The CAPCAM is a joint initiative of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The Panel's key role is to serve in an advisory capacity to the NCCAM Director in the assessment of present and future CAM clinical trials and medical interventions, determine potential research opportunities, and develop a mechanism for communicating research results from these studies to key constituencies.

"The formulation of this panel of experts represents a vital step toward rigorously evaluating the efficacy and safety of various CAM cancer therapies that demonstrate the potential for helping to reduce the burden of this disease," said William Harlan, M.D., Acting Director of the NCCAM.

The CAPCAM will consist of 15 members (11 non-Federal members and 4 Federal members), including a chairperson who is appointed by the NIH Director. Panel members represent a broad range of expertise–including individuals who are knowledgeable in the fields of CAM or conventional medicine, including clinical trials, biostatistics, oncology, mediation, pathology, radiology, and bioethics, and who share a common interest in advancing research in this field. As a federally-charted advisory panel, the CAPCAM's activities are governed by the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (as amended).

Ernst L. Wynder, MD will serve as Chairman of the CAPCAM. Dr. Wynder is President and Medical Director of the American Health Foundation in New York, and Clinical Professor of Community and Preventive Medicine at New York Medical College. Dr. Wynder's research and education efforts have focused on the prevention and treatment of lung cancers. He has received numerous awards in his career, including the American Cancer Society Award for Research Excellence in Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention. Dr. Wynder is a member of the board of Scientific Counselors for the Cancer Treatment Research Foundation and serves on the American Cancer Society's Policy Advisory Committee.

Listed is a roster of Cancer Advisory Panel on Complementary and Alternative Medicine members:

CHAIR: Ernest Wynder, M.D. President and Medical Director American Health Foundation New York, NY	William R. Fair, M.D. Director, Prostate Diagnostic Center Attending Surgeon, Urology Oncology Services Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center New York, NY
June Brazil Clinical Professional Associate Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Program Mercy College Dobbs Ferry, NY	James S. Gordon, M.D. Director, Center for Mind-Body Medicine Professor, Georgetown University School of Medicine Washington, D.C.
Peter L. Choyke, M.D. Chief, MRI Diagnostic Radiology Department Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, NIH Bethesda, MD	Michael Hawkins, M.D. Washington Cancer Institute Washington Hospital Center Washington, D.C.
Ian D. Coulter, Ph.D. Research Professor and Health Consultant RAND Corporation Santa Monica, CA	David J. Hufford, Ph.D. Professor, Medical Humanities, Behavioral Science, and Family Medicine The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine Hershey, PA
Susan S. Ellenberg, Ph.D. Director, Division of Biostatistics and Epidemiology Center for Biology Evaluation and Research Food and Drug Administration Rockville, MD	Frances A. Jacobs, R.N. Clinical Nurse Coordinator Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center Chicago, IL
Ralph W. Moss, PhD. Director, The Moss Reports Brooklyn, NY	Douglas L. Weed, M.D., Ph.D. Chief, Preventive Oncology Branch Division of Cancer Prevention National Cancer Institute, NIH Bethesda, MD
Lauren V. Wood, M.D. Senior Clinical Investigator HIV & AIDS Malignancy Branch National Cancer Institute, NIH Bethesda, MD

Ad Hoc Members: Mitchell R. Hammer, Ph.D. The School of International Service International Communication Program & Peace and Conflict Resolution Program American University Washington, D.C.

Edward Chapman, M.D. Newton, MA   Thomas Brown, M.D. M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX

Ex-Officio Member: Jeffrey D. White, Director Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Cancer Institute Bethesda, MD

The first meeting of the CAPCAM will be held on July 8-9, 1999 at the Pooks Hill Marriott in Bethesda, Maryland. During this meeting, Panel members will assess research results from best case series and other clinical investigations on CAM therapies for cancer prevention and treatment. This meeting is open to the public. In accordance with Federal regulations governing advisory committees, a portion of the meeting (1:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.) in the afternoon of July 8, 1999 will be closed to the public to permit discussion of confidential research data from patient records.

To obtain an agenda for the CAPCAM meeting please call (301) 594-2013 or access this information electronically from the NCCAM's website at http://nccam.nih.gov.