME accreditation process is of, by, and for the profession of medicine.
The ACCME’s founding and current member organizations are the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the Association for Hospital Medical Education, the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, and the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States.
Throughout its history, the ACCME has been dedicated to maintaining a relevant and responsive accreditation system that supports CME as a strategic asset to US health care quality and safety initiatives.”

Very noble and reassuring, isn’t it?

Basically, it’s a bunch of health care trade associations, organizations in charge of medical education and specialization credentialing. (Ironically, the medical specialty societies are the reason it’s illegal for practitioners to advertise their CAM board certifications.) And last but not least is CAM’s long-time adversary, the Federation of State Medical Boards. So maybe not so reassuring.

Did you know that the ACCME is accountable to the Public? Yea, just ask them and they will tell you so.

Here is what it says about that:

“Accountability to the Public
The ACCME is accountable to the public for setting and maintaining accreditation requirements that are designed to ensure that CME accredited within the ACCME system is based on valid content, is free from commercial influence or bias, and contributes to the quality and safety of health care. As the US health care system continues to evolve, the ACCME will respond by making changes to its requirements or processes that are necessary to assure that CME serves the best interests of the public.

I’m still not clear exactly how it is accountable to the public, and nothing in its web site gives any further elucidation.

I do have a couple ideas of how it might actually be made accountable to the public.

Some basic facts

It’s obviously a matter of individual state law what type of courses a state medical board will accept as acceptable CME. The ACCME might be the primary CME credentialer, but it is not the only one. For example, here is the Texas law regarding CME accreditation: It’s Board Rule 166.2 and it requires:

(1) At least 24 credits every 24 months are to be from formal courses that are:
(A) designated for AMA/PRA Category 1 credit by a CME sponsor accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education or a state medical society recognized by the Committee for Review and Recognition of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education;
(B) approved for prescribed credit by the American Academy of Family Physicians;
(C) designated for AOA Category 1-A credit required for osteopathic physicians by an accredited CME sponsor approved by the American Osteopathic Association;
(D) approved by the Texas Medical Association based on standards established by the AMA for its Physician’s Recognition Award; or
(E) approved by the board for medical ethics and/or professional responsibility courses only.”

Other states have similar types of CME rules. The bottom line is that ACCME is a very important source of state approved CME accreditation, especially for everyone other than the major national and state medical trade groups. But there’s another way of looking at it. Without a state accepting its accreditation, ACCME doesn’t have much of a purpose or job.

What About CAM laws?

Texas, California and some other states recognize the rights of patients to receive CAM therapies. Texas, for example, provides that:

“The purpose of this chapter [Texas Board Rule Chapter 200] is to recognize that physicians should be allowed a reasonable and responsible degree of latitude in the kinds of therapies they offer their patients. The Board also recognizes that patients have a right to seek complementary and alternative therapies.” (Board Rule 200.1)

What are CAM therapies in Texas?

“(1) Complementary and Alternative Medicine–Those health care methods of diagnosis, treatment, or interventions that are not acknowledged to be conventional but that may be offered by some licensed physicians in addition to, or as an alternative to, conventional medicine, and that provide a reasonable potential for therapeutic gain in a patient’s medical condition and that are not reasonably outweighed by the risk of such methods.”

Convention medicine is defined as “Those health care methods of diagnosis, treatment, or interventions that are offered by most licensed physicians as generally accepted methods of routine practice, based upon medical training, experience and review of the peer reviewed scientific literature.”
(California has a similar definition of CAM at B&C code 2234.1)

So, Texas gives practitioners the right to provide non-conventional, not generally accepted therapies to patients, and patients have the right to receive these CAM or non-conventional therapies.

But even though Texas docs can provide CAM or non-standard therapies to Texas patients, ACCME now takes the position that Texas physicians can’t obtain CME credit for learning about these Texas sanctioned treatments. How can the ACCME be acting consistent with Texas law by its insistence that CAM medical groups can only teach:

“recommendations involving clinical medicine must be based on evidence that is accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their indications and contraindications in the care of patients and all patient care recommendations must conform to evidence emanating from guidelines and data that meet generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.”

My view is that ACCME’s position is inconsistent, if not in violation of the Texas CAM Rule (and the California CAM statute) and probably every other state that has a CAM law.

So, what to do?

Complain to ACCME? Won’t hurt, but it won’t help. It’s doing what it’s doing intentionally, and some external pressure has to be brought forth.

Complain to the boards? Maybe, but it would take a lot of complaints.

In all the big CAM states like Texas and California, I know there are legislators who are pro CAM. My suggestion would be to identify who they are (not hard in Texas). I think the boards in a few of these states need to hear from some legislators about how ACCME is undercutting board rules (in Texas) or the CAM statutes (like in California).

These legislators should copy ACCME on their concerns expressed to the boards. If one of them is on a legislative health committee, even better. Better still would be for a couple states to start an investigation on ACCME’s motives. Maybe even an invitation to appear at a specially called hearing. Legislators can hold hearings for all kinds of reasons. So can federal legislators. I think with all the politically connected CAM docs out there, mulitipled by their politically connected patients, well I think there’s a heap of trouble that could be stirred up for ACCME.

It doesn’t have to happen in every state, or even many states, just a couple of the big ones. The story is going to get out, and questions are going to be raised. The widespread dissemination of ACCME’s action might even turn-up that smoking gun I mentioned earlier. And once the nefarious motive and scope of the conspiracy publicly surfaces, I think ACCME will be forced to rescind its actions. So, we need to shine some light on these jokers.

This could all happen pretty quickly if there’s a big enough outreach to the CAM community.

Something to think about anyway.

Rick Jaffe, Esq.
rickjaffeesquire@gmail.com

ACAM Welcomes 19 New Members in February

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 15:54:17 GMT

Please take a moment to recognize and welcome the new members to our ACAM community!

