Meet NACCAM Member Carlo Calabrese, M.D., M.P.H.
Carlo Calabrese, N.D., M.P.H.
Carlo Calabrese, N.D., M.P.H., has been a member of NCCAM's National Advisory Council for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NACCAM) since 2004. He is senior investigator at Helfgott Research Institute, National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM), Portland, Oregon, and clinical assistant professor of neurology at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), Portland. Dr. Calabrese is also associate director of the CAM: Expectancy and Outcome (CAMEO) center, an NCCAM developmental research center that focuses, in several disease contexts, on patient expectation and other factors in patient-provider interaction that may produce desired biological effects. CAMEO is a collaboration between OHSU, NCNM, Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, and Western States Chiropractic College.
Dr. Calabrese received his Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from NCNM and his Master of Public Health degree from the University of Washington. He has developed methods for researching CAM and conducted studies on nutrients, botanicals, and CAM practices.
How did you become interested in naturopathy?
I was seeking an approach to health maintenance and improvement that would be ecologically and economically sustainable. I came across naturopathic medicine 30 years ago while seeking a practitioner to attend the home birth of our son.
Do you think the practice of naturopathic health care is changing? If so, why?
Yes, naturopathy has been changing since its beginning. Our profession is growing fast; the number of licensed naturopathic doctors (NDs) doubled from 2001 to 2006. NDs and naturopathic medicine change, as MDs do, under the influence of emerging experience. NDs are now contributing to the biomedical research literature, of which they were always strong consumers. The reorganization and definition of the profession in the 1980s was a new beginning. Also, NCCAM has provided an avenue of funding that is helping to train scientifically talented people, retain them in research careers, improve the evidence base, and articulate and evaluate our practice. This will ultimately have benefits for patients.
Based on your clinical experience, what are a few aspects of naturopathic medicine that you think can be especially helpful to people?
There are many therapies that NDs provide to address specific diseases and that are either well supported or very promising. However, the best payoff, in my opinion, comes from applying the basics of diet, exercise, and stress management with a goal of overall wellness for every patient, in combination with disease specific naturopathic treatments.
One suggestion at NCCAM's recent Stakeholder Dialogue was for NCCAM to develop new research methodologies to study whole medical systems. Do you have any specific ideas on this?
Many research methods would be appropriate. One of my favorites is closer study of the experiment of CAM that has been going on in everyday care. As some CAM practitioners (such as NDs, chiropractors, and acupuncturists) become integrated into the health system, studies of their practices with regard to broad outcomes in health, safety, and cost become easier. Such studies can reveal the outcomes of policies and personal choices.
What has your experience been as a member of NCCAM's advisory council? How can other CAM professionals contribute?
My experience has been delightful. I would encourage CAM professionals to contribute by attending NCCAM public meetings, keeping abreast of the Center's activities, and supporting its work. I would also encourage CAM clinicians to help build the evidence base behind natural-medicine therapies by linking with other researchers, collecting data from clinical practice, and working toward building research networks. Ultimately, we must have the means to examine our practices.
The next meeting of NACCAM will be held on February 1, 2008, at the Neuroscience Center Building, 6001 Executive Blvd., Rockville, Maryland; see nccam. nih.gov/about/advisory/naccam/.
Selected References
Bradley R, Oberg EB, Calabrese C, et al. Algorithm for complementary and alternative medicine practice and research in type 2 diabetes. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2007;13(1):159-175.
Shinto L, Calabrese C, Morris C, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine in multiple sclerosis: survey of licensed naturopaths. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2004;10(5):891-897.
Standish LJ, Calabrese C, Snider P. The naturopathic medical research agenda: the future and foundation of naturopathic medical science. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2006;12(3):341-345.
