cult
As you might imagine, I do get a lot of ‘fan mail’ that does not appear in the comments section of this blog and therefore remains invisible to my readers. Most of it is unremarkable but some of it is highly amusing and therefore deserves a wider audience, in my view. The two emails I received a couple of days ago fall in the latter category:
Dear Dr.Edzard,
Your views on HOMEOPATHY are rubbish.you are NOT clinician, but theretician.NHS is defunct…BULLSHIT .. Manipulation ,this same,chiropractic is quacery,I agree. I have practiced for 50 years being BEST in the world.I have invented ……….BACK RACK a manual spine device for BACK PAIN…and ELECTRIC SEAT /spine for Aviation / Automobiles.
..a UNIQUE world wide SPINE device
Rgds,
https://www.theluklinskispineclinic.com// BEST – CLINIC.WORLD /.
https://www.spinalbackrack.com/ . BEST spine devices devices ,WORLD /.
My response was very short:
- My last name is not Edzard
- I am a clinician
- Your English is abominable
- You seem to be a fool
It only took a few minutes for his reply to arrive:
Dear Edzard,
Thank you for your opinion….you are academic,hence ignorant / THICK /,not a clinician.I worked with Dr L.Mount / Queen physician and many others fools..in Harley st. W1,making ml.p/a…..curing thousends of patients.No wonder you were sacked as you are arrogant prick to say least….At least am not a quack…but ..world class..
no rgds,
B.M.Luklinski
I did not send a further resonse to B.M.Luklinski. Instead I’d like to take this opportunity to thank him for amusing me [and hopefully many of my readers as well].
PS
In case you want further amusement, I suggest you click on the two links my friend provided.
Recent studies have demonstrated that sociopolitical attitudes partially explain variance in (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine hesitancy and uptake. Other attitudes, such as those towards esoteric beliefs, so-called alternative medicine (SCAM), and religion, have also been proposed. However, pertinent studies provide limited direction for public health efforts, as the impact of such attitudes has been tested in isolation or on different outcomes. Moreover, related associations between SARS-CoV-2 immunization drivers as well as views towards other modes of immunization (e.g., routine pediatric immunization), remain unclear.
Based on a sample of ~7400 survey participants (Germany), where esoteric belief systems and SCAM (Waldorf, homeopathy) are rather prevalent, and controlling for other sociological factors, this study found that:
- individuals with positive attitudes towards Waldorf education and homeopathy are significantly less likely to have received a (further) dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine compared to those with positive views of mainstream medicine;
- for the former, immunization decisions are primarily driven by external pressures, and for the latter overwhelmingly by voluntary considerations;
- attitudes influencing adult SARS-CoV-2 vaccine uptake similarly influence views towards routine pediatric immunization.
The authors concluded that their findings provide significant evidence informing a more nuanced design of public health and communication campaigns, and pertinent policies.
As the authors of this study point out, the attitudes towards mainstream medicine remained the single most influential factor for vaccine uptake. Individuals who viewed mainstream medicine highly favorably, received on average an estimated 1.48 (p < 0.001) more doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine than those who held very negative views. In contrast, those who viewed homeopathy highly positively received on average 0.51 (p < 0.001) fewer doses than those who viewed homeopathy highly negatively.
Regarding religious denominations, individuals self-classifying as Roman-Catholic or Protestant received on average 0.17 (p < 0.001) and 0.15 (p < 0.001) more vaccine doses than those self-classifying as non-denominational. The associations between other denominations and vaccine doses were statistically insignificant.
While these associations have been observed before or at least seem logical to me (and we discusses them frequently on this blog), one finding is, I think new (albeit not surprising, in my view): Supporters of the right-wing populist AfD received 1.37 (p < 0.001) fewer vaccine doses than the reference category Christian democrats.
So, does that in essence mean that the typical (German) vaccination hesitant person votes extereme right and loves SCAM?
Vaccine hesitancy has been defined as a continuum of attitudes, ranging from accepting vaccines with doubts to rejecting them. For good reasons, the topic has featured regularly on this blog, e.g.:
- Anthroposophic medicine and vaccine hesitancy: are there links?
- Endorsement of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) and vaccine hesitancy among physicians
- So-called alternative medicine (SCAM) and vaccine hesitancy among physicians: findings from Germany, Finland, Portugal, and France
- Echo chambers of vaccine hesitancy and so-called alternative medicine (SCAM)
- Vaccine hesitancy and so-called alternative medicine (SCAM)
- How to reduce vaccination hesitancy?
