[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 69 (Monday, May 17, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E875-E876]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO DR. HE-HON LAO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 17, 2004

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Dr. He-Hon Lao in 
recognition of her contribution to the field of medicine and her 
special

[[Page E876]]

role in helping to standardize the field of acupuncture in America.
  Dr. Lao is a physician in Chinese medicine, a senior Acupuncturist 
and Herbalist, and the Founder and Director of New York Oriental 
HealthCare Center in Brooklyn. As a graduate of Shandong University of 
Medicine in 1968, she received her post-graduate training with herbal 
master Huang Siang-Zhou and acupuncture professor Jin Rui. She also 
served as Chief physician at the Red Cross Hospital under the 
Department of Complementary Medicine in Canton, China. While working at 
the Red Cross Hospital, she was one of the first physicians in China at 
that time to use Acupuncture and Chinese medicine in clinical research.
  Inspired by the lack of standardization and regulation of the 
acupuncture profession, Dr. Lao joined the New York State Department of 
Education in January 1991 where she established a comprehensive 
educational requirement for licensing and code of ethics. She believes 
a profession without proper and rigorous training is not a profession. 
In addition, Dr. Lao set standards in the clinical experience of 
acupuncture with an emphasis on professional competency. In fact, the 
comprehensive practice of acupuncture today is a direct result of her 
advocacy.
  As a physician, Dr. Lao has over 35 years experience of clinical 
practice and teaching in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. She has a 
long list of published works and is also a frequent lecturer on 
holistic medicine. Most of her lectures and seminars are professional 
development oriented for other doctors and healthcare professionals.
  Currently, Dr. Lao works at Woodhull Hospital as a supervisory 
acupuncturist where she treats several thousand patients every year. 
She is in charge of supervising the acupuncture detoxification program 
which is an integral part of the treatment for chemically dependent 
patients. She finds her job very rewarding, especially when she sees a 
converted drug addict go to the podium and receive a graduation 
certificate from her hands. She has a similar impact on many other 
people's lives, and that is why she loves her job.
  Mr. Speaker, Dr. He-Hon Lao has dedicated her life to easing 
patients' pain through the practice and development of acupuncture. As 
such, she is more than worthy of receiving our recognition today and I 
urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly remarkable person.

                          ____________________