LA JOLLA, CA — The Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) has announced the winners of its annual Best Integrative Health Research of the Year awards.

Submissions were received on a wide variety of topics, including naturopathic medicine, chiropractic medicine, holistic nursing, mind-body research, acupuncture, consciousness and spirit, public health, and policy related to integrative health and medicine, as well as other relevant topics. Three professionals and three students were honored.

Professional Winners

First place was awarded to James Whedon, DC, director of health services research for Southern California University of Health Sciences, for research on the “Association Between Cervical Artery Dissection and Spinal Manipulative Therapy Among Medicare Beneficiaries.” His research analyzed nine years of medical claims data of patients aged 65 and older seeking care for neck pain. He said the study found that “the odds of a patient receiving cervical spine manipulation compared to an office visit or evaluation in management did not significantly differ among any of the control groups.” Whedon’s study is the most exhaustive and rigorous of its kind.

Second place winner Dugald Seely, ND,  executive director for the Patterson Institute of Integrative Oncology Research at Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, studied “Adjuvant Melatonin for the Prevention of Recurrence and Mortality Following Lung Cancer Resection.” Seely’s research suggests adjuvant melatonin may offer some benefit to patients with late-stage disease but more follow-up is recommended.

Third place was awarded to Michelle Sexton, ND, assistant adjunct professor, anesthesiology, at University of California San Diego, for research on the “Transcriptional Changes in Patients with Chronic Neuropathic Pain: A Pilot Study,” which looked at the molecular mechanisms associated with chronic pain and its treatment.

About AIHM

Founded in 1978, the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) is the leading interprofessional organization for traditional, complementary and integrative health practitioners worldwide. In 2001, AIHM merged with the Academic Collaborative of Integrative Health (ACIH). Together, they are working to advance integrative health on a global scale and transform health and wellness through education, leadership, collaboration, research and advocacy. For more information, visit aihm.org or follow @aihmglobal on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.