- Reasons for parental hesitancy or refusal of childhood vaccination
- Intelligence, Religiosity, SCAM, Vaccination Hesitancy – are there links?
- The American Medical Association take a stand against chiropractors, naturopaths, or homeopaths granting medical exemptions to vaccines
- Attitudes of Vaccination-Hesitant Parents Towards So-Called Alternative Medicine (SCAM)
- Do views about so-called alternative medicine (SCAM), nature and god influence people’s vaccination intentions?
This new study aimed to explore the heterogeneity of a childhood-vaccine-hesitant group by using a person-oriented approach, i.e. latent profile analysis.
A non-representative cross-sectional sample of vaccine-hesitant Slovenians (N = 421, Mage = 35.21, 82.9% women) was used to identify differences based on their
- reliance on personal research (“self” researching instead of relying on science),
- over-confidence in knowledge,
- endorsement of conspiracy theories,
- complementary and alternative medicine,
- trust in the healthcare system.
The analysis revealed three profiles of vaccine-hesitant individuals. The most hesitant profile—vaccine rejecting—expressed the greatest reliance on personal research, expressed the highest endorsement of conspiracy theories and complementary and alternative medicine, showed moderate overconfidence in their knowledge, and expressed the highest levels of distrust in the healthcare system. Furthermore, the researchers found differences in sociodemographic structure and noted that the identified profiles differed in their attitudes regarding MMR, HPV, and Seasonal Influenza vaccinations.
The authors concluded as follows: our findings not only further confirm the heterogeneous nature of vaccine-hesitant groups but also offer critical insights for public health interventions. By acknowledging the existence of distinct profiles within the vaccine-hesitant population, strategies can be tailored to address the nuanced beliefs and attitudes of these subgroups more effectively.
- Skeptics who already express a certain level of trust in healthcare, may be most receptive to messages from medical professionals. Given that skeptics are typically older, higher-educated men, interventions could focus on leveraging their existing trust in healthcare professionals and providing detailed, evidence-based information to address their specific concerns.
- Self-directed researchers, who are characterized by high endorsement of CAM and conspiracy theories and moderate over-confidence, could benefit from interventions involving trusted community figures or CAM medicine experts who can bridge the gap between traditional and CAM perspectives. In addition, reaching out to younger women in this group through online platforms and providing credible information that counteracts misinformation could be effective.
- Conventionalists, who have the highest trust in the healthcare system and tend to include more educated individuals with a left-leaning political orientation, may respond well to public health messages that emphasize the collective benefits of vaccination. Campaigns could focus on reinforcing their positive views on the efficacy, safety, and importance of vaccines while leveraging their trust in physicians and public health institutions.
The effectiveness of targeted interventions for each specific subgroup could then also be examined, employing insights from the present study. For instance, tailored communication strategies could be tested to determine which messages and messengers are the most effective in regard to changing attitudes and behaviors within each profile.
Individuals with large followings can influence public opinions and behaviors, especially during a pandemic. In the early days of the COVID pandemic, US president Donald J Trump endorsed the use of unproven therapies. Subsequently, a death attributed to the wrongful ingestion of a chloroquine-containing compound occurred.
This paper investigated Donald J Trump’s speeches and Twitter posts, as well as Google searches and Amazon purchases, and television airtime for mentions of hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, azithromycin, and remdesivir. Twitter sourcing was catalogued with Factba.se, and analytics data, both past and present, were analyzed with Tweet Binder to assess average analytics data on key metrics. Donald J Trump’s time spent discussing unverified treatments on the United States’ 5 largest TV stations was catalogued with the Global Database of Events, Language, and Tone, and his speech transcripts were obtained from White House briefings. Google searches and shopping trends were analyzed with Google Trends. Amazon purchases were assessed using Helium 10 software.
From March 1 to April 30, 2020, Donald J Trump made 11 tweets about unproven therapies and mentioned these therapies 65 times in White House briefings, especially touting hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. These tweets had an impression reach of 300% above Donald J Trump’s average. Following these tweets, at least 2% of airtime on conservative networks for treatment modalities like azithromycin and continuous mentions of such treatments were observed on stations like Fox News. Google searches and purchases increased following his first press conference on March 19, 2020, and increased again following his tweets on March 21, 2020. The same is true for medications on Amazon, with purchases for medicine substitutes, such as hydroxychloroquine, increasing by 200%.
