High-Powered Donors Promote "New Medicine"

The 11/20/06 issue issue of Forbes notes the opening of the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine which has been personally financed by $10 million from he foundation run by Christy Mack and her husband John Mack, chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley.

The Center's efforts to promote what Christy Mack calls, "...interconnectedness of mind, body, spirit and community" are part of larger efforts driven by heavy hitters who also formed a nonprofit organization, the Bravewell Collaborative. According to Forbes:

Bravewell is not some flaky New Age movement. Among its 29 members are Earl Bakken, founder of Medtronic , the pacemaker company; Bruce Dayton, the former CEO of the Dayton Hudson retail store chain; and Bill Sarnoff, nephew of RCA founder David Sarnoff...

All 29 Bravewell members must agree unanimously on every course of action. They often turn away contributors who are more driven by ego than selflessness. Based in Minneapolis with a tiny staff of six people, Bravewell has raised $21 million in contributions and pledges..

The Bravewell website list initiatives that include physician re-education efforts and development of a PBS series entitled, The New Medicine that helps consumers take a more integrated approach to their healthcare.

Susan Herr