functional medicine may have the ability to improve global health - as reported in jama 25th october 2019

"The functional medicine model of care provides a unique operating system to reverse illness, promote health, and optimize function. ... Objective To assess the association between functional medicine and patient-reported HRQoL using Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) global health measures.25 Oct 2019"

This is a major & long overdue breakthrough for functional medicine as this report was published in JAMA, the journal of the American Medical Association, and one of the foremost medical journals in the world. This cohort study matched over 7000 patients treated either at the Cleveland Center for Functional Medicine or the Cleveland Clinic family health center.

The Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine has surpassed all expectation since it was established 5 years ago amidst the campus of the word renowned Cleveland Clinic academic center. The related article in the Cleveland Press is worth a read. They saw over 27 000 patients last year from 900 in the 1st year & have expanded to 3 locations on the campus with other US academic centers looking to copy the model.
With high profile on this campus incorporation of the functional medicine clinical model within medical schools as the only feasible way to stem the tsunami of chronic disease is now inevitable. Other developed countries are sure to follow with hopefully the UK next in the wake. This approach incorporates the best of everything in medicine: a strong evidence base rooted in the basic sciences, seeking the root causes rather than symptom treatment only, combining clinical wisdom and the ultimate in patient centered care. It is the truest form of personalised and precision medicine talked about in mainstream medicine.
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Reference:
Beidelschies M, Alejandro-Rodriguez M, Ji X, Lapin B, Hanaway P, Rothberg MB. Association of the Functional Medicine Model of Care With Patient-Reported Health-Related Quality-of-Life Outcomes. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(10):e1914017. doi: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.14017