Reflexology and the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Many of you, by now, have heard that the Final Report of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy was handed in to the President back in March of 2002.  The report was established by Executive Order No. 13147 in March 2000, by President Clinton.  The order stated that the Commission was 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 Commission addressed:

1. Research:  The coordination of research to increase knowledge of CAM products
2. Education:  Training and education of health care practitioner in CAM
3. Access:  Guidance regarding appropriate access to and delivery of CAM services
4. Provision:  How to provide useful and reliable information about CAM practices and products to health care professionals

The Commission consisted of 20 presidentially appointed members, many of who are conventionally trained professionals and others that are trained exclusively in CAM practices.  Several are health care professionals who integrate CAM approaches to their work and still others are academic physicians and health and mental health professionals, who joined the Commission “…interested in, but not experts in, CAM approaches.”

Over the course of an 18-month period, the Commission heard and read the testimony of over 700 individuals and organizations, including testimony from the Reflexology Association of America.  In the Executive Summary section of the Final Report, Chairman James S. Gordon, M.D notes that “At times there were differences of opinion among us about, for example, the proper balance between freedom of choice and regulation as well as the appropriate roles of the various CAM professions in the health care system…we were able to resolve many aspects of these and other questions…still others remain to be addressed by the appropriate Federal agencies, and by tasks forces and advisory groups whose creation this report recommends.”

Dr. Gordon goes on to state that …“ This report is grounded in the conviction that first-class scientific research on these approaches and well designed demonstration projects –of the same high quality required for conventional approaches – is crucial to helping all Americans, and those who care for them, make the wisest healthcare decisions.”  Furthermore, he states: “ The Report’s vision is holistic.  It is shaped by attention to the mind, body, and spirit of each person, and to the social and ecological world...this perspective, which has also re-emerged over the last 30 years in Western medicine under the name “biopsychosocial”, has long been the shaping principle of traditional systems of healing.”  “The Commission’s report is also defined by an emphasis on the importance of each person participating in his or her own care, and moderated by the understanding that the government has a responsibility to facilitate this process.” 

The Commission endorsed the following 10 “guiding principles” in order to shape the process of making the recommendations and to fine-tune the recommendations themselves.  The 10 principles were:

1. A wholeness orientation in health care
2. Evidence of safety and efficacy
3. The healing capacity of the person
4. Respect for individuality
5. The right to choose treatment
6. An emphasis on health promotion and self-care
7. Partnerships as essential to integrated health care
8. Education as a fundamental health care service.
9. Dissemination of Comprehensive and timely information
10. Integral public involvement.

The main body of this comprehensive report is broken into the following sections: Coordination of Research, Education & Training of Health Care Practitioners, Information Development and Dissemination, Access & Delivery, Coverage & Reimbursement, Wellness & Health Promotion, Coordinating Federal CAM Efforts, Recommendations & Actions.   The report itself is over 200 pages in length and can be read in its entirety on-line at www.whccamp.hhs.gov

Laura Aho Jodry