Ahsan Abdulghani, MD Turnersville, NJ VIEW PROFILE	Jeb Andrews, PhD, PA-C Monroe, LA VIEW PROFILE	Michael Bartiss, MD Manahawkin, NJ VIEW PROFILE

Scott Berk, MD Hampton, NJ VIEW PROFILE	James Biddle, MD Asheville, NC VIEW PROFILE	Jean Evans, DDS Groton, MA VIEW PROFILE

Candice Gaitanis, MSN, CFNP Queen Creek, AZ VIEW PROFILE	Martin Galy, MBBCH London, United Kingdom VIEW PROFILE	Ahmed Haffejie, MBBCH Midrand, South Africa VIEW PROFILE

James Halper, MD New York, NY VIEW PROFILE	Doohi Lee, MD Plano, TX VIEW PROFILE	Darren Lynch, MD Northampton, MA VIEW PROFILE

Chaula Patel, MD Bronx, NY VIEW PROFILE	Norma J Roche, MD Homestead, FL VIEW PROFILE	Gerardo Rojas, MD, FACP Orlando, FL VIEW PROFILE

David Sheridan, MD Katy, TX VIEW PROFILE	Kevin Weiss, MD New York, NY VIEW PROFILE	Valeska Wells, DO Houston, TX VIEW PROFILE

Kimberly Williford, MS, NMD Atlanta, GA VIEW PROFILE

2017 Annual Meeting Registration Now Open

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 15:56:05 GMT

REGISTRATION RATES

EARLY
(until June 7)

ACAM Member: $745

Premier: Included

ACAM Scholar: $295
Non Member: $929
Non Professional: $799

ADVANCED
(until August 5)

ACAM Member: $815

Premier: Included

ACAM Scholar: $295
Non Member: $1029
Non Professional: $849

LATE
(until September 9)

ACAM Member: $885

Premier: Included

ACAM Scholar: $295
Non Member: $1089
Non Professional: $879

ONSITE
(begins September 14)

ACAM Member: $935

Premier: Included

ACAM Scholar: $295
Non Member: $1149
Non Professional: $949

QUICK LINKS
for your convenience

ACCREDITATION

STATEMENT

This professional continuing education activity was sponsored by the Institute for the Advancement of Human Behavior (IAHB), PO BOX 5710 Santa Rosa, CA 95402, whose continuing education program has been approved by the organizations listed below, and jointly sponsored by ACAM. Except where otherwise noted, IAHB, as the approved sponsor, maintains responsibility for the program.

PHYSICIANS: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of IAHB and ACAM. IAHB is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. IAHB designates this live activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ per hour attended. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

JOIN ACAM & AAPMD THIS SEPTEMBER IN SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

Learn Critical Updates and Application in Functional Medicine this September in San Juan, Puerto Rico at ACAM's annual meeting, held in conjunction once again with AAPMD's annual meeting. The annual meeting will be held at the Condado Plaza Hilton, will teach amateur and veteran integrative medicine practitioners alike an array of new information. Pre-conference optional workshops will be held Wednesday, September 13 and Thursday, September 14; a post-conference optional workshop will be held Sunday, September 17.
PRINT TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

MEETING OBJECTIVES:

promote and share knowledge to reduce human and societal toll from neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders, cancer and infectious diseases;
advance understanding of the stress impact of chronic infectious diseases on metabolic, hormonal, and neurochemical communications networks;
advance understanding of the impact of oral pathology and sleep disorders on immune and hormone systems and its impact on chronic degenerative diseases; and
enhance care of adults with Alzheimer's Disease, as well as children with Autism, based on sound scientific evidence

Similar to the 2016 annual meeting, ACAM has joined forces with AAPMD to provide an integrative look at both medicine and dentistry. Please join us as we work together to create intelligent healthcare practices and disseminate collaborative information to patients. Even the most cutting edge practitioner will benefit from collaborating with practitioners in other genres of medicine!

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

FEATURED SPEAKERS:


AKOURY	ALSCHULER	BERGMAN	BOCK	BOROS

FRESCO	GHEN	HINDIN	MARCIAL-VEGA	McCANN

MERRITT	MOLLICA	PATRICK	QUIG	RAHBAR

ROBERTS	SIMMONS	VINCENT	WEBER	YEAMAN

WELCOME TO THE CONDADO PLAZA HILTON

Find inspiration in every direction at The Condado Plaza Hilton. As the only hotel in San Juan with views of the Atla ntic Ocean and Condado Lagoon, The Condado invites you to discover this magical island from a truly unique vantage point. Book your room during registration to ensure conference rate pricing!

IN THE HEART OF IT ALL....YET WORLDS APART:
Upon arrival, the chic, stylish design greets you with a sense of casual elegance, and panoramic water views and ocean breezes embrace you in tranquility. It is a short, scenic stroll to the beaches and fashionable shopping and nightlife of Condado and five minutes to the colonial charms of Old San Juan, but don't be surprised to find yourself drawn in by the many pleasures of this urban resort. From award-winning fine dining at Pikayo, the flagship restaurant of acclaimed Puerto Rican Chef Wilo Benet to a tucked away beach and exhilarating water sports, capped off with four oasis-style pools, including the only saltwater pool in Puerto Rico.

ROOM	TYPE	NET	TAX (9%)	ATTENDANT FEE	TOTAL
King or 2 Double	1-2 people	$169.00	$15.21	$0.56	$184.77
King or 2 Double	3 People	$194.00	$17.46	$0.56	$212.02
King or 2 Double	4 People	$219.00	$19.71	$0.56	$239.27
Jr. Suite	1-2 People	$219.00	$19.71	$0.56	$239.27
Jr. Suite	3 People	$244.00	$21.96	$0.56	$266.52
Jr. Suite	4 People	$269.00	$24.21	$0.56	$293.77

TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE CONDADO PLAZA HILTON NOW!

SEE WHAT YOU MISSED IN 2016 WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR 2017!

SAVE 25% off the 2016 Conference Recordings when you register for ACAM2017 in San Juan, Puerto Rico - registration site opens the end of February!

Since 1973 ACAM has been the leading educator for Integrative Healthcare Professionals. With the purchase of our 2016 conference recordings, you'll learn important updates and gain new techniques while listening to our renowned faculty as they address the escalating problem of chronic conditions facing today's patients. The 2016 conference focused on three key areas for advanced integrative approaches including:

Cancer Care Prevention
Brain Fitness & Dementia Prevention
Prevention/Reversal of Heart Disease & Hypertension

Registration site opens February 27, 2017. Once registered you will receive a promo code for the recordings.

1.800.532.3688 | info@acam.org | www.acam.org

UHN Recognizes ACAM as leader in chelation training

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 15:53:26 GMT

Excessive toxic metal exposure from the air, food, water, dental amalgams, and other sources is becoming a recognized and established underlying cause of both acute and chronic disease. With ongoing medical research validating the link between chronic diseases like heart disease and environmental exposure to toxic metals, it is more important than ever for doctors and patients to be well-informed about the detrimental effects of toxic metals and the potential treatments for heavy metal toxicity, including IV chelation therapy.

What is chelation?

