• Principal attorney, Global Vision Law Group, PLC. 
• Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Director of Legal Programs, Harvard Medical Osher Institute and Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies (2000-2005).

Professor Michael H. Cohen's scholarly research has involved legal, regulatory, and ethical issues relating to complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies (such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, herbal treatments) and the implications of integrating these therapies within conventional medical delivery systems. He has received support as principal investigator in projects funded by the National Library of Medicine and the Greenwall Foundation, and additional support from the Rudolph Steiner Foundation, the Frederick S. Upton Foundation, and the Helen M. and Annetta E. Himmelfarb Foundation. He has also served as co-investigator in a variety of research projects, including Models of Integrative Care in an Academic Health Center (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NIH), International Center for CAM Research (NCCAM, NIH), Credentialing, Liability, and Dietary Supplements Policies (Medtronic Foundation), and Asian Herbal Products for Epilepsy (The Epilepsy Foundation). He served as law clerk to the Hon. Thomas P. Griesa in the Southern District of New York, and as Fortieth Anniversary Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard Divinity School. Most recently he served as Consultant to M. D. Anderson Cancer Center's Integrative Medicine Program, and as Consultant to the Institute of Medicine Committee on Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine by the American Public. In 2006, Professor Cohen became a Solicitor (non-practicing) of the Supreme Court of England & Wales.

M.F.A., 1990, University of Iowa
M.B.A., 1988, University of California, Berkeley
J.D., 1986, University of California, Berkeley

Original Articles in Peer-Reviewed Medical Journals:

1. Cohen MH. Malpractice considerations affecting the clinical integration of complementary and alternative medicine. Curr Prac of Med 1999;2:4:87-89.

2. Ernst EE, Cohen MH. Informed consent in complementary and alternative medicine. Arch Intern Med 2001;161:19:2288-2292.

3. Cohen MH, Eisenberg DM. Potential physician malpractice liability associated with complementary/integrative medical therapies. Ann Intern Med; 2002;136:596-603.

4. Eisenberg DM, Cohen MH, Hrbek A, Grayzel J, van Rompay MI, Cooper, RA. Credentialing complementary and alternative medical providers. Ann Intern Med; 2002;137:965-973.

5. Adams KE, Cohen MH, Jonsen AR, Eisenberg DM. Ethical considerations of complementary and alternative medical therapies in conventional medical settings. Ann Intern Med; 2002;137:660-664.

6. Cohen, MH. Complementary and integrative medical therapies, the FDA, and the NIH: definitions and regulation. Derm Ther 2003;16:77-84.

7. Cohen MH. Regulation, religious experience, and epilepsy: a lens on complementary therapies. Epilepsy Behav 2003;4:6:602-606.

8. Kemper K, Cohen MH. Ethics in complementary medicine: new light on old principles. Contemporary Pediatrics 2004;21:3:61-72.

9. Ernst EE, Cohen MH, Stone J. Ethical problems arising in evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. J Med Ethics 2004;30: 156-159.

10. Cohen MH, Schacter S. Facilitating IRB consideration of protocols involving complementary and alternative medical therapies. Clin Researcher 2004;4:3:2-6.

11. Cohen MH. Legal and ethical issues in complementary medicine: a U.S. perspective. Med J Australia 2004;181:3:168-169.

12. Cohen MH, Kemper KJ. Complementary therapies in pediatrics: A Legal Perspective. Pediatrics, 2005; 115: 774 – 780.

13. Cohen MH, Hrbek A, Davis R, Schachter S, Kemper KJ, Boyer EW, Eisenberg DM. Emerging credentialing practices, malpractice liability policies, and guidelines governing complementary and alternative medical practices and dietary supplements recommendations: a descriptive study of 19 integrative health care centers in the U.S. Arch Int Med 2005;165:289-295.

14. Cohen MH, Sandler L, Hrbek A, Davis RB, Eisenberg DM. Policies Pertaining to Complementary and Alternative Medical Therapies in a Random Sample of 39 Academic Health Centers. Alt Ther Health Med 2005;11:1:36-40.

15. Schouten R, Cohen MH. Legal perspectives on integrative medicine. Sem Integrative Med 2004;2:4:152-158.

16. Dobos GJ, Tan L, Cohen MH, McIntyre M, Bauer R, Li X, Bensoussan, Governmental Regulations for Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in Eastern and Western Countries 2005; in press.

17. Cohen MH. Legal issues in caring for patients with kidney disease by integrating complementary therapies. ACKD Journal 2005; 12:3-300-311.

18. Cohen MH, Kemper KJ, Stevens L, Hashimoto D, Gilmour J, Pediatric use of complementary therapies: ethical and policy choices. Pediatrics. Electronic Pages.2005; 116: e568 - e575.

