Metropolitan Emerging Therapies Coordinating Committee
Index: Media Releases, September Meeting Report, July Meeting Report
Links, Wilton Declaration
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Oct. 1st Release,
http://www.lifespirit.org/metccpr1001.html.--------------------------------------
09/30/00 NYC AREA METROPOLITAN COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR EMERGING THERAPIES (METCC) FORMED.
On September 29th a dozen NYC area health freedom activists met with several individuals active in church affairs in the metro area, at the suggestion of Bishop Nicholas Lambrou of the Holy Eastern Orthodox Church of the Americas. This meeting was a follow-up to the meeting held on July 9th in Wilton, CT at the call of Drs. Warren Levin and Serafina Corsello. The meeting was held at the Interchurch Center by Riverside Church in Manhattan.
The participants exchanged their views on the ethical significance of Freedom of Choice in Health Care. There was a general consensus that such Freedom of Choice is a fundamental human right. The participants reviewed the Wilton Health Freedom Declaration -- the Right to Heal and Be Healed (
Wilton) which came from the July meeting and it was the general consensus that the Declaration expressed the sense of this meeting as well.Members of the following organizations were present (affiliations for identification purposes only): Holy Eastern Orthodox Church, Queens Federation of Churches, LifeSpirit Congregational Church, Corsello Patients' Group, NY Natural Health Coalition, Institute for Health Research, FAIM, Holistic Awareness Network and the International Advocates for Health Freedom. These include the following web sites:
www.healthlobby.com, www.iahf.com, www.inhere.org, www.lifespirit.org, www.energywave.com, www.vitaminlawyer.com, www.medicinanatural.com, www.drcarley.com.There was a consensus that it was important to assert the right of the public to access to emerging complementary and alternative therapies. In practice, this was understood to mean that alternative practitioners, whether licensed MD's or others, should be defended when persecuted by the constituted authorities for providing emerging therapies and that those organizations which are permitted to do so should support legislation similar to that adopted in Minnesota to permit people the Right to Heal and Be Healed.
It was further the consensus of the meeting that the diverse organizations present, as well as all of the other pro-health freedom groups in the tri-state area, should be invited to join a coordinating committee to (1) exchange information, (2) explore ways of working together, (3) support pro-health freedom legislation, (4) find ways and means to support educational, lobbying and legal efforts and (5) focus the defense of practitioners under attack.
It is suggested that the committee be referred to as the Metropolitan Emerging Therapies Coordinating Committee (METCC). It is not the intent of the organizers to supplant any existing group, but rather to permit the existing groups to better coordinate their activities. It is hoped that other areas will form similar coordinating committees among the existing health freedom activist groups so that regional, national and international coordination of activities can occur.
Ralph Fucetola and Lydia Bronte were asked to coordinate the establishment of the committee. Ralph can be reached at
ralph.fucetola@usa.net and Lydia at LBronte1@aol.com.As further means of communication, an internet bulletin board can be established for metropolitan area activists. Karen Horbatt of the Institute for Health Research (
inhere@usa.net) indicated that IHR will volunteer to establish the bulletin board through its www.inhere.org site. [2001 Update: IHR established the bulletin board, which, since the events of 9/11/01 has primarily served as a location for exchanging information regarding Alternative Modalities and Bioterrorism threats.]---------------------------------------
08/05/00 -- On July 9, 2000 a group of MD's, other wellness professionals (nutritionists, naturopaths) and concerned citizens met at the home of Dr. Warren Levin to discuss the continuing persecution of innovative practitioners by political authorities. The meeting concluded that the time was right to call for the establishment of Health Freedom advocacy groups, to complement existing wellness advocacy groups, by focusing on the defense of practitioners under attack for their innovative approaches.
The Wilton Declaration, available on the World Wide Web at
www.lifespirit.org/wiltondec.html, was the result of their deliberations.I was asked by the people at the meeting to get their message out. The Declaration is being sent to many groups and individuals who have shown interest in Health Freedom. We ask you to join the Wilton Declaration by emailing the Organizing Committee at
healthfreedom@usa.net, with your approval, and with your donation pledge, if possible. When 100 people have subscribed to the Declaration we will publish all the names on the web site. If you feel you need to keep your support confidential, please just let us know.Please forward this information as widely as possible. Thank you.
Ralph Fucetola, JD
MEMBERS
Members of the Committee: [information temporarily withheld -- Private & Confidential]
Charter Members: [information temporarily withheld -- Private & Confidential]
Subscribers to the Declaration: [information temporarily withheld -- Private & Confidential]
[These links are for informational purposes only and do not imply that METCC endorses the sites, or that the sites endorse METCC or the Wilton Declaration -- if you want to be listed, let us know.]
Monica Miller,
www.healthlobby.comInstitute for Health Research,
www.inhere.orgEnergy Wave,
www.energywave.comRalph Fucetola, JD,
www.vitaminlawyer.comHeriberto Gonzalez,ND,
www.medicinanatural.comRebecca Carley, MD,
www.drcarley.com.International Advocates for Health Freedom,
www.iahf.comLife Extension Foundation
, www.lef.orgThis site for the METCC Organizing Committee is temporarily housed at www.lifespirit.org.
All rights reserved -- UCC 1-207 v10/01/00 rev 10/24/03