The Greek word “chele” means claw. Chelation is the binding of metals (like lead) or minerals (like calcium) to a protein “chelator” in a pincer-like fashion, forming a ring-like structure. Chelation is an important treatment protocol for the removal of toxic metals such as lead and mercury from the body’s bloodstream and tissues. Natural chelation, although weak, regularly occurs from eating certain foods such as onions and garlic. A stronger chelation effect can be induced when certain supplements, such as some amino acids, are taken orally. The strongest chelation effect is achieved with intravenous chelation.

READ COMPLETE ARTICLE

ACAM Welcomes 9 New Members in January!

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 15:55:14 GMT

Please take a moment to recognize and welcome the new members to our ACAM community!

Charles C. Adams, MD Ringgold, GA VIEW PROFILE	Jorge Bordenave, MD, FACP Coral Gables, FL VIEW PROFILE	Michelle Carrillo-Massa, MD Jupiter, FL VIEW PROFILE

Deborah Dykema, DO Phoenix, AZ VIEW PROFILE	Kristin Kalmbacher, MD, MPH Fairhope, AL VIEW PROFILE	Jane Marke, MD New York, NY VIEW PROFILE

Christa O'Leary, DO Fredericksburg, TX VIEW PROFILE	James H. Schrenker, MD Bristol, TN VIEW PROFILE	Nisha Chellam Vedamuthu, MD Novi, MI VIEW PROFILE

ACAM Membership Auto-Renew Policy (ARP) Now Instated

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 15:56:55 GMT

Approved at the September Annual meeting by the Board of Directors, ACAM membership auto-renew will begin as of January 1, 2017. This Auto Renew Policy (ARP) has been established to help our members save time and ensure their membership continues automatically. Many of our members believed an ARP was already established - as of January 1st all ACAM members will be enrolled in the ARP, which will allow memberships to automatically renew each year upon renewal notice or joining. ACAM will do the rest!

Have questions about the ARP? Don't want to be enrolled automatically? Please CLICK HERE for a more detailed information on ACAM's ARP and frequently asked questions.

ACTION ALERT: Your supplements pulled from shelves

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 15:48:16 GMT

Senator Claire McCaskill is pressuring the FDA to complete unnecessary and dangerous anti-supplement policies before the new administration takes office in the New Year. Unless you take action now and support our emergency campaign, the FDA could eliminate tens of thousands of supplements from the market [1].

ANH-USA is the largest and most successful grassroots consumer advocacy organization fighting for natural health. We’ve protected lifesaving supplements for over 20 years. But we are dependent on our members to support our work as a non-profit and we need your help. We must reach our goal to fight the FDA!

$39,227 of $75,000

An anonymous donor has recognized the importance of this threat and has generously offered to match every dollar we can raise before December 31^st to double your impact. Make your voices heard on Capital Hill during this pivotal time and please donate today!

We can’t let the FDA complete these anti-supplement policy guides before the inauguration!
Please make your 100% tax-deductible gift before December 31!

It's because of you, our supporters, that we've successfully stood up to the FDA’s blatant attacks on supplements over the years. We offer our profound thanks for your commitment to the fight for natural health, in the past and in the fights yet to come!

In health and wellness,

Emily Porter
Alliance for Natural Health - Membership Director

[1] http://www.anh-usa.org/microsite-subpage/the-fdas-ndi-rules-threaten-thousands-of-supplements/

Certify in Chelation Therapy - Save 20% if purchased by 12/31/2016

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 22:02:06 GMT

PURCHASE
NOW & SAVE

20%

STEP 1: Basic Chelation Webinar Series

The BASIC CHELATION WEBINAR SERIES is the pre-requisite required to continue training with the Practicum and Certification. This series is 10 hours of training from experts including Tony Lamas, MD, Dorothy Merritt, MD, David Quig, PhD, Walter Crinnion, ND, and Jeffrey Morrison, MD.

Offer Expires 12/31/2016. Use code CAPWEB to receive 20% off. Discount taken at check out.

CERTIFY IN CHELATION THERAPY

with ACAM'S Exclusive & Nationally Recognized Chelation Course
APRIL 22 - 23, 2017 | Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Marriott

Whether you're new to detoxification education or are a seasoned practitioner, the American College for Advancement in Medicine's rigorous training will enhance your practice's treatment options and improve health outcomes. One step cannot be completed without the other - this is a sequential course to provide the most in depth chelation training available to date.

As the recognized leader in heavy metal detoxification/chelation therapy education, ACAM works diligently to ensure our curriculum is robust, relevant and of the highest caliber. Our Chelation Advanced Providers (CAP) Course & Certification covers a broad spectrum of detoxification topics from biochemistry to billing. Our faculty ensure scientific rigor, complete understanding and safe, practical application of therapy to maximize health worldwide.

WHO WILL BENEFIT?

MD, DO, ND, NP, and any integrative practitioner allowed by their state to practice chelation will benefit from this comprehensive training led by ACAM's expert faculty.

WHAT ARE THE THREE STEPS?

1. Basic Chelation Webinar Series $485/$585*
2. Workshop/Practicum +
3. Chelation Exam/Certification $1495/$1795*

*member pricing varies from nonmember

WHEN IS CAP TRAINING AVAILABLE?

Basic Chelation Webinar Series (step 1): Available online now - take at your own pace
Spring Course (steps 2 & 3): April 22-23, 2017 at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Marriott
Fall Course (steps 2 & 3): September 2017 in San Juan, Puerto Rico - More information TBA

LEARN MORE | REGISTER

1.800.532.3688 | info@acam.org | www.acam.org

ACAM2016 Conference Recordings Now Available

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 21:59:55 GMT

LEARN IMPORTANT UPDATES and APPROACHES for ADVANCED PREVENTION

Since 1973 ACAM has been the leading educator for Integrative Healthcare Professionals. Today, with the purchase of our 2016 conference recordings, we invite you learn important updates and gain new techniques when listening to our renowned faculty as they address the escalating problem of chronic conditions facing today's patients.

The 2016 conference focused on three key areas for advanced integrative approaches including:

Cancer Care Prevention, Brain Fitness & Dementia Prevention, and Prevention/Reversal of Heart Disease & Hypertension.

LEARN MORE

PURCHASE NOW

2016 ACAM Annual Meeting's Expert Speakers

Topic: ADVANCED PREVENTION OF CANCER

Ralph W. Moss, PhD

Chemosensitivity and Other
Tests for Cancer: What's New?