The authors concluded that individuals in positions of power can sway public purchasing, resulting in undesired effects when the individuals’ claims are unverified. Public health officials must work to dissuade the use of unproven treatments for COVID-19.
Trump is by no means the only politician who misled the public in matters of healthcare through ignorance, or stupidity, or both. Other recent examples that we previously discussed include, for instance:
- Kirsty Adams (UK) – UK politician dabbles in faith healing
- Andrew Bridgen (UK) – British politician punished for calling COVID-vaccination the “biggest crime against humanity since the holocaust”
- Norbert Hofer (Austria) – When politicians become snake-oil salesmen
- Penny Mordaunt (UK) – Penny Mordaunt, defender of homeopathy
- Jeremy Corbyn (UK) – Jeremy Corbyn and homeopathy
- David Tredennick (UK) – David Tredinnick: perhaps the worst example of scientific illiteracy in government?
Yes, Trump is not the only, but he is the most influential and might well be the most ignorant one:
- Words of wisdom from Donald Trump on science and related matters
- The ‘Trump-Effect’ on vaccination attitudes
- Trump seems to think that UV might be the answer to the corona-pandemic – could he mean “ultraviolet blood irradiation”?
- Andrew Wakefield, Donald Trump, SCAM, and the anti-vaccination cult
- Unbelievable: ‘THE TRUMP WELLNESS-PLAN’
For this reason alone – and there are many more – I hope he will not soon become merely a dark and scary chapter in the history of the US.
Manfred Lucha has been Baden-Württemberg’s Minister for Social Affairs, Health and Integration since 12 May 2016. He also is a staunch defender of homeopathy.
Lucha has repeatedly spoken out in favour of maintaining the reimbursement of costs for homeopathy by health insurance companies. He described anthroposophy and homeopathy as the essence of the Green Party. In August 2022, Lucha positioned himself against the Baden-Württemberg Medical Association on the subject of homeopathy. The Association had announced that additional training for doctors in homeopathy would be removed from the medical training catalogue. Health Minister Lucha stated that he still believed in the effectiveness of homeopathy and announced a legal review of the decision, as the Ministry of Health has legal supervision over the Medical Association. Lucha also criticised the plan by Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach to no longer allow homeopathic treatments to be paid for by health insurance companies. Finally, it seems safe to assume that Lucha is not amused about the new development about which I reported yesterday.
With so much outspoken engagement in the medical field, one would expect that Lucha has a solid background in evidence-based medicine and science. Yet, one would be mistaken.
After an apprenticeship as a chemical worker, Lucha completed secondary school and trained as a nurse at the Weißenau Psychiatric State Hospital. He went on to gain his university entrance qualification and studied social work. In 2005, he also completed a Master’s degree in ‘Management in Social and Health Care’. He then became the technical director of a community psychiatric centre in Friedrichshafen. Lucha is spokesman for the Bodensee district community psychiatric association and deputy federal chairman of the Federal Working Group of Community Psychiatric Associations.
Any education in evidence-based medicine?
No!
So, why does he feel he knows better than the experts?
I am not sure.
PS
Mr. Lucha, if you read these lines, please tell us.
To show my appreciation, I would then send you a copy of the German translation of my book on homeopathy.
Several years ago, I reported on the range of conditions which, according to homeopaths, “respond best to homeopathic treatment” (basically any condition imaginable). To remind you, here is the list again:
ENT and bronchial problems
- Ear infections,
- rhinitis,
- sinusitis,
- pharyngitis,
- tonsillitis,
- tracheitis,
- bronchitis,
- asthma.
Digestive problems
- Stomach complaints
- acidity,
- heartburn,
- fullness,
- poor digestion,
- flatulence,
- duodenal ulcer,
- diarrhoea,
- constipation,
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- canker sores.
Cardiovascular problems
- High blood pressure,
- peripheral arterial disease,
- Venous problems,
- varicose veins,
- leg heaviness.
Osteoarticular complaints
All types of muscle and/or joint pain due to arthrosis or arthritis:
- neck pain,
- shoulder pain,
- elbow pain,
- wrist pain,
- Back pain,
- sciatica,
- knee pain,
- ankle pain,
- Sprains,
- contractures etc.
