Nontraditional medicine takes some steps forward
Has the day finally arrived when nontraditional medicine is recognized by the traditional medical community?
Based on two recent events I would say that some aspects of nontraditional medicine have: A medical board certification for traditional medical physicians in integrative medicine is now available: and combination chemotherapy and intravenous vitamin C is in phase 2 clinical trials.
From medical school and residency to fellowship and beyond physicians are constantly retested to make sure that their medical knowledge and skills are up to date. There is no other profession in the health field or otherwise that is as thoroughly tested on a regular basis.
Upon passing a specific test, a certification in a specific area of medicine is usually awarded by the testing board. This is called being board certified.
For a number of years, Andrew Weil M.D. and the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona have been trying to establish a board certification in integrative medicine.
Integrative medicine is the practice of medicine that combines the best of traditional and nontraditional medicine. A board certification in this field indicates that the physician has a great deal of knowledge, both the understanding and application of traditional medicine as well as nontraditional medicine.
In November of 2014 the first board exam for integrative medicine was made available to physicians. This board exam was through the American Board of Integrative Medicine and the American Board of Physician Specialties (a traditional medicine medical board).
One hundred and seventeen physicians successfully passed the examination (including yours truly). They now carry the title of being board certified in the new medical subspecialty of integrative medicine. This exam will be offered twice per year and I'm quite confident that the number of board certified integrative medicine physicians will only continue to grow.
Ever since the early research by Linus Pauling on anticancer benefits of vitamin C, vitamin C therapy has been considered to be bogus by the traditional medical community.
In 2012, a phase 1 clinical trial was completed using chemotherapy and intravenous vitamin C for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer. This clinical trial demonstrated that high dose vitamin C was potentially beneficial when combined with chemotherapy.
In this clinical trial, all patients saw reduction in tumor size with the combination of gemcitabine, erlotinib and high-dose intravenous vitamin C. Only nine patients completed the study but, of interest are that in five patients the tumor stabilized, in two patients the tumors progressed but, in two patients at the highest dose of vitamin C the tumors actually regressed. It has prompted a phase 2 clinical trial looking at the effect of intravenous vitamin C and chemotherapy, together, on cancer.
We've come a long way in 30 years from the National Institutes of Health creating the office of complementary alternative medicine to the new medical board subspecialty of integrative medicine.
Integrative medicine is in the best interests of patients, probably lowers medical costs and improves outcome. It is the future and the future is now.
• Patrick B. Massey, MD, PH.D., is medical director for complementary and alternative medicine at Alexian Brothers Hospital Network and president of ALT-MED Medical and Physical Therapy, 1544 Nerge Road, Elk Grove Village. His website is www.alt-med.org.