What's new in 2011

It has been quite some time since my last blog entry. This is not because there has been little to report. On the contrary, we have been very busy during the past 6 months. As most people know by now, I enjoy doing things much more than I like sitting around talking (or writing) about it.

But I need to alert people to what has been going on in Biotherapy, so here goes -

First and foremost, we just started a new blog, to a new audience - wound care providers. Check it out on WoundSource, at: www.woundsource.com/blog/ron-sherman.

We spoke previously about the 8th International Conference on Biotherapy (ICB-2010) in Los Angeles. This was a great success, with practitioners, researchers and professors from all over the world attending, sharing, and networking. The BTER Foundation videotaped most of the lectures, and they are being edited for posting on the BTER Foundation website. We raised most of the needed $20,000; thank you to all who attended, contributed, or supported us.

The first Maggot Therapy Webinar is just weeks away; more information can be found at: www.bterfoundation.org/MDTwebinar.

There is a lot more happening, but right now I must get out the BTER Foundation's newsletter. So, I will come back to this later, and note some of the other big developments this year in Biotherapy.

Inaugurating our first fund-raising drive

We are nearing the end of the year, but not slowing down! Several more educational activities remain on our calender for 2010 (just take a look at the meeting schedule, below)! The biggest event of all takes place in just 2 weeks: the International Conference on Biotherapy (ICB), to be held in the US (Los Angeles) for the first time in its 14-year history.

But today I asked readers of our newsletter (The BeTER LeTTER) for assistance. "If you are planning to contribute to the BTER Foundation this year," I wrote, "NOW is the time to do it. We really need your support in our drive to raise $20,000 to pay our faculty's travel costs."

The BTER Foundation is bringing the leading clinicians and researchers from around the globe to share their knowledge and experience with us all. THIS is the way the BTER Foundation fulfills its mission to improve the QUALITY and AVAILABILITY of healthcare. The faculty has volunteered their services and time; we will pay their travel costs.

Never before have I used our newsletter to ask for donations; and I hope never to need to do it again. But our efforts to date to raise money through grants and sponsorship have fallen short. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Conference Grant that we worked so hard to get did not materialize. In fact, our application was rejected without review because "it was outside the mission of AHRQ" (AHRQ is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services). No one from AHRQ returned our telephone or e-mail messages, so we still do not know why our conference was "outside the the mission" of their Small Conference Grants program. But we do know that this will not stop us from moving ahead with the conference. We also know that raising the needed funds through very high registration fees is the wrong way to go, because it will prevent many people from attending. We want to increase biotherapy education, not inhibit it; our educational programs must remain affordable.

So with this month's newsletter, I inaugurated our first fund-raising drive ever: to raise $20,000 to cover the ICB faculty travel costs.

And now, what about you?

If you are in the fortunate position to have something to give this year, and if you plan to contribute to the BTER Foundation, please do it now. Donations can be mailed to the Foundation (address at the end of this newsletter) or submitted by credit card on-line.

Wishing you a great Thanksgiving Holiday, and many reasons to be thankful. Today, I am thankful for you and all our readers and supporters.

Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course and International Conference (CMACC)

Learn the ancient Art & Science of APITHERAPY - the medicinal use of products from the beehive: honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom and beeswax. Join The American Apitherapy Society, as they present the next Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course and International Conference (CMACC), November 11-14, 2010, at the Hilton Los Angeles / Universal City Hotel, Universal City, California 91608 USA.

You can attend sessions for both the International Conference on Biotherapy and the CMACC at the same time, in the same location! Contact the staff at either conference to find out more.

Chalk another one up for Biotherapy!
The past 20 years have seen dramatic advances in the Biotherapy research and acceptance into mainstream medicine. Milestones like FDA marketing clearance and insurance reimbursement highlight these advances. The latest evidence of acceptance of biotherapy into mainstream health care comes in the form of sponsorship for the upcoming (8th) International Conference on Biotherapy, which will be held this year in North America (Los Angeles).

One of the event's sponsors is the University of Cincinnati, and its program for Continuing Medical Education. The University of Cincinnati is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. See for yourself: UC designated ICB-2010 for a maximum of 25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity). There is no greater recognition than this.

Please join us in thanking all those at University of Cincinnati for their support and confidence in Biotherapy and the upcoming Conference. Better yet, thank them in person by joining us at ICB-2010.

Read more about the Conference at the Conference website: www.bterfoundation.org/icb/icb2010.htm.

Preparing for the 8th International Conference on Biotherapy
The past few months have been quite busy for those in the Biotherapy world: preparing for the 8th International Conference on Biotherapy. "We had planned to stop accepting abstracts for the conference by now," said a spokesman for the Conference, ". . . but abstracts are continuing to roll in, and we are reluctant to terminate the flow of papers and ideas." So, the Organizing Committee announced this week that the deadline for submitting abstracts for the Conference has been extended until August 31.

The Conference Organizers don't want anyone with something to share to be left out.

You shouldn't be left out, either! Register for ICB-2010, and reserve your room at the Hollywood - Universal Hilton now, before the discounted rooms are all sold.

Read more about the Conference in the BTER Foundation's newsletter (THE BeTER LeTTER), or check out the Conference website: www.bterfoundation.org/icb/icb2010.htm.

Today I bring Good News . . .

The 8th International Conference on Biotherapy is coming to America!
Mark your calenders, make your reservations: Los Angeles, November 11-14, 2010.
This is the first time that the acclaimed Conference has been held in North America. The schedule includes 4 days of clinical and research developments in maggot therapy, leech therapy, helminthic therapy, phage therapy, hippotherapy, diagnostic canines and more. You can find additional information and registration materials at: www.bterfoundation.org/icb/icb2010.htm.

Want to submit a paper or poster? Hurry! - deadline is June 1, 2010. Want to attend? Hurry! - before the reserved (discounted) rooms are all gone, or the early-bird registration period is over.

This year, 2010, will be a spectacular year for the BTER Foundation, and for Biotherapy in general. Several events coming up, including the 8th International Conference on Biotherapy (ICB-2010).

Information will soon be posted on this and other websites concerning ICB-2010. For now, SAVE THE DATE: October 7-10, 2010; Los Angeles, CA. This will be the first time that the International Conference on Biotherapy will be held in North America. Hope to see you all there. Visit the Conference Website for current information: www.BTERFoundation.org/icb/icb2010.htm. Or contact the BTER Foundation (conference@BTERFoundation.org) if you want to work on the program.