The Latest News and Updates
You can always check this page to see the latest news and updates to the site.
If this is your first time visiting this site, please visit our
Welcome page
for an introduction to what Washington CHOICE is all about.
Action needed now...
The FDA’s attack against natural hormones and how you can fight back.
Click here " Your access to safe,
natural hormones is under fire!" --Dr. Wright’s latest article on the FDA’s assault in the war on bio-identical hormones.
This articles covers
- Background on the current situation
- What the FDA is saying
- The truth about natural hormones
- Why the FDA is taking this action
- Other examples of FDA actions and how money controls
- How we must act now and what we must do
Also, visit "FDA Bans
Hormone Produced by Human Body as “Unapproved” Drug" for Dr. Wright's article reviewing
the latest FDA attack.
This article reviews
- How Bio-Identical Estriol is safe
- What is actually happening
- Why the FDA is so hostile to “natural” medicine
- Why we should have a choice
Please act now by contacting your congressional representative, senators and the White House.
Click here for more facts and ways to help the HOME
(HANDS OFF MY ESTROGENS) coalition .
We appreciate your continued support. Thank you.
“Expert testimony … is not essential”
Yes, you read that right. The paragraph below is from the official document concluding the case against
Dr. Geoffrey Ames by the State of Washington Department of Health Medical Quality Assurance Commission (MQAC),
Docket No. 02-06-A-1012MD, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Final Order, signed by MQAC by Cabell Tennis, JD,
MQAC Panel Chair, May 30, 2007.
"Expert testimony is helpful, but not essential to the Department's case, nor would the lack of such
testimony either support or require dismissal of the charges against Respondent. Johnston v. Washington
State Medical Disciplinary Board, 99 Wn.2d 466, 663 P.2d 457 (1983); Brown v. State Department of Health,
Dental Disciplinary Board, 94 Wn. App. 7, 972 P.2d 101 (1998). Based on the Johnston and Brown cases, the
Commission can use its own expertise to evaluate the standard of care regarding the Respondent's actions
with Patient One. No additional expert is necessary to resolve this case. RCW 34.05.461(5)."
This is why we absolutely need legislation that requires experts who practice the actual protocol
or at least are familiar with holistic treatments and the philosophy to be involved in the process.
Live with Dr. Wright on the latest FDA challenge
Dr. Jonathan Wright, pioneering leader in the field of holistic medicine, will be interviewed on
the Rollye James Show on February 14 from 7-9PM to talk about the FDA’s attack against the use of
bio-identical hormones.
Here's the story ...
On January 9, 2008, the FDA ordered pharmacies across the country to stop providing bio-identical estriol.
80% of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy prescriptions use estriol. And, the FDA, by its own admission,
admits that no adverse event involving compounded bio-identical estriol has ever been reported.
In addition, to addressing many key issues including the latest effort by the FDA to banish bio-identical hormones,
Dr. Wright will talk about HOME (Hands off My Estrogens!) coalition and
how we are fighting back at this latest assault.
Dr. Ames gets support on his day in court—thanks to you
Source: As appears in February 2008 Dr. Jonathan V. Wright's Nutrition &
Healing Newsletter www.wrightnewsletter.com
You may remember the case of holistic physician Geoffrey Ames, M.D., discussed in detail in the June
2006 issue. He demonstrated (but didn’t even use) an electrodermal testing device [EAV] to a patient.
Although not harmed in any way, the patient complained to the Washington State Medical “Quality”
Assurance Commission (our old “friend” M“Q”AC) about the device itself. After persecution costing Dr. Ames
and his wife over $250,000 (which they had to re-finance their house to pay), the M“Q”AC suspended his
medical license for five years.
They threw him a bone, albeit a rotten one, when they “stayed” Dr. Ames’ suspension on the
conditions that he send in chart notes from 10 allergy patients every three months, along with
a signed affidavit that he is not using his EAV machine and that he submit to M“Q”AC interrogation
every six months for five years.
Dr. Ames appealed these penalties to the regular appellate courts, but was denied.
His case has now been appealed to the Washington State Supreme Court.
One major issue in Dr. Ames’ Supreme Court appeal is that the M“Q”AC can declare anyone it wishes
an “expert” witness to testify on its behalf—which means against Dr. Ames. And in a sickening loophole
of our administrative “justice” system,it doesn’t matter at all if the “expert witness” appointed by the
M“Q”AC has any background or experience at all in the area they’re testifying about— in Dr. Ames’ case, the
practice of the holistic medicine.
