WHC

Analysis of the Final WHCCAMP Report

Transmittal Letters** [Comments by Stephen Barrett, M.D.] The Honorable Tommy G. Thompson Secretary of Health and Human Services Washington, DC 20201 Dear Mr. Secretary: In accordance with Executive Order 13147, I am pleased to submit to you the Final Report of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy. The Report contains administrative and legislative recommendations and action strategies to maximize the benefits of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to all Americans. [This falsely implies that there are many “CAM” benefits that need “maximizing.”] The Commission consisted of 20 business leaders, academicians, physicians, and other health care professionals from both conventional and CAM backgrounds. [This is a deliberate misrepresentation. The Commission was strongly biased. Nearly all of its members are philosophically aligned and …

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Analysis of the Reports of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy (WHCCAMP)

In March 2000, President Clinton announced the creation of a White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy (WHCCAMP) to provide a report to the President on “legislative and administrative recommendations for assuring that public policy maximizes the benefits to Americans of complementary and alternative medicine.” Nearly all of the Commissioners are philosophically aligned and economically involved with the so-called “CAM” movement. Few knowledgeable critics were appointed. The Commission worked for two years and submitted its final report to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson in March 2002. The report, which represents the views of 17 of the 19 Commissioners, recommends across-the-board “integration” of “CAM” into government health agencies and the nation’s medical, medical education, research, and insurance systems — a situation that would promote unscientific …

Analysis of WHCCAMP’s November 2001 Draft Report

Timothy N. Gorski MD, FACOG Stephen Barrett, MD    In March 2000, President Clinton announced the creation of a White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy (WHCCAMP) to provide a report to the President on “legislative and administrative recommendations for assuring that public policy maximizes the benefits to Americans of complementary and alternative medicine.” On November 16, 2001, the commission issued an 86-paragraph draft report recommending across-the-board “integration” of “complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)” into government health agencies and the nation’s medical, medical education, and insurance systems. These recommendations are an affront to medical science and an assault on consumer protection. Here is our paragraph-by-paragraph analysis with the report’s words in ordinary type and ours in bracketed dark-red type. As you read our …

Analysis of the Final WHCCAMP Report

Chapter 4: Education and Training of Health Care Practitioners[Comments in red by Stephen Barrett, MD, and Timothy N. Gorski, MD, FACOG]Since the public utilizes both conventional health care and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), the Commission believes that this reality should be reflected in the education and training of all health practitioners. [Appropriate education would inform students that homeopathy is worthless, chiropractic “subluxations” are delusions, the flow of “chi” through “acupuncture meridians” is a nonsensical concept, and chelation therapy doesn’t work. It is safe to assume that the Commission does not have this type of reality in mind.] Thus, the education and training of conventional health professions should include CAM, and the education and training of CAM practitioners should include conventional health care. The result …

Analysis of the Final WHCCAMP Report

Chapter 5: CAM Information Development and Dissemination[Comments in red by Stephen Barrett, MD, and Timothy N. Gorski, MD]One of society’s greatest achievements — and one of its greatest challenges — has been the dramatic improvement in the development and dissemination of information. Over the past several decades, new technologies have enabled people all over to world to gain rapid access to information. Not only does information travel faster, significantly more of it has become available in the United States because of increased population, higher educational levels, and changes in the workforce and economic structure. This is especially true of health information, including information about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). In a desire for improved quality and length of life, the public has sought increased information …

White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy Final Report, March 2002

Executive Summary[Comments in red by Stephen Barrett, MD and Timothy N. Gorski, MD, FACOG]The White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy (WHCCAMP) was established by Executive Order No. 13147 in March 2000. The order states that the Commission is to provide the President, through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with a report containing legislative and administrative recommendations that will ensure public policy maximizes the potential benefits of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to all citizens. The report of the Commission is to address: The coordination of research to increase knowledge about CAM products, The education and training of health care practitioners in CAM, The provision of reliable and useful information about CAM practices and products to health care professionals, and Guidance …

The WHCCAMP “Minority Report”

In March 2000, President Clinton announced the creation of a White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy (WHCCAMP) to provide a report to the President on “legislative and administrative recommendations for assuring that public policy maximizes the benefits to Americans of complementary and alternative medicine.” Nearly all of the Commissioners are philosophically aligned and economically involved with the so-called “CAM” movement. Few knowledgeable critics were appointed. The Commission worked for two years and submitted its final report to HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson in March 2002. The report, which represents the views of 17 or the 19 Commissioners, recommends across-the-board “integration” of “CAM” into government health agencies and the nation’s medical, medical education, research, and insurance systems — a situation that would promote unscientific …

Analysis of the Final WHCCAMP Report

Chapter 6: Access and Delivery[Comments in red by Stephen Barrett, MD, and Timothy N. Gorski, MD, FACOG]In Town Hall meetings across the country during the past two years, people voiced a number of concerns about access of the public to Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioners and products. Issues raised include access to qualified CAM practitioners, state regulation of CAM practitioners, integration of CAM and conventional health care, collaboration between CAM and conventional practitioners, and the cost of CAM services. Many people who testified, including those who have only limited access to “basic health care,” expressed a desire for increased access to safe and effective CAM, along with conventional services. As is true for conventional health care, many factors influence access to CAM services and …

Analysis of the Final WHCCAMP Report

Chapter 10: Recommendations and Actions[Comments in red by Stephen Barrett, MD, and Timothy N. Gorski, MD, FACOG] COORDINATION OF RESEARCH Recommendation 1: Federal agencies should receive increased for clinical, basic, and health services research on CAM. Actions   1.1 Federal agencies should increase their activities with respect to CAM in accordance with their biomedical research, health services research, or other health care-related responsibilities and make these activities, including available technical assistance, known to CAM and conventional researchers and practitioners. Activities might include funding initiatives such as requests for applications and proposals; CAM-focused offices or centers; CAM-focused staff positions; CAM advisory committees or the representation of qualified CAM professionals on such committees. [Research priorities should depend on the likelihood that projects will yield significant results and …