Criteria for ABNO eligibility emphasizes the following:

• The evaluation and management of patients with malignancies with an understanding of established standards and a multidisciplinary approach.

• Clinical experience that is focused on integrative patient management, coordinating care with medical, radiation and surgical oncology, as well as palliative care and other integrative disciplines.

• Develop expertise to evolve one’s clinical practice in the context of a rapidly developing area of specialization and complex patient management.

• Develop the ability to evaluate and conduct research.

Applicants found to meet these criteria are then eligible to sit for the Board Certification examination. Certification as a Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology (FABNO) was recognized by the AANP in 2006.

Naturopathic physicians with a FABNO designation are committed to excellence in integrative oncology and to furthering the science and knowledge for the benefit of patients.

It is important to note that FABNO is not:

• An accreditation of exclusion- i.e., FABNOs can and may see other patient populations aside from oncology patients. In addition, doctors who do not hold FABNO accreditation may well be skilled with oncology-specific populations.

• Without continued accreditation and education. To retain board certification a doctor holding a FABNO accreditation is required to recertify every 10 years.

In summary, NDs, and particularly FABNOS, can provide decision-making support to patients seeking information on what complementary therapies to potentially use and which to avoid. NDs and FABNOs provide critical appraisal, truly informed consent, and shared decision-making around therapies which can be supportive in aiding the body’s fight against cancer as a disease, in helping a patient deal with the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and in improving their overall quality of life.