Bastyr University Founder and President Emeritus Honored With National Award.

Business Editors, Health/Medical Writers

KENMORE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 3, 2002

Joseph Pizzorno, Jr., ND, President Emeritus of Bastyr University, has received the 2002 "Physician of the Year" award from the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP).

Along with honoring his lifetime achievements on behalf of the naturopathic profession, Dr. Pizzorno was recognized for his significant work as a member of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Policy. The Commission concluded a series of public hearings on issues relating to CAM this past spring and among the significant recommendations of the final report is that CAM providers be licensed and regulated in accordance with their education and training.

"Dr. Pizzorno is tireless, generous and visionary in every year," said Nancy Aagenes, ND, Past President of the AANP. "He was a member of the founding board of AANP and has continually led the profession forward. His voice on the Commission never faltered as he called for all Americans to be served by access to safe and accountable CAM providers."

Dr. Pizzorno, along with two other physicians, founded Bastyr University (then John Bastyr College of Naturopathic Medicine) in 1978. Under his leadership, Bastyr became the first accredited multi-disciplinary university of natural medicine in the United States. Additionally, Bastyr was selected as the first Center for Alternative Medicine Research by the National Institutes of Health's Office of Alternative Medicine.

During his tenure at Bastyr, Dr. Pizzorno was appointed to the Seattle/King County Board of Health, the first naturopathic physician in the country to hold such a position. He continues as a member of that Board today.

A widely published author, Dr. Pizzorno's Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine has sold over a million copies and been translated into six languages. As senior editor and co-author of the internationally acclaimed A Textbook of Natural Medicine, he has been instrumental in defining the scientific validity of natural medicine. He is also the author of Total Wellness and co-author of Natural Medicine for Cancer due out from Putnam this month.

Dr. Pizzorno has received countless awards. In July 2000, Alternative Healthcare Management recognized him as one of the four most influential leaders in alternative health care and in September the Cancer Treatment Centers of America awarded him as 'Humanitarian of The Year." In March 2001, Natural Health Magazine recognized him as one of the leading health educators in the past 30 years.

In February 2001, Dr. Pizzorno founded Salugenecists, Inc., to develop innovative, science-based, artificial intelligence-aided advice systems to provide smart, personalized health promotion and self-care guidance for the public and practitioners. He also continues to serve as Senior Advisor to the President of Bastyr, Dr. Thomas Shepherd.