Safetychecker Authors and Contributors
The Safetychecker writing team is composed of experts from the fields of medicine,
pharmacy, naturopathy, and public health. This team uses its expertise to write about ways in
which common drugs (prescription and over-the-counter) interact with herbs, vitamins, and
foods. These interactions include potential nutrient depletions, interference with drug
actions, reduction of drug side effects, and interference with drug absorption
(bioavailability) when taking herbs, nutritional supplements, or food with certain
medications. Crucial to the integrity, currency, and balance of Healthnotes’ information
is the regular review of over 500 scientific and medical journals.
Alan R. Gaby, MD, Senior Medical Editor
Dr. Gaby, an expert in nutritional therapies, is the contributing medical editor of the
Townsend Letter for Doctors and past-president of the American Holistic Medical
Association. He served as a member of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Panel of the National Institutes of
Health Office of Alternative Medicine. He is the author of Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis (Prima,
1994) and B6: The Natural Healer (Keats, 1987). He is co-author of The Patient’s Book of Natural Healing (Prima,
1999), The Natural Pharmacy (Prima,
1999), and the A–Z Guide to
Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions (Prima, 1999). Dr. Gaby has conducted nutritional
seminars for physicians and has collected over 30,000 scientific papers related to the field
of nutritional and natural medicine. He is currently the Endowed Professor of Nutrition at
Bastyr University, Kenmore, Washington, and is a regular contributor to
Healthnotes, Healthnotes Newswire, and Healthnotes
Quick!Reference.
Rick Chester, RPh, ND, DiplAc, Section Editor of
Safetychecker and Contributor
Dr. Chester earned his pharmacy degree from Oregon State University and his doctorate in
naturopathic medicine from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine; he operated an
eclectic group practice in Arizona for seven years. Dr. Chester served as president of the
Arizona Naturopathic Medical Association and has taught pharmacology, geriatrics, pulmonology,
and practice management. He received his acupuncture certification through the National
Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and completed a master’s
in acupuncture and Oriental medicine at the International Institute of Chinese Medicine in
Albuquerque.
Jeremy Appleton, ND, Contributor
Dr. Appleton is a licensed naturopathic physician, writer, and educator in the field of
evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. He received his bachelor’s degree
from Reed College and his doctorate in naturopathic medicine from the National College of
Naturopathic Medicine (NCNM). Dr. Appleton completed a residency at Bastyr University of
Natural Health Sciences, where he was also on faculty as an adjunct professor of orthopedics
and clinical medicine. He has had private practices in Washington, Vermont, and Oregon, and
has also worked in the nutritional supplement industry as a director of scientific and
regulatory affairs. Dr. Appleton is currently Chair of the Nutrition department at NCNM. He
has been a regular contributor to several Healthnotes publications, including Healthnotes
Newswire, Healthnotes, Clinical Essentials, and Healthnotes Quick!Reference.
Forrest Batz, PharmD, Contributor
Dr. Batz is a natural products information consultant. He received a doctor of pharmacy degree
from the University of California, San Francisco, and completed a clinical pharmacy residency
at the Tucson VA Medical Center. He is an assistant editor of the Pharmacist’s
Letter and Prescriber’s Letter Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database
and co-author of the A–Z Guide to
Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions (Prima, 1999). Dr. Batz is an Assistant Clinical
Professor in the School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco.
George Constantine, RPh, PhD, Contributor
Dr. Constantine, a Professor Emeritus at the College of Pharmacy, Oregon State University, has
extensive knowledge of natural products and herbal medicine. Dr. Constantine teaches
continuing education programs to pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and allied healthcare
professionals throughout the United States and has lectured at the National College of
Naturopathic Medicine and Western States Chiropractic College. A past-president of the
American Society of Pharmacognosy, Dr. Constantine has authored 52 professional and scientific
articles and currently is a reviewer for the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. He is author of
Tyler’s Tips—the Shopper’s Guide for Herbal Remedies (Haworth,
2000). Dr. Constantine is also the chair of the Naturopathic Formulary Council for the Board
of Naturopathic Board of Examiners and co-founder of the Benton Hospice in Corvallis,
Oregon.
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