CIMU Issues Retraction Regarding Cooperative PhD Program
In the October 2001 issue of Acupuncture Today, it was announced that China International Medical University (CIMU) and Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine had agreed to offer a joint PhD program. The announcement stemmed from a press release sent from CIMU to Acupuncture Today, which stated in part that PhD candidates would conduct research at both universities, and that upon completion of the program, a degree granting ceremony would be held by both CIMU and Shanghai.
Upon learning of this agreement, the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) sent a letter to CIMU voicing its concern over the program, stating that these activities "could directly impact the quality of an ACAOM candidate program by limiting the resources that can be devoted" to that program, and that it was "premature and potentially misleading" for the university to publish statements regarding its involvement in facilitating and promoting Shanghai's PhD program.
As a result of ACAOM's concerns, China International president Jianfu Jiang has issued the following retraction in the hopes of clearing up any confusion that may have occurred:
"China International Medical University (CIMU) regretfully retracts the information that was published in the October issue of Acupuncture Today. This article, titled 'CIMU and Shanghai University Launch Cooperative PhD Program,' was published in error. The program is not a joint PhD program; it is Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine's PhD program.
"While we regret the incorrect wording of the article that caused this misunderstanding, we hope to be able to bring a variety of qualified programs, elevating the standards of the field to the highest new level possible."
New Deputy Director at Acupuncture Alliance
The Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance has hired Tierney Tully, DA, DOM, to be its deputy director. Prior to joining the Alliance, Dr. Tully practiced acupuncture and herbal medicine for eight years and served as president of the Rhode Island Society for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. She earned her master's degree in Oriental medicine from the International Institute of Oriental Medicine in 1993.
"This is an opportunity to serve the profession at a different level, and I am very honored and excited to have been offered the position," she said. "I will be working with our profession's leaders at the national level to bring acupuncture and Oriental medicine into the consciousness and daily lives of the American public."
In addition to her role as a health care professional, Dr. Tully has maintained a strong involvement in the local community. She has been an active member of the Rotary Club and Tap-In ("Touch a Person in Need"), an outreach program in Barrington, Rhode Island.
Idaho Couple Credits Acupuncturist for Son's Birth
For many couples, the inability to conceive a child can have a negative effect on their relationship. Lisa Stokes and her husband Travis were one such couple, having tried for more than a year to produce a child, all to no avail - that is, until Lisa turned to acupuncture for help.
"Nothing else had been working," explained Stokes. "My sister told me about acupuncture, and I thought, why not? It's a lot cheaper (than fertility drugs), and there are no bad side-effects."
Stokes, a native of Payson, Utah, contacted Dr. Ming-De Yu, an acupuncturist in Provo. After a detailed history, Dr. Yu began treatment by inserting extra-fine needles into Lisa's ears, arms, stomach, legs and back, which corrected an irregular menstrual cycle. A few sessions later, Lisa was pregnant and eventually gave birth to a healthy, dark-haired boy named Isaac. The Stokes believe acupuncture was the key factor in Lisa's ability to have a child, and they regularly travel from Idaho to Yu's clinic for care.
"I think it worked for me when Western medicine hadn't helped," Stokes said. "I wasn't sure at first that it would work, but I knew it felt good," she added, noting that the treatment felt so relaxing, she would occasionally fall asleep while being needled.
While acupuncture has been used to treat infertility and other conditions for thousands of years in China, it is still viewed with skepticism by some in the U.S. Dr. Yu's results with the Stokes, however, have convinced at least two people of its validity.
"This is our miracle," said Travis Stokes, holding up his son as he talked. "He's made us believers."
Midwest College Moves to New Home
In September, Midwest College of Oriental Medicine moved into a new, 24,000 square-foot facility in Racine, Wisconsin. Prior to the move, the school had spent the past 22 years operating from an office park complex just across the street from its new location. Construction on the new facility began in January 2001 and cost an estimated $2 million dollars to complete.
According to Midwest's president, Dr. Bill Dunbar, the building was designed with the assistance of a feng shui expert and contains approximately four times the amount of office space as the school's previous location. Dr. Dunbar added that the building "will allow the school to operate from one location, increase enrollment and provide much-needed space for lecture, clinic, classroom and administrative needs."
Complementary Care Makes Advances in Australia
The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia has announced the establishment of a new Centre of Complementary Health Practice. The centre, the result of a $500,000 grant from the FH Faulding company, will be the first of its kind in Australia to be based at a traditional health science facility.
"This is an idea whose time has come," enthused Dr. Stephen Myers, the centre's acting director. "There needs to be a centre with this sort of focus. Two out of every three Australians use complementary medicines at least annually, and no health professional can be without knowledge of it."
The centre will conduct research into several forms of alternative medicine, including herbal remedies, traditional Chinese medicine, ayurveda, chiropractic and nutrition. Currently, the centre is conducting trials involving such therapies to treat irritable bowel syndrome, osteoarthritis and asthma.
According to professor Peter Brooks, the Executive Dean of Health Sciences at Queensland, a focal point of the center will be to examine the social aspects of complementary medicine. "The centre will have the expertise to make a real difference in the way we look at complementary medicines, including the social considerations that drive people to take them," he said.
Over my almost 30 years in clinical practice, I have used Chai Hu Long Gu Mu Li Tang extensively for a wide array of clinical presentations ranging from chronic headaches to anxiety, insomnia, and prescription drug withdrawal symptoms if these situations fit the appropriate patterns – all with extremely positive clinical outcomes.
There’s no doubt that many of your patients visit your practice because they are in pain. And there’s certainly no doubt that curcumin from turmeric (Curcuma longa) can be incredibly effective in stopping that pain, whether due to chronic conditions like arthritis or acute pain from intensive workouts. But your patients may also benefit from curcumin for other reasons.
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Low back pain is defined as pain the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS), and it can be acute or chronic, localized or radiating. It is a common ailment for adults in the United States, with a lifetime prevalence as high as 65-80%. Whether or not an MRI is available to provide definitive knowledge of a structural issue, acupuncture can be an effective treatment for low back pain.
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