H ERBC LIP
FILE: • Veterinary Medicine • Alternative Medicine • Health Fraud
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Mark Blumenthal Editor Wayne Silverman, PhD Underwriting Coordinator Betsy Levy Densie Webb, PhD Leela Devi, MSN, RN Summary Writers Karen Newton Database Manager Susan McFarland Kara Dinda, MS Co-coordinators Dawnelle Malone Research Assistant The American Botanical Council provides this summary and the enclosed article as an educational service. By providing this article, ABC does not warrant that the data is accurate and correct, nor does distribution of the enclosed article constitute any endorsement of the information contained or of the views of the authors. ABC does not authorize the copying or use of the original articles. Reproduction of the summaries is allowed on a limited basis for students, colleagues, employees and/or customers. Other uses and distribution require prior approval.
DATE: RE:
September 9, 1998
HC 070888
Alternative Veterinary Medicine Plea for Support
Letter: Susan Wynn of Greater Atlanta Veterinary Group calls for support of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s recognition of alternative medicine in veterinary practice.
The battle for the right to practice alternative medicine continues—on some unusual fronts. “If you have enjoyed having access to a veterinarian knowledgeable in use of [alternative] therapies, your freedom of choice is being threatened,” warns Dr. Susan Wynn. “The [Veterinary] Task Force [Against Health Fraud] promises to force the AVMA to deny that these therapies work, and to deny that veterinarians using them are practicing good medicine.” The VTFHF recently started a letter-writing campaign against the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) protesting its recognition of “accumulating positive evidence” in favor of acupuncture, botanical medicine, and other alternative forms of medicine, according to this letter. The VTFHF’s underlying concern seems to be the threat posed to conventional veterinarians’ livelihoods by encroaching alternative veterinary care, judging by its dramatic claim that the AVMA is in “breach of contract” with constituent veterinarians by “misrepresenting” evidence supporting alternative therapies. This position exceeds in conservatism even that of the American Medical Association, which recognizes acupuncture as an effective treatment for various conditions including back pain, and recently published a positive clinical trial of Ginkgo biloba. Dr. Wynn hopes that a continuing attitude of tolerance will lead to more research into alternative veterinary care methods. In the meantime, she urges those who “use alternative therapies or believe [they] might ever need that something extra for a sick pet” to visit http://www.altvetmed.com/Special Page.html and add their names to a list of supporters of “freedom of choice.”—Betsy Levy
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