I have to admit that I came across the ‘ARCIM’ (Academic Research in Complementary and Integrative Medicine) Institute only yesterday when writing the post about Buteyko. Naturally, the institution interested me, and I tried to find out more about it. As pointed out previously, the aim of the ARCIM research institute, founded in 2010, is to research complementary and integrative medicine, in particular anthroposophic medicine, on a scientific basis according to rigorous scientific standards established by the Equator Network criteria (http://www.equator-network.org/).
On the ARCIM’s website we furthermore learn that:
- ARCIM exists since 2010.
- Consists of a team of 8 co-workers.
- Its director is the physician Jan Vagedes.
- Who have published a sizable amount of papers.
- Is funded by the following sponsors: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Mahle-Foundation (Mahle Stiftung), Software AG (Software AG), DAMUS-DONATA e.V.
- Is located in the buildings of the ‘Filderclinic’.
This begs, I think, several questions:
Why is the Federal Ministry of Education and Research sponsoring the ARCIM?
As anthroposophical medicine is based on concepts that fly in the face of science, this seems a legitimate question. Sadly, I have no answer to it.
What is the ‘Filderclinic’?
The Filderklinik in Filderstadt-Bonlanden is one of six anthroposophically orientated hospitals in Germany. It is operated by the non-profit organisation Filderklinik gGmbH. The main founders of the Filderklinik, which has existed since 1975, were Hermann and Ernst Mahle, the founders of the Mahle Group. The Mahle-Stiftung GmbH is the main shareholder and also the largest sponsor of Filderklinik gGmbH. The hospital employs around 915 staff and has 300 beds.
Who is Jan Vagedes?
Jan Vagedes is a specialist for paediatrics and adolescent medicine, neonatology and a doctor for anthroposophic medicine. He studied in and graduated from the LMU in Munich (my alma mater) in 1997. He is the Founder and Scientific Director of the ARCIM Institute, a research associate at the University Children’s Hospital Tübingen, and Head of paediatrics and adolescent medicine at the Filderclinic.
He has no ‘habilitation’ (PhD and in Germany precondition for a professorship). Medline currently lists 42 articles in his name most of which are in 3rd class journals. His first Medline-listed article is dated 2012. As the ARCIM was established in 2010, this means that, when he was appointed as its ‘scientific director’, he had exactly zero published science to his name.
Why did he get the job?
I have absolutely no idea?
(If you know more than I do, I’d be grateful to hear about it.)
6 Responses to The ARCIM Institute: a few uncomfortable questions
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Whatever do you mean, “anthroposophical medicine flies in the face of science”? How can you say this of the people who brought us such insights as “the heart is not a pump”?
It’s true, this is one of Steiner’s great insights. It turns out the heart does not pump blood around the body – blood flows of its own free will! It’s expressing its own life force and the heart merely beats out an accompanying rhythm. Or if you like the blood is the conga line and the heart is the bongo player.
When will science catch up?
Socrates
Careful, as you are encroaching on Edzard’s field of expertise as a drummer here …
Wow. The man continues to amaze.
“the heart merely beats out an accompanying rhythm”
Because it’s not a pump; it’s an organ (practising music before it joins the choir invisibule).
Socrates, I was looking for some kind of smiley accompanying your comment, because you must be joking and trolling us. But I see no emoticon. Are you really serious?
The following quotes are from The Rudolf Steiner Archive. I seem to have missed his accompanying smiley emoticons, but he must’ve been joking and trolling us.