Geo Espinosa, ND, LAc

Prevention & Screening
of Prostate Cancer

Lise Alschuler, ND

Integrative Strategies for
Breast Cancer Prevention

Isaac Eliaz, MD, MS, LAc

Galectin-3:
A Master Modulator of Risk

Topic: PREVENTION & REVERSAL OF HEART DISEASE & HYPERTENSION

Stephen Sinatra, MD

Healing the Heart with Vibrational Medicine

Women and Heart Disease

Dennis Goodman, MD

Vitamin K2 Bone and Heart Health

Michael Dansinger, MD

Ultra-Personalized Nutrition
for Preventing Heart
Disease & Diabetes

Michaela McKenzie, DDS

Advanced Integrative
Dental Strategies for
Abundant Health

Topic: ADVANCED BRAIN FITNESS AND PREVENTION OF DEMENTIA

Laszlo G. Boros, MD

Metabolomics & Biomarkers for Prevention

Ketogenic Diet & Deuterium Depleted Water for Prevention and Treatment

Dana Cohen, MD

Hydration and Brain Health

Kabran Chapek, ND

Disease, Prevention, & Neuroplasticity: A Mindful Way to Change Your Brain

CASE STUDIES

Cancer Prevention

featuring:

Ahvie Herskowitz, MD;
Isaac Eliaz, MD, MS;
Lyn Patrick, MD; and
Robert Thompson, MD

Cardiovascular Disease

featuring:

Dennis Goodman, MD; Stephen Sinatra, MD;
Allen Green, MD; and
Howard Hindin, DDS

1.800.532.3688 | info@acam.org | www.acam.org

ACAM2017 Exhibitor Registration Now Open

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 21:58:04 GMT

EXHIBIT AT ACAM2017 IN PUERTO RICO

There are an estimated 14,000 integrative medicine practitioners in Puerto Rico and hundreds more in the surrounding islands. Let's become their go-to resources! REGISTER NOW FOR EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT!

Offer Expires March 1, 2017 - Registration fee only.
Registration opens December 1st at www.acam.org/2017Exhibitor

IN THE HEART OF IT ALL, YET WORLDS APART...

Find inspiration in every direction at The Condado Plaza Hilton. As the only hotel in San Juan with views of the Atlantic Ocean and Condado Lagoon, we invite you to discover this magical island from a truly unique vantage point. LEARN MORE

DID YOU KNOW?

Puerto Rico has an estimated 14,000 integrative professionals

ACAM provides amazing reciprocal opportunities for their Preferred Partners

The Virgin Islands are home to hundreds of additional practitioners who consider Puerto Rico "next door".

AAPMD successfully joining the ACAM Learning Floor in 2016 encouraged more crossover opportunities!

ACAM, AAPMD & YOU

ACAM and AAPMD will bring the cutting edge education and renowned faculty; you bring the best resources: together

we'll unite for collaborative healthcare while expanding into new markets!

In 2016, ACAM and AAPMD joined forces in presenting their meeting, creating a powerful partnership where integrative practitioners, of both medical and dental genres, networked and discussed new healthcare treatment options using collaboration between the disciplines.

In 2017 this collaboration continues and we invite you to exhibit September 14-16, 2017 in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the joint meetings of ACAM and AAPMD. Each group brings experts in the fields of integrative medicine and dentistry who wish to tackle today's most complex multi-caused health issues - and they need your assistance and resources. PRINT PROSPECTUS

We don't just talk about collaboration - we are living it!

WE'RE DEDICATED TO YOU: LET'S GROW TOGETHER
Provided only to our annual meeting exhibitors - our Preferred Partners - this search engine functions much like our Physician+Link search except it caters to you! See it now at www.acam.org/SearchPP

ACAM members can easily search the Preferred Partner search to find companies that specialize in exactly what their looking for. If you sell to the public you'll enjoy added exposure - users will be able to search for

supplement providers, publicly sold equipment & more.

Exhibit in Puerto Rico and you'll be placed on the Preferred Partner site the minute we receive your contract and remain until July of the next year! Preferred Partners discounted rates in ACAM's newsletters, blog space and more! The ACAM.org homepage gets over 700 visits per day, with our Physician+Link member searching receiving over 1000 visits per day. Get bookmarked as a Preferred Partner and get in on the traffic!

TEST OUT THE PREFERRED PARTNER SEARCH ENGINE

PRELIMINARY EXHIBIT SCHEDULE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13:

Pre-conference workshops (Support packages available)

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 14:

- Pre-conference workshops (Support packages available)
- Exhibitor move in: 10:30 AM - 4:30PM
- Early registration opens for attendees: 2:00PM
- Opening CME lectures: 4:00PM - 6:45PM
- Opening networking break on Learning Floor: 5PM - 5:15PM
- Joint Welcome Reception on Learning Floor: 6:45PM - 8:45PM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15:

- Breakfast with exhibitors on Learning Floor: 7AM - 8AM
- Replenishment/networking on Learning Floor: 9:30AM - 10:15AM
- Replenishment/networking on Learning Floor: 3:45PM - 4:30PM

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16:

- Breakfast with exhibitors on Learning Floor: 7AM - 8AM

- Replenishment/networking on Learning Floor: 9:30AM -10:15AM
- Replenishment/networking on Learning Floor: 3:30PM - 4:15PM
Exhibitor move out after break
- Joint Closing banquet event: (optional) 6:30PM - 10:30PM

IMPORTANT DATES TO MARK ON YOUR CALENDAR!

1.800.532.3688 | jessica.ulmen@acam.org | www.acam.org

Proposed Membership Changes - 2nd Notice

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 21:56:13 GMT

VOTE ON PROPOSED MEMBERSHIP CHANGES

At the ACAM Board of Directors and Board Advisors meeting in Tucson, Directors reviewed proposed changes to ACAM's membership categories. Approved by the Board, the new membership categories now come to the members for vote of acceptance.

PROPOSED MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

This proposal was made to change the membership categories to meet today's marketplace.The primary goal is to enhance services ACAM provides to members at a level which meets individual needs. This includes providing opportunities which are personalized, enhancing educational resources, presenting cutting edge techniques with training, and increasing integrative resources. With these important changes, ACAM may continue adding value which matters to members while keeping the ACAM community collaborative and vibrant.

