Closing the Chapter on Maharishi Ayur-Veda-Reply

Abstract

In Reply. —It is disappointing that Dr Chopra expresses no regrets for having misinformed JAMA concerning his conflicts of interest. Chopra prefers to level charges of prejudice and fear mongering rather than to explain why he claimed that he had no affiliation with the marketers of the products he wrote about—products that continue to be sold from his Lancaster headquarters. These are the undisputed facts that JAMA learned of too late to stop the publication of Chopra's article: Maharishi Ayur-Veda is a registered trademark for a line of TM products and services. Dr Chopra had been the sole stockholder, president, treasurer, and clerk of the company that sells Maharishi Ayur-Veda products. This marketing company and Chopra's American Association of Ayurvedic Medicine have the same phone number. He is the medical director of the premiere Maharishi Ayur-Veda center. Chopra collects many thousands of dollars in honoraria and fees for lecturing and