I did an internet search, both on Google and Yahoo, for other medical organizations... most of them were state, or country-oriented.

I did find a few others, but their membership numbers may overlap:

The Christian Medical and Dental Associations (CMDA) - 17,000 members American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) - 2,000 members American Holistic Medicine Association (AHMA) - membership not listed

So even though AMA represents less than one-third of physicians, it doesn't appear that any other organization has nearly as many members. Perhaps no one speaks for Western medicine.

Pattern Discrimination Isn't So Strange

Besides all distinct ontology (the study of what exists) like meridians and organ-systems, a fundamentally unique feature of CM (used in China to differentiate CM from WM) is pattern discrimination.

Different treatment for different symptom/sign patterns is not really that strange. Western docs don't give all patients same antihypertensive drugs, for example. It depends on patient, and there are specific groupings according to symptoms, signs, and other diagnoses. We do same thing - just different groupings.

Regardless, many Western docs look down their nose at pattern discrimination. Perhaps they don't think it's scientific enough? They don't see benefit. It's outside their paradigm.

Inequality in Credibility and Authority

Chinese medicine's biggest obstacle to making progress politically and in media is that MD's are seen as one true medical authority. They are experts on everything. Pure scientists don't get as much attention, nor do scholars, or Master's degree people. Politicians and journalists both have this perspective. Because of this, our objections (to actions of AMA, FDA, and drug companies against Chinese herbal medicine) go unheard. We are not seen as being as competent to assess dangers. Nor do they take Chinese docs very seriously. You have to either be an MD or affiliated with a big institution.

So, to summarize, you can't convince some people no matter what. Others will get behind Chinese medicine regardless. Those in middle will be swayed by media and their friends.

It's going to take some time for enough of us to have degrees, affiliations, and willingness to make statements loud enough to be heard above din of prevailing winds.