GENERAL MEMBER(voting rights) MD, DO, ND, DDS, NMD*, NP, DC, PA, ARNP, Emeritus, & other similar All one category - no US/International division Dues tied to when member gained license	PREMIER MEMBER(voting rights) MD, DO, ND, DDS, NMD*, NP, DC, PA, ARNP, Emeritus, & other similar Added benefits from General Membership
ASSOCIATE MEMBER PhD, DOM, ACAOM certified LAc, PharmD, RN, PAC, Psychologist, & other similar	INTEGRATIVE PROFESSIONAL MEMBER Dietitian, Nutritionist, Acupuncturist, Nutritional Medical Doctor, Certified LMT, Pharmacist, & other similar
SCHOLAR MEMBER Medical students in an accredited program, intern, resident, or fellow	CORPORATE MEMBER(1 vote) Allows for 3 additional memberships with Physician+Link listings from same practice Voting member must be MD, DO, ND, DDS, NP, DC, PA, ARNP, NDM, or Emeritus
EXPRESS MEMBER Any General, Associate, Integrative Professional credential type Online services only	VIEW PROPOSED BENEFITS of each membership type

VOTE NOW

You will be asked to provide your name and contact information so that we may verify votes - please provide at least your first and last name. Your vote is important!

Proposed Membership Changes - 1st Notice

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 21:44:36 GMT

VOTE ON PROPOSED MEMBERSHIP CHANGES

PROPOSED MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

GENERAL MEMBER(voting rights) MD, DO, ND, DDS, NMD*, NP, DC, PA, ARNP, Emeritus, & other similar All one category - no US/International division Dues tied to when member gained license	PREMIER MEMBER(voting rights) MD, DO, ND, DDS, NMD*, NP, DC, PA, ARNP, Emeritus, & other similar Added benefits from General Membership
ASSOCIATE MEMBER PhD, DOM, ACAOM certified LAc, PharmD, RN, PAC, Psychologist, & other similar	INTEGRATIVE PROFESSIONAL MEMBER Dietitian, Nutritionist, Acupuncturist, Nutritional Medical Doctor, Certified LMT, Pharmacist, & other similar
SCHOLAR MEMBER Medical students in an accredited program, intern, resident, or fellow	CORPORATE MEMBER(1 vote) Allows for 3 additional memberships with Physician+Link listings from same practice Voting member must be MD, DO, ND, DDS, NP, DC, PA, ARNP, NDM, or Emeritus
EXPRESS MEMBER Any General, Associate, Integrative Professional credential type Online services only	VIEW PROPOSED BENEFITS of each membership type

VOTE NOW

You will be asked to provide your name and contact information so that we may verify votes - please provide at least your first and last name. Your vote is important!

FOR REFERENCE: CURRENT MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES

FULL MEMBERS(voting rights) MD, DO, ND, DDS, NP, DC, PA, ARNP, Emeritus US and International categories	ASSOCIATE MEMBERS RN, PAC, Psychologist
AFFILIATE MEMBERS PhD, DOM, LAc, PharmD US and International categories	ADJUNCT MEMBERS Retired, disabled, honorary
PHYSICIAN IN TRAINING Students in an accredited program	INSTITUTIONAL Academic Departments, Institutes, etc.
CORPORATE MEMBER

The descriptions of each category is defined by the Board of Directors and expanded upon in the Policies and Procedures manual located, along with the bylaws, under ABOUT/Overview & Mission page on www.acam.org

SHARE - DISTRIBUTE - SAVE: We need your help to prevent the death of natural medicine!

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 17:12:47 GMT

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its newly revised policy on nutritional supplements. It's effectively a death knell for the products you and your practice depend on to stay healthy naturally. Check out the attached flier and visit www.SaveSupplements.com for more information!

Integrative Campaign Challenges FDA on Compounding Pharmacy

Tue, 9 Aug 2016 03:04:52 GMT

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is engaged in a regulatory process that will restrict the ability of integrative doctors to FDAindividualize their natural medicine prescriptions via the services of compounding pharmacies. The Integrative Medicine Consortium, (IMC) – with the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP) in a lead role – recently had success in saving access to one compounding agent. Yet the handwriting is on the wall. The AANP, working with the IMC and others, has announced a multi-year campaign to directly petition the FDA to maintain access to these agents.

Initial Steps

Pharmacy compounding is defined as “the art and science of preparing personalized medications for patients.” Medications are compounded based on a practitioner’s prescription “in which individual ingredients are mixed together in the exact strength and dosage form required by the patient.” According to the AANP, the development typically involves prescription “nutritional, herbal, and homeopathic remedies (that) are compounded to meet unique patient needs.” Large pharmaceutical manufacturers typically “do not have the skill nor interest to make small batches of these specialized products.” The AANP notes that “these compounded medications have also been used safely for decades.” Examples are thyroid and bioidentical hormones and various personalized mixes used in injections and chelation.

magazine coverThe FDA’s active antagonism began with an event in in 2012. Gross negligence at a compounding pharmacy, New England Compounding Center, led to a meningitis outbreak that was associated with 64 deaths and a great deal of additional morbidity. Two executives are currently facing murder charges and 12 others are charged in a 131-count indictment. The FDA’s effort since has been to shut down or severely curtail the industry.

Driving the campaign among integrative practitioners to make the case for general safety and to save access to compounding agents is Scottsdale, Arizona-based Michael Cronin, ND (pictured, left). Cronin is the current chair of IMC, past president of the AANP, former director of integrative medicine for American Whole Health, and founder of Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. He began promoting participation in FDA processes as chair of the AANP’s Compounded Medications Work Group. The stimulus was a proposed FDA guidance “that would greatly restrict the ability of physicians to administer compounded medications – including injectable and IV solutions – to patients in the office.” The AANP’s extensive documentation to the FDA defending the need for in-office use of these drugs fell on deaf ears.

One Agent at a Time

In late 2015, the FDA took an additional step to slam many doors. According to this article from the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH), an IMC affiliate, “the FDA released a list of nominations to its ‘Demonstrably Difficult to Compound’ (DDC) list … of drugs that cannot safely be compounded because of their complexity.” These are mainly the same agents that the AANP states “have been used safely for decades.”

The recent lone victory came at a June 2016 hearing before an FDA advisory panel where the AANP’s Paul Anderson, ND (pictured) andersonprovided expert testimony. Anderson’s medical group in Seattle includes the neuroscientist and multiple NIH-funded researcher Leanna Standish, PhD, ND, LAc. Following Anderson’s testimony, the AANP sent a note to its members announcing that on an 8-3 vote they had “scored a victory on June 23 with a successful defense of [the chelating agent] DMPS.” However, the notice went on, “many compounds – including MSM, curcumin, boswellia, germanium, and acetyl-l-carnitine – are being put on the FDA’s ‘do not compound’ list and the fate of many more remains undecided.” (Aloe vera is yet another agent determined to be unsafe.) The AANP then invited members to a July 25 webinar in which they offered further insight and reported on the planned campaign.