19. Cohen MH. The Institute of Medicine Report on Complementary and Alternative Medicine: a reflection. Sem Integrative Med 2005; in press.

20. Cohen MH. Legal and ethical issues relating to use of complementary therapies in pediatric hematology/oncology. J Ped Hematology/Oncology 2005; in press.

Original Articles in Law Reviews and Law Journals:

21. Cohen MH. Reconstructing the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing as a tort. Calif L Rev 1985;73:1291-1331.

22. Cohen MH. A fixed star in health care reform: the emerging paradigm of holistic healing. Ariz State L J 1995;27:79-173.

23. Cohen MH. Toward a bioethics of compassion. Ind L Rev 1995;28:667-668.

24. Cohen MH. Holistic health care: including complementary and alternative medicine in insurance and regulatory schemes. Ariz L Rev 1996;38:83-164.

25. Cohen MH. Malpractice and vicarious liability for providers of complementary and alternative medicine. Bender's Health Care Monthly (July) 1996;3-12.

26. Cohen MH. U.S. dietary supplement regulation: belief systems and legal rules. Hastings W Law J 2000:11:1:3-21.

27. Cohen MH. Advising health care institutions integrating complementary & alternative medical providers. Orange County Lawyer. July 2000:16-18.

28. Cohen MH. The risk of malpractice liability in credentialing complementary & alternative medical providers. Orange County Lawyer. April 2000:16-18.

29. Cohen MH. The emerging field of law and complementary and alternative medicine. Orange County Lawyer. Feb. 2000:30-32.

30. Cohen MH. Of rogues and regulation: a review of Accommodating pluralism: the role of complementary & alternative medicine. Vt L Rev 2003;27:3:801-815.

31. Cohen MH. Healing at the borderland of medicine and religion: regulating potential abuse of authority by spiritual healers. 18:2 J Law & Relig 2004;373-426.

32. Cohen MH, Ruggie M. Integrating complementary and alternative medical therapies in conventional medical settings: legal quandaries and potential policy models. Cinn L Rev 2004; 72:2:671-729.

33. Cohen MH. Negotiating integrative medicine: a framework for provider-patient conversations. Negotiation J 2004;30:3;409-433.

34. Cohen MH. Regulating ‘Healing:’ Notes on the ecology of awareness and the awareness of ecology. St John’s L Rev. 2005;78:4:1167-1192.

35. Cohen MH, Ruggie M. Overcoming legal and social barriers to integrative medicine. Medical Law Intl 2004:6:339-393.

Reviews, Chapters, and Editorials:

36. Cohen MH. Expanding legal paradigms to incorporate subtle energies. Sub Energ 1995:6;1;99-104.

37. Cohen MH. Guaranteeing freedom of access to healing: the Access to Medical Treatment Act of 1995. Alt & Comp Therap 1995;1:6:408-410.

38. Cohen MH. Legal ramifications of homeopathy. J Alt & Comp Med 1995;1:4:10-12.

39. Cohen MH. Scope of practice limitations on unconventional providers: the case of chiropractic. Alt & Comp Therap 1996;2:2:110-112.

40. Cohen MH. Ethics in integrative care: the healer's boundaries. Alt & Comp Therap 1999;5:4;241-243.

41. Cohen MH. Do clones have souls and other medicolegal mysteries. 1999;5:3 Alt. & Comp Therap1999;5:3:177- 180.

42. Cohen MH. Yoga, medicine, and the law, Alt Healthcare Mgt 1999;2:3:16-18.

43. Cohen MH. Medicine in “Flatland:” a tale of two dimensions. Alt & Comp Therap 1999;5:2:110-112.

44. Cohen MH. Changing U.S. dietary supplements regulation: belief, values, policies. Alt Healthcare Mgt 1999;2:216-218.

45. Cohen MH. An indigenous Mexican healer: a personal encounter. Alt Healthcare Mgt 1999;2:2:24-26.

46. Cohen MH. Referral to complementary and alternative medicine providers: a physician's liability. Integrative Med Consult 1999:44.

47. Cohen MH. Complementary and alternative medicine policy: the future of regulation. Alt & Comp Therap 1999;5:9:50-52.

48. Cohen MH. Sex, scandal and spirituality. Alt & Comp Therap 1999;6:6:435-437.

49. Cohen MH. What is the matrix? A radical look at medico-legal reform. Alt. & Comp Therap. 1999;5:5:319-321.

50. Cohen MH. Examining the legal status of energy healing, Part 1. Alt Healthcare Mgt 1999;1:2:14-17.

51. Cohen MH. Examining the legal status of energy healing, Part 2. Alt Healthcare Mgt 1999;2:1:1-3.

52. Cohen MH. Integrating complementary and alternative therapies: strategic advice for health care institutions. Alt Healthcare Mgt 1999;10:1:1-3.

