New Practical, Effective, and Advanced Treatments for the Environmental Contributors To Chronic Illnesses:

Special Focus on Molds, Chronic Infections, Endocrine Disruptors, and Foods

Introduction

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) is pleased to announce the Call for Papers for the 45th Annual Scientific Meeting. The 2010 conference will take place at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California on October 21 - 24, 2010. Papers should address practical, effective, and advanced treatments for the environmental contributors To chronic illnesses with a special focus on molds, chronic infections, endocrine disruptors and foods.

The widespread adverse health effects from 9/11/01 and Hurricane Katrina have greatly increased the public's awareness that serious health consequences can result from exposures to molds, toxic chemicals, and other environmental substances. However, the health consequences from these two events are merely the tip of a rapidly expanding iceberg.

A large, growing, and persuasive body of scientific evidence has documented that, in a growing segment of our population, a rapidly increasing and complex toxic body burden is contributing to an increasing variety of multi-system, chronic, and debilitating conditions and diseases. The resultant adverse and expensive impacts on the quality of life in these patients are reaching alarming proportions. It is therefore imperative that these insights be widely disseminated throughout the health care system and that focused attention be given to improving the accurate diagnosis and effective treatments for these types of illnesses.

Diagnostic tools must effectively address the diversity of conditions that can result from these contributors. They must also assess the status of affected organ functions, individual body burdens and susceptibilities to specific exposures, and must allow monitoring of the success of treatment. Treatment must address the actual causes: effective removal of toxicant burdens, optimizing the individual’s organ system functions, detoxication pathways and state of nutrition, and accommodating individually specific detoxication genes of biotransformation where applicable. Prevention must focus on the early recognition of the causes of various conditions, cleaning up the environment and diet, and optimizing nutritional status.

This cause-oriented and preventive strategy is the approach of Environmental Medicine. It offers the most effective and cost effective approach to restoring and maintaining the long-term health of those patients whose chronic illnesses are contributed to by molds, chronic infections, endocrine disruptors, foods, and other environmental factors, including chemicals.

Goals

1. To address the day to day management of the complex patients with common illnesses contributed to by molds, chronic infections, endocrine disruptors, foods, and other environmental factors


2. To focus on clinical insights, diagnostic and treatment modalities, and clinical algorithms and protocols to help the health care professional provide the most effective health outcomes for these patients

Objectives

At the end of this educational activity, the attendee should be able to:

• Discuss the range of many common illnesses contributed to by molds, chronic infections, endocrine disruptors, foods, and other environmental factors such as chemicals, cared for by many different health care specialties
• Understand the nature of the complex biologic mechanisms and principles that govern the manifestations and course of these illnesses.
• Utilize practical diagnosis and treatment options and guidelines that physicians and other healthcare professionals can implement to improve the long-term outcomes for these patients.
• Appreciate how the techniques and concepts of Environmental Medicine can improve the effectiveness of health care and simultaneously lower its long-term cost.

Targeted Audience

Practicing M.D.'s and D.O.'s: primary care physicians and all specialists who deal with chronic illnesses; dentists, naturopaths, chiropractors, advanced nurse practitioners, nurses, nutritionists, researchers, academicians, and other health professionals who treat patients with chronic health challenges contributed to by molds, chemicals, foods, and chronic infections.

Call For Presentations

Papers are invited on the topics outlined and others falling within the scope of the meeting. Abstracts of no more than 300 words should be submitted as soon as possible. We strongly encourage submission of abstracts electronically no later than March 1, 2010. Abstracts should clearly state the purpose, results and conclusions of the work to be described in the final paper. Include at least one reference with your submission (however, you may include multiple references if you have them). Unreferenced material will not be considered for presentation except under special circumstances.

Abstracts must be non-commercial and focus on one or more of the areas indicated below. Presenting authors will be contacted in April 2010 and advised if submitted abstract(s) is/are approved. If selected, the presenting author will be required to provide a Curriculum Vitae and complete necessary forms as directed in order to comply with ACCME requirements for accreditation. Submit an Abstract no later than March 1, 2010.

Conference Topics

Please Note: The emphasis of this educational activity is to focus on treatment and not initial diagnosis. However, "new and effective" diagnostic tools that help with monitoring the efficacy of treatment will be entertained for presentation.

1. Scientifically validated diagnostic tools and how and when to use them, which assess aspects pertinent to illnesses contributed to by molds, chronic infections, endocrine disruptors, foods, and other environmental factors such as chemicals; e.g.,

• Assessment of external environmental burdens (pre- and post-treatment), such as molds, mycotoxins, endocrine disruptors, chemicals, etc.
• Assessment of internal toxicant burdens (pre- and post-treatment)
• Assessment of specific pertinent static and functional organ system functions (pre- and post-treatment)
• Assessment for chronic infections (pre- and post-treatment), such as Lyme's disease and co-infections, fungi, G.I. dysbiosis, etc.
• Assessment of nutritional status and functions (pre- and post-treatment)
• Assessment of dysfunctional psychological and social aspects of chronic illnesses (pre- and post-treatment)

2. Clinical outcome studies, meta-analyses, documented case presentations, and clinically useful insights, algorithms, and clinical protocols that specifically address treating chronic illnesses contributed to by molds, chronic infections, endocrine disruptors, foods, and other environmental factors such as chemicals; e.g.,

• How to reduce environmental and internal toxicant burdens
• Immunotherapies
• Nutritional therapies
• Anti-infectious agents (viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.)
• Sauna
• Hyperbaric therapies
• Immune boosters and regulators
• Surgery
• Oxygen Therapy
• Bio-energetic therapies
• Psychological and social therapies

3. Any other topics pertinent to this theme and/or improving the practice of Environmental Medicine