Despite the DMPS victory, Anderson painted a dire picture for webinar participants of likely chances for legal access to multiple other compounding agents. He noted that the FDA’s advisory committee only has one compounding pharmacist, a non-voting member. He added: “If you think the deck is stacked, this is just one element.” He added: “What the process is not – it is not a fair fight, not logical, not in service to patient care. It is not reasonable from the point of view of integrative medicine.” Reflecting on the poor ability of the science to shift the thinking of the advisory team, he added: “Data is not the issue. [The panel] is not reasonable.”

Hope: Petition(s) and Legal Campaign

Bottom line, as Anderson put it: “The FDA does not understand the value or the need for safely compounded medications. They view them as a public health threat.”

dumoffThe webinar presented a series of next steps based on the experience that AANP and IMC have gained through their engagement with the FDA. Longtime integrative health attorney Alan Dumoff (pictured, left) noted that the present work is building up the public record with scientific support for IMC/AANP views. Dumoff shared that over 30 separate organizations have been in touch with Congress to urge changes. Compounding pharmacies have also been active. An industry organization has organized a letter writing campaign to members of Congress that has gathered 61 signatures. (The Alliance for Natural Health has separately reported that a group of small compounders filed a suit against large suppliers for “unlawful insurance claim denials.”) Yet, the FDA has “ignored appeals” from Congress.

Dumoff and the AANP’s director of government affairs, Mike Jawer, argued that the time is right to petition the FDA – and also to potentially petition the Office of Management and Budget. In conjunction, a Freedom of Information Act request may be made. Cronin shared that the AANP has “pulled the trigger” on an aggressive fundraising campaign by providing an initial $10,000. An additional $4500 was raised from individuals on the call. Much more will be needed – up to an estimated $100,000 depending on the fate of the petition and the need for filing a lawsuit in Federal court. AANP is setting up a PayPal account to make it easy for integrative physicians to contribute. “This is about,” said Cronin, “owning our medicine.”

Comment: For most of us, the ins-and-outs of regulation around compounding medications were captured well by a blunt statement of Cronin. “This is complicated. It’s not a twitter feed.” One level of such complication, is cultural bias. Deaths associated with poor practice by a single compounding pharmacy in 2012 – horrible as they were – provoked this draconian move to narrow patient access to compounded medications. Imagine if the agency responded with as much vehemence to every procedure or practice that leads to the estimated 250,000 deaths associated with other medical errors. Good for IMC and the AANP to take this on. If interested in getting involved or supporting the cause, contact the AANP’s director of government affairs, mike.jawer@naturopathic.org.

URGENT ACTION ALERT: Bad GMO Labeling Bill Fast-Tracked

Fri, 1 Jul 2016 17:19:21 GMT

On Wednesday, June 29th, members of Congress used a procedural trick to fast-track the new GMO labeling bill, meaning that this gift to Big Food and the biotech industry could be voted on as early as next week.

We must kill this bill. It allows industry to decide how to label its products, and you can bet that most companies will choose the option that requires consumers to scan a code or call a number to find out what's in their food. Companies know that few people will want to do this and even fewer will be able to.

Worse, there do not seem to be any penalties for a company that doesn't label its food. So for those who choose to simply ignore this law, there are very few consequences—unless the state separately imposes fines for mislabeling.

This bill is a wolf in sheep's clothing: it pays lip service to mandatory labeling but is designed to block Vermont's GMO labeling law and keep consumers in the dark about what's in their food.

Click the link below to tell your senators and the White House to vote NO on S. 764!

CLICK HERE to TAKE ACTION

GETTING THE LEAD OUT: ACAM Offers Solution for Latest Round of National Lead Poisoning

Fri, 4 Mar 2016 22:26:16 GMT

In February Flint, Michigan declared a "State of Emergency" in the wake of lead contaminated drinking water. Now we’re hearing of lead poisoning in other areas across the United States, including Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. As a result, we are once again faced with the age-old discussion regarding the health implications of lead accumulation. We know that protecting all people from lead exposure is extremely important to lifelong good health. Children, however, are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of lead because they absorb lead much more readily than adults. The current controversy over treatment revolves around three questions:

Who should be considered at higher risk for harm and offered treatment?
What treatments should be offered to individuals with elevated lead levels?
At what blood lead level burden is it appropriate to start therapy?

Unfortunately, this type of water crisis is not uncommon. People worldwide continue to be exposed to potentially harmful levels of many toxic metals that can profoundly affect their health. They face potentially enduring, serious and complicated health issues. Perhaps the major question, especially in children, is the level of lead in the blood to cause concern.

The American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), an educational organization and a leading authority in the field of metal toxicity and treatment believes, as the CDC does, that “no safe blood lead level in children has been identified.” The effects of lead exposure on child cognitive development and behavior may be permanent if no intervention occurs. Experts from ACAM believe that certain interventions may be useful in lessening the symptoms and long-term neurocognitive damage that lead causes in children.

ACAM experts also contend that the myriad, harmful effects that lead can cause in other organ systems in people of any age should also be lessened. The original guidelines for intervention in lead poisoning were based on early FDA drug approval studies from the minimal research conducted in pediatric patients with blood lead levels above 45 mcg/dL. ACAM believes that appropriate medical intervention may be beneficial to those suffering from lead levels even at the current CDC cutoff of 5 mcg/dl, the level that places the child in the upper 2.5% of tested individuals.

Practitioners can now take a more proactive approach to prevent permanent damage and disability due to toxic metal exposure. ACAM has announced two offerings of its national recognized Chelation Certification – now titled Chelation Advanced Provider (CAP) Course & Certification. Whether you’re new to detoxification education or a seasoned practitioner, ACAM’s rigorous CAP training will enhance your practice’s treatment options and improve health outcomes. One step cannot be completed without the other – this is a sequential course designed to provide the most in depth chelation training available to date.

As the recognized leader in metal detoxification/chelation therapy education, ACAM works diligently to ensure our curriculum is robust, relevant and of the highest caliber. The CAP Program covers a broad spectrum of detoxification topics ~~for~~ from biochemistry to billing. Our faculty ensure scientific rigor, complete understanding, and safe, practical application of therapy to maximize health worldwide.

