Who is Wallace Sampson, and why does he dislike NCCAM?

Based on his recently published editorial discussed in a previous entry here, it seems appropriate to introduce Wallace Sampson, MD to anyone who has not crossed his path before. Dr. Sampson is an outspoken critic of CAM and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). In 2005, Dr. Sampson wrote it is time for Congress to defund the NCCAM. “After ten years of existence and over $200 million in expenditures, it has not proved effectiveness for any ‘alternative’ method. It has added to proof of ineffectiveness of some methods, but we had that disproof before NCCAM was formed.”

Please Dr. Sampson, don’t hold back. Tell us what you really think.

He continues, “They [NCCAM] would supplant objectivity and reason with myths, feelings, hunches, and sophistry.”

Well, o-kay then.

Wallace Sampson is a clinical professor emeritus of medicine at Stanford University and editor-in-chief at the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine. He studies and teaches about unscientific medical systems and aberrant medical claims. He sits on the board of directors of the National Council Against Health Fraud.