I’m no legal expert (although I’ve been forced by attacks from both los Federales and M“Q”AC to learn a
lot more about the law than I ever wanted to know), but I’ve been told by legal experts that “amicus curiae”
(friend of the court) legal briefs can sometimes be very important in cases appealed to the Supreme Court,
especially “amicus” briefs from groups with public support like you’ve given Washington CHOICE.
So when the Washington Supreme Court granted permission for Washington CHOICE’s attorney to file an “amicus”
brief supporting Dr. Ames’ appeal, I knew Washington CHOICE had to raise the money for an attorney to write it.
Thanks to your help from last year and a very generous donation from Dr. Jon Mundall (another holistic physician
recently targeted —with no patient complaint—by M“Q”AC) and his wife, Eloyce, and another from Stephen
Smith, M.D., (himself the victim of M“Q”AC—see Nutrition & Healing for October 2006) we’ve been able to raise
most of the funds to support the brief-writing and filing.
Once Dr. Ames’ own appeal and the “amicus” brief are filed and put on the public record, they will be posted at
on our site. Please check for them there, and help support this effort if you can.
(Our website support funds are running low!) It’s very important to the ability of holistic MDs to practice
without harassment in Washington State!
Please help Washington CHOICE help you!
The Washington State legislature has likely already gone into session before you received this issue.
Your telephone calls, letters, e-mails, and other communications are vital to protecting your access to
natural, holistic health care from MDs (including me) and DOs in Washington State! Please stay in touch with
Washington CHOICE for the latest updates and contact data, and do whatever you can to help. Thank you so much!
For more information on the challenges facing holistic medicine including 18 articles reprinted from Dr. Wright's
Nutrition and Healing Newsletter click here
Live with Dr. Wright
Dr. Jonathan Wright, pioneering leader in the field of holistic medicine and medical director of
Tahoma Clinic, will be interviewed on the Rollye James Show on January 31 from 7-10PM.
Dr. Wright will be addressing many key issues including the latest effort by the FDA to banish
bio-identical hormones. And, he will talk about Washington CHOICE and our efforts to make professional
life safer for holistic physicians ensuring that natural and nutritionally oriented health care remains available
to all of us.
Amicus brief filed on behalf of Dr. Geoff Ames
Dr. Geoff Ames was investigated and charged, facing numerous serious sanctions, for
demonstrating (but not using) an electro dermal testing device (EAV) to a patient.
We felt that this action was so egregious that Washington Choice has prepared and
filed with the Supreme Court a supporting legal document called an Amicus Brief.
An Amicus Brief is filed with the courts when a specific case has broader implications
than the single action in process. The Brief provides a way to draw attention and
aid addressing the court on behalf of Dr. Ames's appeal.
Amicus curiae, refers to someone, not a party to a case, who volunteers to offer
information on a point of law or some other aspect of the case to assist the court
in deciding a matter before it. The information may be a legal opinion in the form
of a brief – testimony that has not been solicited by any of the parties – or a
learned treatise on a matter that bears on the case.
Please read the full article here.
Article from Nutrition & Healing Health e-Tips, 12/13/07
Well-known natural medicine commentator Amanda Ross, in the national-international
newsletter Nutrition & Health e-Tips, published an article last week effectively
describing our current challenges and ways her readers could help. Ross's article
outlines how the Medical 'Quality' Assurance Commission (M'Q'AC) in our state has
been persecuting holistic medicine practitioners -- including Dr. Wright -- under
the guise of "protecting" the public.
Please read the full article here.
Comments from a Funding Donor
"The only way these Gov't agencies can justify their existence is to manufacture false problems. Keep on fighting!"
Thank you all for your support. Pease send your comments and personal stories by linking to
Contact Us .
We love to hear from you and will publish supporter comments from time to time.
War on Holistic ... telephones?
Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, internationally known holistic medicine expert, author,
and trainer, is again under the scrutiny of the Washington State Department of
Health and this time it is for the telephone system at his Tahoma Clinic, Renton,
Washington. As surprising as this complaint sounds, this is yet another example of
how our Department of Health is attacking "holistic" healthcare providers and
chipping away at our ability to have health care choices.
For a full review of this situation, including the full documents listed below
please read the full article.
- Dr. Wright's response (to be published in his national newsletter) to this newest allegation.
- The letter sent by the State of Washington Department of Health (DOH) to Dr. Wright.
- A letter from Dr. Wright's counsel to the Department of Health.