“This is a chelation dream team,” Lyn Patrick, ND, co-chair of the ACAM Chelation Committee and co-organizer of the CAP Program said. The Basic Chelation Webinar Series (step 1 in the 3 step program) offers chelation insights and training from Tony Lamas, MD, FACC, FAHA, FESC, Dorothy Merritt, MD, David Quig, PhD, Walter Crinnion, ND, Jeffrey Morrison, MD, and Roy Heilbron, MD. The live training and certification exam (steps 2 and 3, offered in the spring and fall) give experts W.A. Shrader, MD, Merritt, Quig, Patrick, and Stuart Freedenfeld, MD time for didactic lectures and thorough back and forth question/answer time.

Registration for the spring CAP Training is currently open at www.acam.org/CAP. For more information or if you have questions, please contact ACAM at 1.800.532.3688 or email info@acam.org.

New Specialties Available for Member Profiles

Wed, 24 Feb 2016 22:02:58 GMT

A NOTE TO OUR MEMBERS:

About two dozen specialty services have been added to the ACAM.org Physician's Link search engine. Please log into your account and review your profile to see if you supply any of these services - you'll definitely want to update your profile to show you are a provider in your area. With over 1800 website hits per day, ACAM.org's Physician's Link is your key to online referrals.
REVIEW PROFILE NOW

We Need Your Feedback for a Groundbreaking Study on Integrative Medicine

Tue, 23 Feb 2016 22:08:59 GMT

Dear ACAM Member:

You have been selected to participate in a groundbreaking study on the Integrative MD community. The American College for the Advancement of Medicine has partnered with Pure Branding, a leading wellness-focused research firm, along with other leaders in the Integrative Medicine community that you may also be affiliated with, to gain a better understanding of our community, so that we can continue to serve you as the field of integrative medicine continues to evolve and change the paradigm of healthcare in America. The information you provide will contribute greatly toward gaining further understanding of the needs and challenges of individual integrative physicians.

This is a comprehensive survey and should take you no longer than 20 minutes to complete. The information you provide will be kept completely confidential.

Please visit the following link to participate and let your voice be heard:
http://research.purebranding.com/s3/IMD-ACAM-4965123

Because the information you provide will be very insightful, and we know your time is valuable, we’d like to thank you for your efforts by offering the first 50 respondents who complete the survey with the choice of either $100 cash or a $100 credit toward the ACAM annual meeting registration fee. If you have already completed this survey, please disregard this notice.

Thank you in advance for your participation.
Sincerely,
ACAM Administration

PRACTITIONERS UNITE: ACAM & AAPMD Come Together to Solve National Healthcare Crisis

Tue, 16 Feb 2016 20:37:46 GMT

The gap in education and acceptable practices in mainstream medicine have long concerned healthcare professionals. There is a definite need to learn from one another in hope the pioneers of integrative medicine can bring critical resources together to address the alarming rise of chronic disease. You can't know what you don't know - join us to bridge this gap in information.

Conventional medicine or even the pieces of integrative medicine will not solve this crisis. The only way this national healthcare is collaborative care designed for the individual. These concerns will now be addressed as practitioners unite in the deserts of Tucson, AZ September 15-18, 2016.

ACAM and AAPMD - This partnership will create new treatment options worldwide! Yes, doctors,dentists and other healthcare practitioners are collaborating to bring hope to millions of patients facing the silent killers found in airway disorders. With airway disorders AAPMD will delve into the ongoing stressors of nutrition, internal/external environmental toxins, hormone imbalances and more. Today's complex multi-caused health problems required a team approach for the most complete, enduring result - we want to hear from you. Where has collaboration come into play within your practice? What recent case studies can you contribute to this effort?

Please join us as we work together to create intelligent healthcare practices and disseminate collaborative information to patients. Even the most cutting edge practitioner will benefit from collaborating with practitioners in other genres of medicine! We don't just talk about collaboration - we are living it! Join us in Tucson!

ACAM Addresses Flint, MI Water Crisis

Mon, 8 Feb 2016 22:22:16 GMT

Flint, Michigan recently declared a "State of Emergency" in the wake of lead contaminated drinking water. As a result, we are once again faced with the age-old discussion regarding the health implications of lead accumulation. We know that protecting all people from lead exposure is extremely important to lifelong good health. Children, however, are particularly vulnerable to the harmful effects of lead because they absorb lead much more readily than adults. The current controversy over treatment revolves around three questions:

Who should be considered at higher risk for harm and offered treatment?
What treatments should be offered to individuals with elevated lead levels?
At what blood lead level burden is it appropriate to start therapy?

Unfortunately, this tragedy goes far beyond Flint, Michigan. People worldwide continue to be exposed to potentially harmful levels of many toxic metals that can profoundly affect their health. They face potentially enduring, serious and complicated health issues. Perhaps the major question, especially in children, is the level of lead in the blood to cause concern.

The CDC states, “Experts now use a reference level of 5 micrograms per deciliter to identify children with blood lead levels that are much higher than most children’s levels. This new level is based on the U.S. population of children ages 1-5 years who are in the highest 2.5% of children when tested for lead in their blood. In the past, blood lead level tests below 10 micrograms per deciliter of lead in blood may, or may not, have been reported to parents. The new lower value means that more children will likely be identified as having lead exposure allowing parents, doctors, public health officials, and communities to take action earlier to reduce the child’s future exposure to lead.”

The CDC also states, “What has not changed is the recommendation for when medical treatment is advised for children with high blood lead exposure levels. The new recommendation does not change the guidance that the therapy used to eliminate lead from the body be considered only when a child has been tested with a blood lead test result greater than or equal to 45 mcg/dL.” [http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/ACCLPP/blood_lead_levels.htm]

However, medical science has determined that even very low blood lead levels in children can affect IQ, ability to pay attention and future academic achievement. It is now clear that IQ loss in lead-exposed children can occur at levels below 5.0 mcg/dL. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2212280/, from Neurotoxicology, 2006 Sep; 27(5): 693–701.

The American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM), an educational organization and a leading authority in the field of heavy metal toxicity and treatment believes, as the CDC does, that “no safe blood lead level in children has been identified.” The effects of lead exposure on child cognitive development and behavior may be permanent if no intervention occurs. Experts from ACAM believe that certain interventions may be useful in lessening the symptoms and long-term neurocognitive damage that lead causes in children.

Due to the lack of current, cohesive, long-term studies in children with elevated blood levels below 45 mcg/dL, the decision when to initiate chelation therapy is a personal choice between a patient and their physician. To better elucidate what is the best treatment strategy for lead poisoning, ACAM is calling for the immediate initiation of a collaborative long-term research project. The project, conducted through appropriate channels, could provide immediate medical attention and intervention to all children and adults in Flint who have high blood lead levels (>5 mcg/dl). This research project should also investigate assessing those common genetic and metabolic defects that could render individuals even more susceptible to the harmful effects of lead.

