August 2005: Andrew Weil, M.D., one of America’s most trusted experts on health and well-being, will appear in town hall-style events in six cities this fall to discuss his forthcoming book, Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being (to be published by Knopf on October 18). Friends’ Health Connection and Origins Natural Resources will co-sponsor the six-city tour, with additional support from Alfred A. Knopf Publishers, Whole Foods Markets, CentraState Medical Center, Ability Magazine, Changing Hands Bookstore, Joseph Beth Booksellers and Transitions Bookplace. Each event will be presented in the form of a town hall meeting, with Dr. Weil interviewed on stage, followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience and a book sale/signing. The series is part of an 18-city tour to promote his new book.

During the events, Dr. Weil will discuss the concepts presented in his ground-breaking new work, Healthy Aging. The book outlines the multi-dimensional effects of aging, and the influence of genes, gender, and lifestyle on the aging process. Its topics include: the truth about would-be elixirs of life extension; how denying the fact that we are growing older impairs healthy aging; coping with the many physical, mental and emotional difficulties that become more commonplace later in life; and how to turn aging into an impetus for spiritual development. Dr. Weil will also comment on current medical studies and discuss the most promising areas of future research.

The event is designed to be informative, practical, and uplifting. It will draw on Dr. Weil’s vast knowledge of both traditional and non-traditional approaches to health and healthy living and will feature the lifestyle strategies of longevity he has observed first-hand in different cultures from around the world.

Advance tickets cost $38 and include a complimentary copy of Dr. Weil’s new book (which will retail for $28). Each event will begin at 7:00 PM and will be preceded by a health and information fair (6:00-7:00 PM) spotlighting a variety of natural products. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend in each city. For reservations, call 800-483-7436 or register online at www.friendshealthconnection.org.

Event Dates and Locations:

October 26: Garden Manor, Aberdeen, N.J.
October 27: Faneuil Hall, Boston, Mass.
November 3: Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, Ill.
November 29: Glendale Civic Center, Glendale, Ariz.
November 30: Ackerman Union at UCLA, Los Angeles, Calif.
December 6: The InterContinental Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio

A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Weil is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, which is healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind, and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle. Dr. Weil has dedicated the past thirty years to developing, practicing and teaching others about the principles of integrative medicine. He is currently clinical professor of medicine and public health and the founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

Hailed by TIME magazine as one of the most influential people in the world, Dr. Weil has written a vast array of scientific articles and is the author of 10 books, including four consecutive #1 New York Times best-sellers: Spontaneous Healing, 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, The Healthy Kitchen (co-authored with chef Rosie Daley), and Eating Well for Optimum Health. He authors Self Healing, a widely read newsletter, contributes a monthly column to Prevention magazine; and his popular Web site can be found at www.DrWeil.com.

Live and Be Weil
Dr. Weil has most recently partnered with Origins Natural Resources in an exciting new wellness skin-care concept that features both topical and ingestible products. Aptly named
Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins, products will hit Origins Retail stores and department stores in October 2005. Additional information will also be available at each Town Hall event.

Event Hosts:
About Friends’ Health Connection (www.friendshealthconnection.org)
Friends’ Health Connection is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that offers an unprecedented array of educational programs. Topics encompass the well-being of mind, body and spirit and include a complete continuum of health, wellness, motivation and lifestyle topics. In addition, we are proud to offer a one-of-a-kind, award-winning worldwide support network that links individuals with the same health problems on a customized, one-to-one basis for mutual support. Friends’ Health Connection is affiliated with 47 hospitals and healthcare facilities.

About Origins Natural Resources (www.orgins.com)
Since its launch in 1990, Origins has provided a unique collection of botanically-based Skin Care, Color, Sensory Therapy and Bath and Body products. Origins is available in more than 425 department and specialty stores in the United States, as well as in over 125 Retail stores. Origins was introduced Internationally in 1991, and is currently sold in Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom.

Event Supporters:
About Ability Magazine (www.abilitymagazine.com)
Distributed by Time-Warner, ABILITY Magazine has a circulation of 165,000 and is the contemporary magazine of Health, Disability and Human Potential. ABILITY features the latest information on health, new technologies, the “Americans with Disabilities Act,” employment opportunities, human interest stories, travel, leisure, and more.

About CentraState Healthcare System (www.centrastate.com)
CentraState Healthcare System is a non-profit community health organization consisting of an acute-care hospital, three senior living centers, a health education and activities center, a family medicine center, and a charitable foundation. It is a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network and a clinical research affiliate of The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.

