Monday, November 8th, 2010

Jacksonville, FL and Sacramento, CA – The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and the American Association for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) are responding to a recent PBS program, which featured the report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office titled “Herbal Dietary Supplements: Examples of Deceptive or Questionable Marketing Practices and Potentially Dangerous Advice”, authored by Gregory D. Kutz.

The report stressed the importance of consumers seeking qualified practitioners for herbal treatment due the possibility of adverse drug interactions and the use of inferior herbs. Unfortunately, the report omitted that there are thousands of highly qualified Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM) practitioners who have been prescribing Chinese herbs for decades in the United States without harm or incident. This is why the NCCAOM is collaborating with the AAAOM to inform consumers to look for a state licensed and/or NCCAOM certified Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine practitioner when seeking herbal treatment.

“Our priority is to have consumers recognize the significance of NCCAOM Certification in Chinese Herbology and Oriental Medicine as an indication of competence and safety for the practice of Chinese herbology,” said NCCAOM Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kory Ward-Cook. “NCCAOM certified practitioners have met the necessary educational requirements and have also passed a rigorous assessment to practice Chinese herbology and Oriental medicine safely and efficaciously for several decades in the United States.”

The government report does not acknowledge the extensive education and training AOM practitioners complete. “Herbology is one of the main branches of Oriental medicine, and as reinforced by the World Health Organization, Chinese herbs can be very effective in treating a variety of ailments, such as high blood pressure and arthritis, when prescribed by a licensed practitioner,” said AAAOM President Jeannie Kang. “Consumers are best served when they rely on a state licensed and/or NCCAOM certified AOM practitioner for the safe prescription and dispensing of herbs.”

As part of their mission to protect the public welfare, the NCCAOM and state licensing boards maintain a general listing of certified and licensed practitioners on their websites at aaaomonline.org and nccaom.org. The public is encouraged to utilize these and state directories when seeking a qualified and competent AOM practitioner.

If you would like more information about the AAAOM or NCCAOM, please contact Doug Newton, Operations Manager, AAAOM at (916) 443-4770 or [email protected] or Mina Larson, Director of Public, Professional, and Regulatory Affairs, NCCAOM at 703-314-2908 or [email protected].