We can take a more proactive approach to prevent permanent damage and disability not only in the population of Flint, MI but to everyone exposed to the potential devastation caused by lead.

ABOUT ACAM:
The American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating physicians and other health care professionals on the safe and effective application of integrative medicine. ACAM's healthcare model focuses on prevention of illness and strives for total wellness. ACAM has been educating physicians in metal removal techniques such as chelation therapies since 1973. A recent NIH sponsored study has demonstrated that the chelation technique using EDTA is safe when it is used by physicians educated in these techniques.

FIND A PHYSICIAN NEAR YOU FOR ASSISTANCE:
ACAM offers Physician+Link – a free service provided to the public for finding integrative practitioners in their area. Call 1.800.532.3688 for personal assistance or visit www.acam.org/ACAMPL

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
A rationale for lowering the blood lead action level from 10 to 2 μg/dL

Effect of Chelation Therapy on the Neuropsychological and Behavioral Development of Lead-Exposed Children After School Entry

American Academy of Pediatrics: Lead Exposure in Children: Prevention, Detection, and Management

Safety and Efficacy of DMSA in children with elevated blood level concentrations

Children with moderately elevated blood lead levels: a role for other diagnostic tests?

What level of lead in blood is toxic for a child?

Support S. 1406 Saving Access to Compounded Medications for Special Needs Patients Act

Wed, 9 Dec 2015 17:04:21 GMT

ATTENTION ALL INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS:

ACAM is starting a letter writing campaign to strongly suggest to our senators to vote "YES" on Senate Bill 1406, which will continue to allow doctors to prescribe compounded medicines and allow patients to continue receiving them.

PLEASE SHARE http://www.congressweb.com/iacp/8 with all of your colleagues to write a letter of support for Senate Bill 1406 and PLEASE write one yourself! Also, please pass this link on to your entire patient e-mail lists with a strong statement asking them to write to their senators too. If a patient is willing to write a personal letter, to tell their unique stories about how compounded medications have either saved their lives or greatly enhanced their health and quality of life this would also be EXTREMELY helpful.

VIEW COMPLETE INFORMATION & SAMPLE LETTER

An Invitation from President-Elect Michael Bauerschmidt

Wed, 7 Oct 2015 18:20:59 GMT

Dear ACAM members,

You probably don't know me, but as President-Elect for ACAM I most certainly want to know you! The time is getting closer for our annual meeting, Practical Applications of New Technology, at the Red Rock Resort near Las Vegas, Nevada November 12-15, 2015. Have you registered? If not, I'm asking you to review the details of this exciting meeting!

ACAM has been the leader in integrative medical education for decades, providing practical approaches and solutions to the problems our patients deal with daily. We pride ourselves on our history of developing programs you want and need. This program is no different - in addition, we have added some interesting side events and special optional workshops, all the while building in optional time to enjoy the ACAM family or your own at Red Rock Resort.

Please come, enjoy the meeting, mingle with like minded practitioners, recharge and re-energize your love of our profession and, if you have time, I would love to meet you!

Best Regards,

Mike Bauerschmidt, MD, CCT
President-Elect, ACAM

ANH News: New House Bill Sells Out Our Children

Tue, 6 Oct 2015 23:37:07 GMT

Big Food Once Again Tries to Muscle in on Kids’ School Lunch Trays

Please oppose a new House bill that puts corporate profits ahead of children’s health. Action Alert!

A 2002 federal program that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables to the country’s poorest schools is now at risk because of crony capitalism. Lobbyists from the frozen, fried, canned, and dried food industries are all jostling to have their products included in the government program, and their efforts are paying off. Reps. Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) have recently introduced legislation that would broaden the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program to include frozen, canned, dried, and pureed fruits and vegetables.

READ COMPLETE ARTICLE

Our Apologies - You may have received a dues invoice in error

Sat, 29 Aug 2015 00:04:15 GMT

On Thursday, August 27th you may have received an invoice stating that your ACAM membership was due for renewal. A software glitch mistakenly triggered the Membership Dues Invoice to be sent to all ACAM members - whether they were paid or not. We apologize for this inconvenience. Please disregard the email.

ACAM is continuing work to bring the best service to our members. We again apologize for this confusion. Should you have further questions please call Headquarters at 800-532-3688.

Officer Nomination Extended Until August 7th

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 20:22:27 GMT

The deadline for ACAM Board of Director nominations extended until August 7, 2015.

In late 2014 at the annual meeting, ACAM proudly welcomed four new board members, including: Tim Guilford, MD, Howard Hindin, DDS, Dennis Harper, DC, and Ahvie Herskowitz, MD. Now we are again seeking your assistance - please take this opportunity to further shape ACAM's future as we open four more board positions. In addition to these board positions, we seek integrative professionals to fill positions remaining on various committees. Please submit your nominations to help us build a stronger leadership platform for ACAM. Thank you for considering nomination and involvement.

Nominations may be submitted HERE.

What to Expect at ACAM 2015?

Wed, 22 Jul 2015 00:39:36 GMT

Greetings from ACAM Headquarters!

Have you registered for the integrative medicine meeting of the year - ACAM's annual meeting "Integrative Medicine's New Landscape - Practical Applications of New Technologies"? This year's meeting promises to be unlike any other! Under the direction of Dr. Ahvie Herskowitz, the Education Committee has put together a great lineup for this meeting in November. With a focus on PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS - that which you can take with you to begin utilizing first thing Monday morning - this meeting promises top CME lectures, amazing non-CME workshops and an emphasis on peer-reviewed, cutting edge content.

During last November’s meeting the members asked in overwhelming numbers for less CME credits if it meant receiving practical and cutting-edge education. Ahvie and the Education Committee listened and organized 10 non-CME workshops (CLICK HERE TO VIEW) which are hands-on, relevant, and the most-cutting edge in integrative medicine. We want you to leave this meeting with powerful knowledge at your fingertips taught by experts who excel in their respective fields of wisdom.
These workshops undergo the same peer review process as each CME lecture to ensure no bias or self-promoting is involved.

And have you seen the location of this year's meeting? AMAZING! Our conference room block, with special discounted meeting rates, is filling quickly and we don't want you to miss out on beautiful Red Rock Resort. REGISTER AND BOOK TODAY!

We look forward to hosting a great group of practitioners at the amazing Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas!
-Veronica Haynes, Executive Director