About Changing Hands Bookstore (www.changinghands.com)
Established in 1974, Changing Hands Bookstore is the oldest and largest independent bookstore in Arizona. It was the recipient of the National 2003 Charles S. Haslam Award for Excellence in Bookselling. It was also named Best Bookstore by the Phoenix New Times and by Switch magazine. The bookstore features new, used and sale books, as well as a range of unique gifts. Changing Hands has played host to a number of bestselling authors, such as Sen. Hillary Clinton, Madeline Albright, Buzz Aldrin, Malcolm Gladwell and Bruce Campbell. It has also spearheaded notable literary events, including The First Fiction Tour and the Wine and Words Tour.

About Joseph-Beth Booksellers (www.josephbeth.com)
Joseph-Beth Booksellers is Cleveland’s largest independent bookstore, featuring a full service restaurant and bar, an extensive collection of gift items, a children’s store, weekly author events/book signings, and over 100,000 titles. Joseph-Beth focuses on customer service and community support. Located in Cleveland’s newest outdoor lifestyle center, Joseph-Beth serves its customer beyond the pages of the book with events like “Wine, Dine & Sign” “Girl’s Night Out” and its “Just For Kids” series.

About Transitions Bookplace (www.transitionsbookplace.com)
Transitions Bookplace is dedicated to personal growth inward, exploration and the pursuit of spirituality. The bookstore/cafe features a complimentary author lecture series that hosts over 300 plus authors a year. Transitions Bookplace is aligned with the cultural creative community and has a paid bookclub with benefits with a membership of 4000 plus members. Our community’s interests are as varied as the 300 categories in our store. Sample categories dedicated to conscious living include, Buddhism, Christian Mysticism, Personal Growth and Transformation, Creativity, Meditation, Bodywork, Prosperity and New Science, Special interest categories include Chinese Medicine, Tantra, Addiction Recovery, Tarot and Consciousness.

About Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoodsmarket.com)
Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market is the world’s largest natural and organic foods supermarket and America’s first national certified organic grocer. The company currently has more than 160 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The Whole Foods Market motto, “Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet” captures the company’s mission to find success in customer satisfaction and wellness, employee excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement.

Alfred A. Knopf Publishers will publish Healthy Aging on October 18, 2005. A full tour schedule will be available on the Knopf Web site, www.aaknopf.com. Knopf has previously published four #1 bestsellers by Andrew Weil, M.D. – Spontaneous Healing, 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, The Healthy Kitchen (co-authored with chef Rosie Daley), and Eating Well for Optimum Health.

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PHOENIX, Ariz., Oct. 18 – Those looking for an integrative approach to health care have a new option in Phoenix, with the Arizona Integrative Health Center officially accepting new patients beginning Monday, Oct. 22.

The Arizona Integrative Health Center will use an integrative primary care model developed at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (AzCIM) at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, in affiliation with District Medical Group (DMG) and the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.

“Our Center’s foundation is built upon world-class education, research and exceptional clinical care, and the Arizona Integrative Health Care opening is giving us the opportunity to extend our work and bring all three elements into practice on home ground,” says Andrew Weil, MD, AzCIM founder and director, UA professor of medicine and public health and Jones-Lovell Professor of Integrative Rheumatology.

“We’re bringing the very best of care to residents of the Phoenix area, while simultaneously conducting a study on the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of integrative treatment versus conventional care. We believe our findings will help change priorities of reimbursement and ultimately affect how health care is delivered on a national level,” says Dr. Weil.

The Arizona Integrative Health Center will be open for integrative primary care by subscription. All patients will receive the highest level of care, including preventive and lifestyle medicine, for treatment of new and existing health conditions. Patients will form a partnership with their primary care providers, who are graduates of the AzCIM Fellowship in Integrative Medicine, and be able to take advantage of a variety of additional treatments.

After first seeing a physician, depending on current health, lifestyle factors, family history and long-term wellness goals, patients will be referred to an acupuncturist, chiropractor, mind-body specialist, nutritionist or health coach, as needed. All patients are invited to attend lectures on special interest topics as well.

“Patients who come to our clinic who are experiencing truly integrative medicine for the first time will be pleased and surprised by how thorough and involved their level of care is,” says Arizona Integrative Health Center Medical Director Heidi Rula, MD. “We’ve assembled a great team of capable, caring and talented health professionals to really partner with our patients and ensure that each and every one takes advantage of all possible preventive and healing opportunities for great health.”