53. Cohen MH. Complementary medicine: legal status of the nonlicensed provider in the United States. Comp Ther in Nurs & Midwif 1997;4:3:99-102.

54. Cohen MH. Third-party reimbursement for complementary practice. In: Clark CC, editor. Encyclopedia of complementary health practices. New York: Springer Publishing Co.;1999. p. 47-49.

55. Cohen MH. Legal rules affecting complementary and alternative medicine: malpractice and vicarious liability. In: Clark CC, editor. Encyclopedia of complementary health practices. New York: Springer Publishing Co.;1999. p. 85-87.

56. Cohen MH. Federal regulation of complementary practice through health and insurance fraud legislation. In: Clark CC, editor. Encyclopedia of complementary health practices. New York: Springer Publishing Co.;1999. p. 87-88.

57. Cohen MH. The federal role in regulating access to complementary and alternative medicine. In: Clark CC, editor. Encyclopedia of complementary health practices. New York: Springer Publishing Co.; 1999. p. 89-91.

58. Cohen MH. Legal and regulatory structures governing holistic health care in the new millenium. The Long Term View 1999:4:4:17-24.

59. Cohen MH. Editorial, National teaching standards in yoga. Yoga J. July 2000.

60. Cohen, MH. Legal and ethical issues in complementary and alternative medicine. In: The desktop guide to complementary and alternative medicine: an evidence-based approach (Ernst, EE, et al, editors). New York: Mosby, Inc.; 2001. p. 404-411.

61. Cohen MH. Oz MC, Medical malpractice implications of complementary and alternative medicine. In: Robb B, editor. Medical malpractice update. Boulder: Aspen Press; 2001. p. 47-51.

62. Cohen MH. State law regulation of the practice of medicine: implications for the practice of complementary and alternative medicine. In: Faas N, editor. Integrating complementary medicine in health systems: benefits of complementary medicine. Boulder: Aspen Press; 2001. p. 218-225.

63. Cohen MH. Malpractice in complementary and alternative medicine: practical implications for risk managers. In: Faas N, editor. Integrating complementary medicine in health systems: benefits of complementary medicine. Boulder: Aspen Press; 2001. p. 225-234.

64. Cohen, MH. The role of informed consent in the delivery of complementary and alternative medical therapies. In: Faas N, editor. Integrating complementary medicine in health systems: benefits of complementary medicine. Boulder: Aspen Press; 2001. p.235-241.

65. Cohen, MH. Forward. In: Campbell LK, Ladenheim CJ, Sherman RP, Sportelli, L. Professional chiropractic practice: ethics, business, jurisprudence & risk management. Fincastle, Virginia: Health Services Publication; 2001. p. 5-8.

66. Cohen MH. The Tao of credentialing. Comp. Health Prac. Rev. 2001:6:2:173.

67. Cohen MH. Legal issues in complementary and integrative medicine: a guide for the clinician. In: Perlman M, editor. The medical clinics of north america. Philadelphia: W.B.Saunders; 2002. p. 185-196.

68. Ernst, EE, Cohen MH. Spiritual informed consent for CAM. Arch Int Med, 2002;162:8;943 (reply to letters).

69. Cohen MH. CAM regulation in the United States. Comp Ther in Med 2002:10:1:3-7.

70. Cohen MH. Credentialing in integrative medicine. Int Med;2003;2:3:64-65.

71. Dumoff A, Cohen MH. Advising from a distance: the legality of web-based clinical consultations—Part I. Alt. & Comp. Therapies. Aug. 2004;231-34.

72. Cohen MH, Dumoff A. Advising from a distance: the legality of web-based clinical consultations—Part II. Alt. & Comp. Therapies. Oct. 2004;289-293.

73. Cohen MH. Should yoga studios ask students to sign a liability waiver? Yoga Journal: My Yoga Mentor, Nov. 3, 2004;www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1410.cfm.

74. Cohen MH. Speaking Mindfully: The legal implications of health advice, part 1. Yoga Journal: My Yoga Mentor, Dec. 5, 2004;www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1413_1.cfm .

75. Cohen MH. Speaking Mindfully: The legal implications of health advice, part 2. Yoga Journal: My Yoga Mentor, Jan. 6, 2005; http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1434_1.cfm .

76. Cohen MH. The ethics and liabilities of touch. Yoga Journal: My Yoga Mentor, Feb. 2, 2005; http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1461_1.cfm .

77. Cohen MH. How integrative medicine may affect yoga teaching and business. Yoga Journal: My Yoga Mentor, March 3, 2005; http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1495_1.cfm .

78. Cohen MH. Insurance and dually trained yoga teachers. Yoga Journal, April 6, 2005; http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1557_1.cfm .

79. Cohen MH. Ethics, adjustments, and cathartic release. Yoga Journal: My Yoga Mentor, May 16, 2005; http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1565_1.cfm .

