About Jonathan Collin, MD

Jonathan Collin, M.D., a physician who combines conventional and alternative medicine, has been focusing on adult medical care since 1977.  His “solo” practitioner offices in Port Townsend, Washington and Kirkland, Washington offer the ambience of the old-time country doc, emphasizing nutritional and functional medicine alternatives to manage chronic health conditions.  Dr. Collin’s scheduling assures the patient the time to fully discuss their concerns, carefully balancing natural approaches with conventional medical care.  His assessment focuses on the patient’s functional status including nutrient and hormone adequacy as well as toxic chemical burden.  At the same time, Dr. Collin recognizes evidence-based treatment and imaging studies are essential to managing chronic illness.  Finding that balance between conventional care and alternative medicine is Dr. Collin’s primary concern.

Dr. Collin is a graduate of Cornell University and the Albany Medical College, Albany, New York. His residency training with the U.S. Public Health Service focused on adult medicine; he did further training at the Carville, Louisiana leprosy hospital where he initiated his work in “integrative” medicine.  Dr. Collin worked at the Leo J. Bolles medical clinic in Bellevue, Washington implementing functional laboratory testing overseen by Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D.  Dr. Collin worked at the Well Mind Association Clinic in Seattle consulting with patients having mental illness by prescribing natural alternatives to complement psychiatric care.  

 Dr. Collin’s treatment includes the administration of i.v. infusions including chelation (treatment to remove toxic metals and chemicals) and i.v. Vitamin C (immune system support).  

Vitamin injections with Vitamin B12 are important supportive treatments for mental well-being. 

     He was conferred diplomate status with the American Board of Chelation Therapy recognizing the role chelation has in cardiovascular care.  Dr. Collin’s training continues with the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and International College of Integrative Medicine.  His continuing medical education includes attending conferences at the Oregon State Health University,  Swedish and Evergreen Hospitals, and journal study through the American Board of Internal Medicine.  

     In 1985 a U.S. Congressional panel began the evaluation of “alternative” cancer treatment due to a high public interest in such therapies.  Congress assigned the study of alternative cancer treatment to the Office of Technology Assessment.  Dr. Collin was invited to Washington, D.C. to participate in the study serving on the board from 1985-1991.  Based on the report by the O.T.A. Congress funded the Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health in 1991.  The office, now the Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the N.I.H., has been funding research on alternative treatment for the past 3 decades.  Dr. Collin is very pleased that his participation led to a permanent center at the N.I.H. to study alternative medicine.

     In 1983 Dr. Collin initiated a newsletter to serve as a bulletin board for alternative medicine practitioners.  By 1985 that newsletter, the Townsend Letter, became a widely circulated magazine for practitioners, researchers, and consumers.  Before the days of the internet the Townsend Letter was the primary journal reporting on integrative, functional, and naturopathic medicine.  The publication has recently published its 450th issue; Dr. Jonathan Collin is its editor-in-chief and publisher.  The Townsend Letter has received media awards from the American Academy of Naturopathic Medicine and the American College for the Advancement of Medicine. The Townsend Letter is now published both in print and digitally; its website, www.townsendletter.com indexes past issues and posts medical articles freely accessible on Google. A weekly e-newsletter is now published to highlight the best information of the magazine.

     In 2010 Dr. Collin was awarded an honorary degree by the Capital University of Integrative Medicine.  In 2015 he was conferred Lifetime Achievement Award in Alternative Medicine by Emord Associates.  In 2018 he gave the commencement speech to the graduates of the National University of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, where he was conferred an honorary Doctorate of Letters, Lett. D. 

     Dr. Collin celebrated his 44th anniversary with his wife, Deborah in 2020.  He and his wife enjoy family visits with daughter, Affinity, and son, Sam, as well as grandchildren Jackie and Quinn.