Mary Shomon has another interview with a dissenting voice about the new ATA 2014 Treatment Guidelines. This interview is with "integrative" physician Dr. Kenneth Woliner. Remember that the Guidelines take a swipe at integrative physicians. PR
thyroid.about.com/od/Treatm...
There is a link in the article to a piece by Dr. Gaby titled "Sub-laboratory” Hypothyroidism and the Empirical use of Armour® Thyroid" which I hadn't seen before.
What is an integrative physician?
Churchie, doctors that have moved out of the straight allopathic mode, a pill for every ill, into a more whole system approach. Rather than just treating the symptom they are interested in the underlying cause. They 'integrate' nutrition, herbs and botanicals, mind and body disciplines along with pharmaceuticals when necessary into their practice. It is probably a term used more in the US than the UK but the UK does have doctors that fit this mold. PR
PR Is this the same as "functional" medicine?
I think it will take years to filter through to NHS docs to investigate and treat the cause - lucky if they treat the symptom! - after all, schools of medicine were traditionally funded by pharmaceutical companies (who seem to be buying up vitamin companies now - how strange...) J 
PS - just out of curiosity - is USA Healthcare about 12% of employee's income? (plus 13.8% employer contribution - anyone please correct me if wrong).
Sparerib, to tell you the truth it gets kind of confusing. Functional, integrative, CAM (Complimentary Alternative Medicine), holistic, anti-aging and naturopathic all share some similarities. They all tend to look at the body as a whole instead of separate pieces and they tend to include diet, botanicals and other modalities in their practice besides just pharmaceuticals. There is a Functional Institute here in the US which was started by Dr. Jeffery Bland PhD in the early 90s. It is now headed by Dr. Mark Hyman MD and they have been successful in getting functional training added at many med schools.
We also have about half a dozen accredited Naturopathic Schools (ND) and in some states they are licensed as primary care doctors and can write scripts. Many MDs who are fed up with the standard allopathic approach will use one of these descriptions when they change their approach. It is about like finding a good mechanic or a good plumber, a lot of people claim to be good but only a few actually are. The US lives by the motto, "Let the buyer beware". PR
Well, you pays for what you gets....
(and HM Queen always had homoeopathic docs to keep her well)
however here it seems to me that we have to pay for what we don't get! (I have not even had a diagnosis, well CFS after a PT op but that doesn't count IMHO)... I may be 'harping on' a bit - just get miffed when some say the NHS is 'free'....
hopefully it will turn full circle soon.... despite so much pressure from those pharmas....
Rest in Peace, Dr. Kenneth R. Blanchard (USA Endocrinologist)
ThyroidChange - Tell the ATA and AACE how YOU feel about their treatment guidelines
NICE and NHS Guidelines - Links to useful bits!
The American Thyroid Association's New Guidelines
Why T3 Only Treatment is Sometimes Needed - USA Doc Speaks out!
