January 11, 1998
Larry King
820 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002 Dear Mr. King:
I watched with great interest your interview with Dr. Andrew Weil
the other evening. It strengthened my feelings that it is the media
that is keeping the paradigm shift toward greater self-responsibility
in health alive. The old days of going to the doctor and saying,
"Here's my body. I got it sick, you get it well" are fading. The
baby-boomer generation has given impetus to this changing attitude,
but more frequently it is the baby-boomers in the media that have
the power to do so.
My profession has for decades advanced the notion of "wellness"
(don't smoke, eat right, exercise, etc.). It was largely ignored
for two reasons:
- There is little, if any, money to be made by the health professions
in encouraging wellness concepts.
- My profession did not have the necessary power to overcome the
barrage of advertising promotion by the entrenched establishment
in health care.
As concerns number one, it can be argued that pursuing wellness actually
costs the health industry money. That is, if you keep yourself healthier,
you don't need to run to the doctor as often, or for such serious
health problems. It is only in recent times that large companies have
learned that one dollar invested in wellness programs for their employees
saves as much as $3.70 in their employee benefits expenditures. But
without the lead of the media, even this awareness would have had
little effect.
Ironically, a few days before your interview of Dr. Weil on "Larry
King Live," there was an article in the New York Times ("Journal
Casts a Cold Eye on Alternative Medicine," Dec. 30, 1997), which
I am enclosing a copy of for your review. You will note that among
other things, the author comments: "Readers looking for the pros
and cons of alternative therapies will find that the first issue
comes down heavily on the con side, with detailed articles that
skewer (emphasis added) homeopathy therapeutic touch and the popular
self-help writer, Dr. Andrew Weil (emphasis added)."
I happen to know that in June, the Federation of Medical Licensing
Boards (FMLB) adopted a new policy that requests that medical physicians
who are cooperating in any way with alternative practitioners be
reported to the licensing boards for investigation. This is a terrible
state power that is being wielded to intimidate the growing numbers
of medical physicians who are considering the benefits of "alternative
therapies." Granted, the FMLB included a statement in its new policy
that excluded professions that are state-licensed, as is my profession
of chiropractic. Nevertheless, the chilling fallout from such a
draconian policy/position will only serve to suffocate the emerging
evaluations -- based on science/research, outcome measurements and
patient satisfaction data -- of "alternative therapies."
I noted with special interest the obvious fact that Dr. Wallace
Sampson, founder of the new journal The Scientific Review of Alternative
Medicine, is not one of the younger generation (either baby-boomers
or generation x-ers) who are the ones helping to open up dialogue
into the "alternatives." There are now over 40 medical colleges
who offer courses in "alternative medical therapies." What effect
will the new FMLB policy have on these colleges? A stifling one
at best, one I fear only the media will be able to overcome.
I want to applaud you for openly and forthrightly helping CNN
viewers to judge the rationality and objectivity of spokespersons
for "alternatives." As you found, Dr. Weil is a highly educated
person who is, at the least, undeserving of "skewering." I also
wanted to thank you for bringing up the issue of my own profession
of chiropractic. I have spent over 40 years in it, have held the
position of president of the Palmer College of Chiropractic, and
currently am a national spokesperson for the American Chiropractic
Association (ACA), and a member of the board of directors of the
National Chiropractic Mutual Insurance Company (NCMIC), our large
malpractice insurance carrier.
I wish you well in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
Jerome F. McAndrews, DC
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