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CME credit for “functional medicine” under review

Posted 31 October 2017

CME credit for “functional medicine” under review

The American Academy of Family Physicians has issued a call for comment on the eligibility of “functional medicine” topics for continuing medical education (CME) credit. In 2014, and then again in 2016, its Commission on Continuing Professional Development reviewed functional medicine and identified a lack of existing evidence to support its practice. As a result, a moratorium on all functional medicine topics eligible for CME credit is in place until February 2018. “Functional medicine” is a marketing term that encompasses a wide range of tests and treatments that are unsubstantiated and/or unnecessary. Science-Based Medicine has posted an insightful discussion of this topic. [Bellamy J. AAFP: Functional medicine lacks supporting evidence; includes “harmful” and “dangerous” treatments. Science-Based Medicine, Oct 26, 2017] Comments to the AAFP can be made through an AAFP survey site.

Source: Consumer Health Digest #17-40, Read the rest

What “functional medicine” really is

Posted 09 December 2016

A number of health professionals claim to practise “Functional Medicine”, which they claim is superior to ‘orthodox’ medicine for it takes the individual into consideration.

Orac, a regular contributor on health related matters, has written a great article on this topic. Published at Scienceblogs.com, he makes a number of pertinent arguments, best summarised by this heading: “Functional medicine: A little bit right, a whole lot of wrong”.

[quote]”It’s been noted before many times how how CAM and “integrative medicine” fetishize “individualization” of treatment über alles and how, unfortunately, that individualization is more akin to making it up as you go along than it is to any sort of science-based individualization. This is an aspect of all of CAM, and it strikes me, more than anything else, as a means of catering to the normal human desire to feel special. It also caters to the physician’s… Read the rest