Policy Committees
Committee Resolutions
Resolution on the Protection of Physicians and Freedom of Choice in the Medical Marketplace
November 17, 2006
NFWL Health & Empowerment Policy Committee
Resolution on the Protection of Physicians and Freedom of Choice in the Medical Marketplace
(Ratified November 2006)
WHEREAS, health care in America is in crisis; a 2003 World Health Organization evaluation of healthy life expectancy (total life expectancy minus years of illness) ranked the United States 22 out of 23 industrialized countries, just ahead of the Czech Republic; and
WHEREAS, the United States' annual per capita health care expenditures exceed $6,000, more than twice as much as other developed countries; and
WHEREAS, this crisis will only worsen in upcoming years as the health care needs of unprecedented numbers of aging Baby Boomers afflicted with age-related degenerative diseases, will place a tremendous burden on the system; and
WHEREAS, lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements, and other alternative medical therapies which have been proven to be effective in the prevention and treatment of degenerative diseases should be promoted and offered to patients; and
WHEREAS, the government cannot make individuals healthier, but it can open up the marketplace to physicians and other health care practitioners who offer safe, effective, and relatively inexpensive treatments that are particularly effective in improving the health of patients with diabetes, heart disease, obesity, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases; and
WHEREAS, we need to encourage, rather than discourage, the use of lifestyle interventions, vitamins and minerals, and other proven natural therapies to prevent and treat disease; and
WHEREAS, doctors must be free to treat fully informed patients with any therapy they deem appropriate and effective without fear of disciplinary action; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Foundation for Women Legislators' National Policy Committee on Health and Empowerment encourages legislators in every state to pass legislation that protects physicians who use alternative medical therapies against unreasonable and unwarranted state medical board actions.
Resolution on the Protection of Physicians and Freedom of Choice in the Medical Marketplace
(Ratified November 2006)
WHEREAS, health care in America is in crisis; a 2003 World Health Organization evaluation of healthy life expectancy (total life expectancy minus years of illness) ranked the United States 22 out of 23 industrialized countries, just ahead of the Czech Republic; and
WHEREAS, the United States' annual per capita health care expenditures exceed $6,000, more than twice as much as other developed countries; and
WHEREAS, this crisis will only worsen in upcoming years as the health care needs of unprecedented numbers of aging Baby Boomers afflicted with age-related degenerative diseases, will place a tremendous burden on the system; and
WHEREAS, lifestyle changes, nutritional supplements, and other alternative medical therapies which have been proven to be effective in the prevention and treatment of degenerative diseases should be promoted and offered to patients; and
WHEREAS, the government cannot make individuals healthier, but it can open up the marketplace to physicians and other health care practitioners who offer safe, effective, and relatively inexpensive treatments that are particularly effective in improving the health of patients with diabetes, heart disease, obesity, arthritis, and other degenerative diseases; and
WHEREAS, we need to encourage, rather than discourage, the use of lifestyle interventions, vitamins and minerals, and other proven natural therapies to prevent and treat disease; and
WHEREAS, doctors must be free to treat fully informed patients with any therapy they deem appropriate and effective without fear of disciplinary action; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Foundation for Women Legislators' National Policy Committee on Health and Empowerment encourages legislators in every state to pass legislation that protects physicians who use alternative medical therapies against unreasonable and unwarranted state medical board actions.