“I am personally excited about this project and joint venture,” says DMG Chief Executive Officer Kote Chundu, MD. “We place a very high value on our relationship with the University of Arizona and the College of Medicine – Phoenix, and we look forward to transforming primary care.”

The Arizona Integrative Health Center is on the seventh floor of the Phoenix Corporate Center at 3033 N. Central Ave., near a light rail station on Central Ave., and within walking distance of Park Central Mall and St. Joseph’s Hospital. For more information about the Arizona Integrative Health Center or to make an appointment, please visit www.ihc.arizona.edu, email info@azintegrativeclinic.org or call 602-470- 5577.

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Media contact:
Genevieve H. Gutierrez
520-626-3488
ghg@email.arizona.edu

About the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine
The Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (AzCIM) is leading the transformation of health care by creating, educating and actively supporting a community that embodies the philosophy and practice of healing-oriented medicine, addressing mind, body and spirit. AzCIM defines integrative medicine as healing-oriented medicine that considers the whole person, including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship between practitioner and patient, is informed by evidence and makes use of all appropriate therapies. Since its inception, the AzCIM has focused its efforts on three areas: education, clinical care and research, with the primary emphasis on education. AzCIM was built on the premise that the best way to change a field is to educate the most gifted professionals and place them in settings where they can teach others. To learn more about the AzCIM, please visit www.azcim.org

About District Medical Group
District Medical Group (DMG) is a non-profit faculty practice plan owned and operated by physicians consisting of more than 350 providers who represent all the major medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties. DMG is the academic faculty practice plan for the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. Professional clinical services encompass all physician and mid-level providers (physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nurse anesthetists, midwives, psychologists and mental health counselors) staffing a 333-bed acute care hospital, a 190-bed psychiatric hospital, 11 regional Federally Qualified Health Centers Look-Alikes and other specialty services. DMG’s mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals in Arizona based on a balanced program of patient care, education, research and community service. For more information about DMG, please visit www.dmgaz.org

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Gift commitment also establishes two endowed chairs and provides permanent endowment fund to support academic mission of Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine.

March 12, 2019

TUCSON, Ariz. – Integrative medicine pioneer, best-selling author and philanthropist Andrew Weil, M.D., has committed $15 million to name the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine – adding to his previous gifts totaling $5 million – ensuring the UA is the world’s nexus of integrative medicine education, research and innovation.

Weil made the announcement today at a news conference. Joining him were UA President Robert C. Robbins, M.D., UA Senior Vice President for Health Sciences Michael D. Dake, M.D., and Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine Executive Director Victoria Maizes, M.D.

In addition to naming the center, Weil’s commitment establishes the Andrew Weil Endowed Chair in Integrative Medicine, the Andrew Weil Endowed Chair for Research in Integrative Medicine and the Andrew Weil Endowed Program Fund for Integrative Medicine. Both chairs will benefit from the UA’s Eminent Scholars Program, established to help the university recruit and retain top faculty. Through the program, donated funds are augmented in order to grow the endowment faster and to provide more immediate support than is typical with an endowed chair.

Dr. Weil: “This gift marks the high point of my career at the University of Arizona,” Weil said. “More than 20 years ago, with strong support from the dean of medicine and the Tucson community, we established the nation’s first Fellowship in Integrative Medicine with the aim to redesign how we educate our nation’s medical students, residents and fellows. We believed by doing this, we could impact our nation’s struggling health care system – so that physicians would focus on the innate potential of humans to self-repair, to heal themselves. In addition to the best practices of modern medicine, we emphasized nutrition, a healthful lifestyle, spirituality and mind-body interactions. Perhaps those concepts were seen as radical in some circles, but today they are accepted as mainstream by most practitioners and by the estimated 8 million patients our program has directly and indirectly impacted.”

Dr. Robbins: Robbins added, “The University of Arizona has long been recognized for its major innovations and groundbreaking spirit. Dr. Weil’s center is an excellent example of our willingness to take risks to benefit humankind. We know promoting a healthful lifestyle and taking greater responsibility for our own health just makes good sense. We owe Dr. Weil a debt of gratitude for making that obvious notion a significant component of our nation’s medical education, practice and research.”

Since its founding, the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine has sought to transform health care by creating, educating and supporting a community of practitioners that embodies the philosophy and practice of healing-oriented medicine. The center is internationally recognized for its innovative educational programs, evidence-based clinical practice and research that substantiates the field of integrative medicine and influences public policy.

