American Medical Autism Board
Group Creates Certification Track for Biomedical ASD Doctors
Sep 13, 2008
Biomedical interventions are not only becoming a more popular choice among parents of children with autism, they are also become more accepted by medical professionals. At the 2008 United States Autism and Asperger Association (USAAA) Conference, the newly created American Medical Autism Board (AMAB) was announced to the public for the first time.
From the AMAB website, “AMAB offers the first of its kind board / diplomate certification program for medical doctors specializing in biomedical treatment of autism and related disorders.” Biomedical doctors look at autism as a medical condition and thus treat autism from a medical viewpoint. These medical approaches include addressing gastrointestinal, immunodeficiency, nutritional and other conditions that exacerbate autism’s symptoms.
AMAB Board of Directors
Philip C. DeMio, MD serves as the American Medical Autism Board’s Chairman and Executive Director. Dr. DeMio has been practicing medicine for more than 20 years and is the father of a child on the autism spectrum. The bio on Dr. DeMio’s website states, “He is a DAN! physician, an author of medical topics including alternative and conventional medicine, and is accredited for speaking nationally on medical topics including brain toxicology, nutrition, and use of supplements in health and disease for children and adults”
Members of the AMAB Advisory Board are Patrick Elliot, DO, Mark Geier, MD, PhD, Shari Goldberg, Lawrence P. Kaplan, PhD, Jerry Kartzinel, MD, James Neubrander, MD, Heidi Scheer and Theresa K. Wrangham.
American Medical Autism Board Certification
The main purpose of the AMAB is to provide a certification method for MDs and DOs who work with individuals on the autism spectrum. Through this certification process, the public can be more confident in their medical practitioner’s knowledge of biomedical treatments as they relate to autism.
In order to qualify for the AMAB certification, a person must hold a current MD or DO license, a degree from a medical school in the United States, completed a related residency and a minimum of two years of clinical experience specific to biomedical care and autism. Successful completion of an exam is required and an overview course will be available starting in early 2009. The American Medical Autism Board’s website will have a publicly searchable database of AMAB-certified doctors available in 2009.
The American Medical Autism Board will be filling a gap in the professional autism community. Currently, there are Defeat Autism Now (DAN!) doctors as well as others who declare a specialty in biomedical approaches to autism. Until now, there has not been a certification path that practitioners could take to give authority to these claims.
