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Our Mission

Excerpts from Article Four
Articles of Incorporation
Fibromyalgia Research Foundation

Below are excerpted statements from
FRF's Articles of Organization. These
statements specify the purposes of FRF.

"The corporation is organized and shall be exclusively for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes . . . . More specifically, the corporation is organized and shall be operated exclusively to (a) conduct medical and scientific research as to the causes and treatment of fibromyalgia, and (b) educate the medical community and the general public about the causes and treatment of fibromyalgia."

 

Our Current Major Focus

Research: We have published many study reports, reviews, and theoretical papers. All the publications point to the same conclusion about the condition we call "fibromyalgia—that the main underlying mechanism of most patients' fibromyalgia is inadequate thyroid hormone regulation. Presently, however, our most important research activity is completing the tabulating and statistical analyses of a large amount of objective test results from fibromyalgia and non-fibromyalgic patients. Of course, specific numeric values and conclusions must await complete statistical analyses. However, the outcome of many preliminary analyses of the data is clear: the TSH, free T3, and free T4 levels are of invalid for a purpose clinicians currently use them for—deciding whether an individual has thyroid hormone regulation that is adequate for protecting individuals from developing symptoms and signs (long known by clinicians to be caused by hypothyroidism and peripheral thyroid hormone resistance) that lead to the diagnosis of "fibromyalgia."

Education: Another important activity of FRF is education. At this time, we have two major educational objectives: (1) to educate patients, their loved ones, the general public, health care practitioners, and other fibromyalgia researchers about the scientific evidence that the major underlying mechanism of most patients' fibromyalgia symptoms and signs is inadequate thyroid hormone regulation; and (2) to teach them that the most effective way for fibromyalgia/thyroid patients to improve or recover is to use integrative metabolic therapies and lifestyle changes, including thyroid hormone therapies other than T4 or T4/T3 replacement.

This educational project is of utmost importance. We've provided conventional medicine with ample scientific evidence justifying our views about fibromyalgia. But we've come to realize that the beliefs of conventional medicine are not changed by scientific evidence. Instead, as Dr. Lowe has pointed out: 

"Conventional medicine changes its beliefs only when enough health care consumers demand it and make it profitable. This is evident from 20th century history. Long before conventional medicine accepted and broadcast it, scientific evidence had made something clear—that improved health and the prevention and relief of disease were dependent on a wholesome diet, nutritional supplementation, exercise and fitness, and avoidance of chemical pollutants including many currently-promoted prescription drugs. Mainstream medicine did not lead the public in the use of this information for better health; rather, medicine followed the public's lead. We now see the same phenomenon with alternative or natural medicine, and I trust that we'll also see it with the scientifically accurate view of what we call "fibromyalgia." I believe it is proper to criticize conventional medicine for failing to take the lead in doing what the scientific evidence indicates is best for the public health. On the other hand, I commend conventional medicine for its eventually bending to public pressure. For conventional medicine does, in contrast to some other health care professions, eventually bend in directions the public prefers and makes profitable.

 

At this time, we believe we can best serve the needs of fibromyalgia patients by investing most of our energy and other resources into a focused objective: reeducating health care providers, especially conventional physicians, about: (1) the nature of fibromyalgia and (2) metabolic rehabilitation as an effective treatment for fibromyalgia, in contrast to the palliative treatments currently promoted by other fibromyalgia researchers. By "effective," we mean bring about marked improvement or full and lasting recovery, with people no longer meeting the criteria that had classified them as having "fibromyalgia."

Participating in FRF Activities: FRF is working toward achieving these research and educational goals. We welcome the input and participation of those who feel moved to assist us in achieving the goals. To volunteer to participate in FRF activities, or to contribute in some other way, please phone our Foundation Director, Tammy Lowe, at (603) 391-6061, or write to her at Tammy@FibromyalgiaResearch.org or Tammy@drloew.com.

Values for FRF Participation. To serve well the purposes of FRF, all participants in FRF's activities are expected to strive for and exercise the following values: 1. Dedication to FRF's stated mission, in each of its aspects. 2. Commitment to serve the purposes of FRF. 3. Compassion for all suffering human beings, but especially for those whose suffering can cease once FRF's mission is complete. 4. Humanitarian orientation, in that of utmost importance is the relief of human suffering and the highest possible quality of life for all humans. 5. Initiative in furthering the aims of FRF with the intent of helping it achieve its mission as expeditiously as possible. 5. Responsibility in providing patients, the public, and health care professionals with information that accurately represents the aims, mission, and positions of FRF. 6. Integrity through consistently demonstrating that as a participant in FRF's activities, one is highly principled, ethical, dependable, and trustworthy in providing rational and scientifically-based information. 7. Solidarity with other FRF participants, working as a coherent team (as in exchanging ideas and encouraging initiative) for the realization of FRF's mission. 8. Respect for the patients FRF ultimately serves; FRF itself; other participants; and even opponents of our points of view whose erroneous beliefs serve to clarify the correctness of our own beliefs. 9. Open-mindedness toward the beliefs of others, despite their station in life, giving importance to ideas, beliefs, hypotheses, etc, rather than to those who express them. 1o. Cordiality toward other FRF participants and anyone else who interacts with an FRF participant.

Thank You For Helping Us Achieve Our Goals