Maizes, the center’s director since 2004, will be the inaugural holder of the Andrew Weil Endowed Chair in Integrative Medicine. Internationally recognized as a leader in integrative medicine, Maizes oversaw the growth of the center from a small program educating four residential fellows a year to a UA Center of Excellence training more than 500 residents and fellows annually. A graduate of Barnard College, Maizes received her medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco. She completed her residency in family medicine at the University of Missouri, Columbia and her fellowship in integrative medicine at the UA.

The inaugural holder of the Andrew Weil Endowed Chair for Research in Integrative Medicine is Esther Sternberg, M.D., director of research for the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine since 2012. Sternberg is internationally recognized for her research in brain-immune interactions and the effects of the brain’s stress response on health. She is founding director of the UA Institute on Place and Wellbeing, an interdisciplinary institute linking health professionals and design professionals to research and create spaces that support health and wellbeing. She received her medical degree and trained in rheumatology at McGill University in Montreal.

Weil’s gift also will fund the Andrew Weil Endowed Program Fund for Integrative Medicine, which will support the center’s teaching and research mission in perpetuity.

“Dr. Weil is a visionary who put the UA on the map for integrative medicine,” said John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the UA Foundation. “These endowments honor his belief that healing-oriented medicine should be available to all and ensure that the impact of this important work continues to grow.”

Combining a Harvard education and a lifetime of practicing natural and preventive medicine, Weil founded the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in 1994. He holds the Lovell-Jones endowed chair in integrative rheumatology and is clinical professor of medicine and professor of public health. Weil is also a founder and co-owner of the growing group of True Food Kitchen restaurants. A frequent lecturer and guest on talk shows, he is an internationally recognized expert on medicinal plants, alternative medicine and the reform of medical education.

In 1997, Weil and the UA made medical history by establishing the world’s first curriculum in integrative medicine and launching a two-year residential fellowship that went on to serve as a national model for training physicians in integrative medicine. The two-year fellowship has been the cornerstone of the center’s educational programming and has graduated more than 1,800 fellows from throughout the world.

Today, alumni of the fellowship program are leading integrative medicine programs at such prestigious institutions as the Tufts Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, the University of Southern California Institute for Integrative Health, the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute and the University of Kentucky Integrative Medicine & Health program, among many others. Alumni also lead international initiatives in Israel, Canada, Brazil, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Pakistan and other countries.

Additional information about the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine:

• The center co-founded the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine –with Duke University and the University of Massachusetts – which has more than 70 member institutions engaged in clinical, educational and research programs in integrative medicine.
• The center’s research program, led by Sternberg, is at the forefront of integrative medicine scientific inquiry, seeking to demonstrate cost-effectiveness of integrative primary care, converting scientific findings to actionable integrative medicine practices and tools.
• The Integrative Medicine in Residency program is a 200-hour, competency-based, interactive online curriculum designed for incorporation into primary care residency education. Launched in 2008 with eight sites, the program has expanded to 74 sites internationally and boasts nearly 1,500 alumni.

For more information, please go to: https://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/

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Media contact:
George D. Humphrey, MA
UA Health Sciences
520-626-7255

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TUCSON, Ariz, Oct. 16, 2009 – I have received several inquiries regarding a segment on NBC’s Today Show that aired Friday, Oct. 16, 2009. The segment was about an FDA/FTC warning that was issued to numerous websites and other media outlets. The warning stated that the recipients had made marketing claims that "unapproved/uncleared/unauthorized" products could "diagnose, mitigate, prevent, treat or cure" the H1N1 flu virus in human beings. My website, www.drweil.com, was included in the list.

Many of the outlets on the list promoted products that were unethical and clearly egregious violations of FDA standards, including counterfeit versions of pharmaceuticals such as Tamiflu. Weil Lifestyle the company that sells vitamins and herbal supplements under my name, has never made or marketed a product of that nature.

The content that was called into question in the warning was primarily educational, including appropriate strategies to avoid getting the flu this season. It included the official recommendations for H1N1 flu vaccination from the Centers for Disease Control. The content also included comments about ingredients in Weil Lifestyle and other supplements which may help support a healthy immune system.

Because these products and the flu (which is a medical diagnosis) were both mentioned in editorial content on the site, and it was suggested that particular traditional herbal ingredients may provide some protection against flu, it was the opinion of the FDA/FTC that the language was in violation of current standards.

All Weil editorial content is reviewed for compliance with FDA /FTC guidelines. I directed the website team to remove the FDA/FTC-referenced content for review, and they have done so. I fully support the FDA/FTC task force in its efforts.

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