80. Cohen MH. The yoga teacher’s employment contract, Part 1. Yoga Journal: My Yoga Mentor, June 16, 2005. http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1605_1.cfm .

81. Cohen MH. The yoga teacher’s employment contract, Part 2. Yoga Journal: My Yoga Mentor, July 16, 2005. http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1612_1.cfm .

82. Cohen MH. The yoga teacher’s employment contract, Part 3. Yoga Journal: My Yoga Mentor, August 30, 2005. http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1674_1.cfm .

83. Cohen MH. Branding a style of yoga. September 25, 2005. http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1683_1.cf m.

84. Cohen MH. Accounting tips for yoga teachers: tax benefits associated with being an independent contractor, October 26, 2005. http://www.yogajournal.com/teacher/1774_3.cfm .

85. Schouten, R & Cohen MH. Legal issues in integration of complementary therapies into cardiology. In: Frishman WH, Weintraub MI, Micozzi MS, editors. Complementary and Integrative Therapies for Cardiovascular Disease (Elsevier, 2004);pp.20-55.

86. Cohen MH. Dr. John Mack: A tribute. Shift 2005:6:34-35. 87. Cohen MH & Schouten R. Legal issues affecting integration of complementary therapies into mental health care. In: [American Psychiatric Association, in press;2005].

88. Cohen MH. Forward. In: Acupuncture and state oriental medicine laws (Gig Harbor, WA: NAF Publications, 2005);pp.vi-viii.

89. Cohen MH, Rosenthal D. Legal issues in integrative oncology. In: Integrative oncology: principles and practice. Oxford: Taylor and Francis Publishing [M. Mumber, editor; in press;2005].

90. Cohen MH. Legal issues in integrative health care. In: Integrative cardiology. McGraw-Hill [Vogel JH & Krucoff MS, editors, New York: McGraw-Hill, in press;2005].

91. Cohen, MH. Legal and ethical issues regarding evidence-based inclusion of complementary, alternative, and integrative medical therapies. In: The desktop guide to complementary and alternative medicine: an evidence-based approach (Ernst, EE, et al, editors). New York: Mosby, Inc.; 511-512 [in press, 2005].

92. Cohen, MH. In: Religion and psychology (Frank Columbus, ed.). Hauppauge, New York: Nova Science Publishers, Inc.; [in press, 2005].

93. Cohen MH. Forward. In: Creating right relationships: a practical guide to energy therapies (Hover-Kramer D with Murphy M);[in press;Eugene, OR: Territorial Publishing Co., 2005].

94. Cohen MH. Legal and ethical issues in integrative pain management. In: Integrative Pain Medicine: The Science and Practice of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Pain Management (Audette, JF & Bailey A, editors). Totowa, NJ: Humana Press [in press, 2005].

Books, Monographs, and Text Books:

95. Cohen MH. Creative writing for lawyers. New York: Citadel Press; 1991; 142 pages.

96. Cohen MH. Complementary and alternative medicine: legal boundaries and regulatory perspectives. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 1998; 180 pages.

97. Cohen MH. Beyond complementary medicine: legal and ethical perspectives on health care and human evolution. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press; 2000; 214 pages.

98. Cohen MH. Future medicine: ethical dilemmas, regulatory challenges, and therapeutic pathways to health and healing in human transformation. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press; 2003; 350 pages.

99. Cohen MH. Legal issues in integrative medicine. Washington, D.C.: NAF Publications; 2005; 99 pages.

100. Cohen MH. Healing at the borderland of medicine and religion. Chapel Hill, N.C.: University of North Carolina Press; 2006.

101. Cohen MH, Ruggie M, Micozzi M. Integrative medicine: a legal and operational guide. New York: Springer; 2006; 202 pages.

• Complementary and Alternative Medicine Law Blog - Health Care Law and Policy for Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine, Wellness, and Holistic Health.
• Law Office of Michael H. Cohen - Law offices (health care law and general business law).
• Institute for Integrative and Energy Medicine - Nonprofit organization exploring frontier legal, regulatory, ethical, and health policy issues.
• HPM 218 Course Materials 2007 - Syllabus, schedule, and links to other materials for HPM 218 (Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Health Law & Policy), Winter Session 2007.
• Global Vision Law Group, PLC.  Legal and regulatory issues in complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine. Legal representation on laws dealing with holistic health.
• New Lawyer. Directory of attorneys and legal personnel in the holistic health, medical malpractice, and related fields.
• New Doctor.  Directory of physicians (including medical doctors and osteopaths).
• Therapy Counseling. Directory of therapists and other counselors and mental health practitioners.
• Spa Legal Issues.  Laws, regulations, and legal issues affecting medical spas and wellness clinics.
• Law School.org. Information about legal issues and law schools.