Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine Names New Editor in Chief

David Riley, M.D., assumes editor in chief role for the Jan/Feb 2009 issue

BOULDER, Colo. (November 10, 2008)—Effective with the Jan/Feb 2009 issue, David Riley, M.D., has been appointed as the new editor in chief of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine (ATHM), a peer-reviewed medical journal published by InnoVision Health Media.

Dr. Riley replaces Mark Hyman, M.D., who has served as editor in chief since 2004. Dr. Hyman, an esteemed author, lecturer, and practitioner of integrative and functional medicine, will serve as a contributing editor to the journal with a focus on functional medicine. Dr. Hyman recently launched the Functional Medicine Foundation, based in New York, N.Y., to promote and fund research on functional medicine.

Dr. Riley’s appointment as editor in chief of Alternative Therapies marks a return of sorts to his publishing roots. He was an editor of ATHM from 1995 to 1999. He also served as editor in chief of the journal from 1999 to 2004. Dr. Riley is the founder of the Santa Fe–based Integrative Medicine Institute and serves as a consultant on a variety of international integrative medicine projects, including those involving medical publishing, clinical trials, natural medicinal products, and healthcare policy. Most recently, he was editor in chief of Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing.  

“I am honored to return as the editor in chief of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine,” says Dr. Riley. “I look forward to working with InnoVision Health Media in our journey to explore what’s referred to as integrative or alternative medicine. We all recognize that high-quality scientific articles on therapies that are reasonably safe and effective may at times be controversial; medicine and controversy have often been inseparable. And in that controversy, the recognition of new ideas and new ways of viewing older ideas emerge, enriching the lives of patients and practitioners alike.”

“Dr. Riley’s appointment will ensure that Alternative Therapies maintains and enhances its cutting-edge scientific and clinical content,” notes Rob Lutz, InnoVision president. “His vast experience in medical publishing will also help InnoVision facilitate an increase in readership and advertising partnerships and grow the journal’s esteem in the world of medicine.

“We’d also like to thank Dr. Hyman for his many contributions to the journal and the cause of integrative medicine over the last four years,” Lutz adds. “We’re excited about his founding of the Functional Medicine Foundation and look forward to his continued, regular involvement with Alternative Therapies.”

Now in its 14th year, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine is the definitive peer-reviewed journal in the field of integrative, cross-cultural, and alternative medicine. In both 2006 and 2007, ATHM had the highest impact factor ranking of any independently published peer-reviewed CAM journal in the United States—meaning that its research articles were cited more frequently than any other journal’s in the field. ATHM regularly features original research, original articles, case reports, clinical applicators, cross-disciplinary explorations, interviews, and more.

For more information about Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, visit alternative-therapies.com. For more information about Dr. Riley, visit integrativemed.org.