Qigong and Tai Chi: Research in Clinical Applications

Qigong and Tai Chi are positioned to play major roles in the resolution of the health care crisis in the United States. The clinical research in the United States has now matured to the point that earlier, less rigorous research from Asia has been confirmed. A review of the research literature from the last five-six years predicts that Qigong and Tai Chi will soon emerge as the strategy of choice for improving health status, increasing clinical effectiveness and cutting waste in health care spending.

The ancient and extremely practical Asian self-healing methods promise that the human body produces its own internal medicine -- the healer within. There are no barriers to the utilization of Qigong which can be modified for elders or very young people as well as for people who are in wheel chairs or hospital beds. Tai Chi, when it is modified into shorter, less martial forms is also suited to all ages and levels of physical limitation. The per person per month (pmpm) cost of Tai Chi and Qigong, when compared to all other health care strategies is negligible. Many practice these health enhancement methods at home for no cost at all.

Recently, despite the many positive advances in conventional medicine, it has been found that negative drug interactions and medical errors are the 3rd and 6th causes of death in the US. Consumers are actually afraid of medical interventions. The additional challenges of chronic disease and aging are also looming as huge problems in the health care arena. The cost of conventional health care is $1.25 trillion and climbing. General Motors alone (1.25 million employees) spent $1.1 billion on just its 2000 drug bill. Research findings as well as Asian tradition suggest that activating the healer within can cut these costs dramatically with very low cost self-applied health enhancement methods (SAHEM).

In parallel to these pressures in the health care system, there emerging popular trends in health improvement, wellness, anti-aging and longevity. According to the Department of Health and Human Services 70% of disease is preventable. In addition, due to both the health care crisis and the the popular movement toward more healthy living, research has now begun to pour in that confirms the value of maximizing internal function and the coherence of physiological (and energetic) interactions. Dr. Jahnke will review the recent literature on clinical research on Qigong and Tai Chi and draw conclusions on: the direction for future research, the fact that we can save 70% of $1.25 trillion (approximately $800 billion), the applications of Qigong and Tai Chi through hospitals, insurers, large employers and communities, the likelihood that pharmaceutical companies will begin to promote self-care and the emerging new model of health care delivery which integrates health improvement services like Qigong and Tai Chi with conventional medicine and alternative therapeutics.