The Founder of Nurturing Nature

World Class Horticulture by Nurturing Nature®

Developed over three decades, Block Botanical Gardens custodial mission is to sustain subtropical ornamental plant specimens of extraordinarily high horticultural merit that compare favorably among the finest seen anywhere in the world.

We practice “The Art and Science of Nurturing Nature“.

Due to the rapid advancement of both the agricultural and healthcare sciences supporting botanical medicine development, a deep understanding of these relationships is now more important than ever before.

Led by acclaimed American physician botanist and Cannabinoid medicine thought leader Jeffrey S. Block, M.D.,  our interdisciplinary team focuses on advanced protocols to extend the science of plant-based therapies. Dr. Block is a Board-Certified anesthesiologist, world-class horticulturist, and naturalist.

Bioethical Position

A platform is needed to provide a philosophical guiding light essential to proactive physician education regarding endocannabinoid medicine. As we strive to remain compliant within each State’s legislative guidelines, our consultancy acknowledges and respects the challenges imposed under the current Federal prohibition of Cannabis plant species. Nurturing Nature, LLC abides by the AMA Physician Code of Ethics by continuing to be clearly focused on medicinal Cannabis and maintains no opinion on, or involvement with other related issues.

“Primum non nocere” (first do no harm) is a guiding maxim for clinicians, and concern for balancing risk with benefit is central to treatment decisions in patient care. Most responsible clinicians will not advise their patients to pursue a particular treatment regimen without conclusive clinical evidence and peer review confirmation regarding the relative safety and efficacy of a given treatment. Yet the compassionate physician will also be mindful of the ethical obligation to ease suffering with whatever tools might be available, and wherever possible. In this context, the medicinal use of cannabis currently presents a conundrum in need of bioethical rationale.

Medical Oaths – “First, Do No Harm”

While physicians are morally bound by their oath of medicine and particularly during a pandemic endeavor to “first, do no harm”; the following bioethical statement is intended to be irrefutable, and reflects the advance of our consultancy’s current thought position:

“Seeking relief from the intolerable physical, psychological or spiritual symptoms of a disease may be a survival instinct that contributes to medicinal substance use…. The treatment of intolerable symptoms is a noble task that society bestows upon its healers to provide humane relief.” (2014)

Particularly while under Federal Prohibition, a bioethical perspective is essential in representing the guiding conscience of Nurturing Nature^® Group Consultants regarding patient access to Cannabis for medicinal purposes. We maintain independent and scrupulously neutral scientific and political credibility as our most essential means to advance a client’s interests. This position best predicates our consultancy’s objectivity in deriving medical risk vs. benefit analyses. We support and promote ethical guidelines through laws concerning safe & effective patient care, while at the same time recognizing the humanity and social responsibilities involved.

Better Patient Outcomes

Based in Miami, Florida USA, this collaborative consultancy applies translational science models through six sigma metrics to enhance quality improvement processes and derive measurable outcomes. Translational science (also referred to as “translational medicine”) is a discipline within biomedical and public health research that aims to improve the health of individuals and the community by “translating” findings into diagnostic tools, medicines, procedures, policies, and education. It is a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach that endeavors to translate new research and technology into practical methods that benefit community health in the safest and most efficient way possible. This translational process is often referred to as the safest efficient way to have a new clinical discovery advance from the “lab bench to the bedside”.

The dilemma resulting from the Federal Prohibition of cannabis involves a majority of States that have independently passed legislation allowing compassionate access to medical marijuana. Although legally available in those States, the clinical evidence-based data supporting improvement in patient outcome is largely still lacking. In 2017, Dr. Block authored this editorial commenting on what will be needed for future effective legislation:

Opinion – Better Patient Outcomes Hinge on Better Medical Marijuana Legislation | Newspaper Website