Traumas
- All types of trauma
- falls,
- knocks,
- contusions,
- bone fractures etc.
Urological disorders
- Recurrent urinary infections,
- prostatism.
Gynaecological problems
- Period pains,
- period disorders,
- PMT,
- menopausal complaints,
- infertility.
Dermatological problems
- Eczema, hives,
- Acne vulgaris, acne rosacea,
- Recurrent boils, verucas, plantar warts,
- Molluscum contagiosum,
- Herpes simple and zoster
- Psoriasis
Neurological disorders
- Headaches and migraines.
- Eye problems
- Conjunctivitis,
- blepharitis,
- styes, dacryocistitis,
- uveitis.
Behavioural and psychiatric disorders
- Anxiety,
- depression,
- stress,
- mental fatigue,
- Pediatric problems,
- Ear infections,
- tonsillitis,
- bronchitis,
- asthma,
- diarrhoea,
- vomiting,
- skin complaints,
- canker sores,
- teething problems,
- sleep disorders,
- educational attainment issues,
- behavioural issues.
Endocrine disorders
- Obesity,
- hypothyroidism,
- hyperthyroidism,
- Depleted immune defences,
- Recurrent infections affecting the throat,
- sinuses, nose, ears,
- connective tissue, larynx,
- bronchial tubes,
- lungs,
- skin,
- bladder etc.
Palliative care
For the treatment of the diverse symptoms that appear over the course of the illness. Homeopathy can improve the patient’s general wellbeing and counteract the side effects of other treatments.
These are just a few examples, but the list could be endless – it is important to stress that homeopathy is very effective in pathologies that are difficult to establish or those with contradictory or paradoxical symptoms.
In recurrent illnesses, homeopathic medicines can boost the defences and help to regulate the sufferer’s body in order to prevent further relapses.
Homeopathy is an excellent preventive medicine.
_______________________
You will notice that SCIATICA is on the list.
Would they really be as daft as to use homeopathy for sciatica?
Not only that, they would even conduct a study on the subject. Here is this recently published trial:
Objectives: Sciatica is a debilitating condition that causes pain in its distribution or in the lumbosacral nerve root that is connected to it. Although there are claims that homeopathy can reduce sciatica pain, systematic scientific proof is currently lacking. The objective of the trial was to determine whether individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) were as effective as identical-looking placebos in treating sciatica pain. Design: This is a double-blind, randomized (1:1), two parallel arms, placebo-controlled trial. Setting: The study was conducted at Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Howrah, West Bengal, India. Subjects: Sixty participants with sciatica pain were included in this study. Interventions: Verum (n = 30; IHMs plus concomitant care) versus control (n = 30; placebos plus concomitant care). Outcome measures: Primary-Sciatica Bothersome Index (SBI) and Sciatica Frequency Index (SFI) scores and secondary-Roland Morris Pain and Disability Questionnaire (RMPDQ), Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and Oswestry Low Back Pain Questionnaire (OLBPQ) scores: all of them were measured at baseline, and every month, up to 3 months. Results: Intention-to-treat sample (n = 60) was analyzed. Group differences were examined by two-way (split-half) repeated measure analysis of variance, primarily accounting for between groups and time interactions, and additionally, by unpaired t tests comparing the estimates obtained individually every month. The level of significance was set at p < 0.025 and <0.05 two tailed for the primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. Group differences could not achieve significance in SBI (p = 0.044), SFI (p = 0.080), and RMPDQ scores (p = 0.134), but were significant for SF-MPQ (p = 0.007) and OLBPQ (p = 0.036). Gnaphalium polycephalum (n = 6; 10%) was the most frequently prescribed medicine. No harm, serious adverse events, or intercurrent illnesses were recorded in either of the groups. Conclusions: The primary outcome failed to demonstrate evidently that homeopathy was effective beyond placebo, and the trial remained inconclusive. Independent replications are warranted to confirm the findings.
So, homeopathy does not work for sciatica.
Surprise, surprise!
Why not?
Simple: because homeopathy does not work for any condition.
Some papers on homeopathy are bad, others are very bad and others again create a new dimension of bad. Here is an example of the latter category (Research, Society and Development, v. 13, n. 7, e1413746050, 2024
(CC BY 4.0) | ISSN 2525-3409 | DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v13i7.46050 ):
Objective: To research, through literature review, the use of homeopathy as an alternative treatment for many pathologies involved in dentistry field. Methodology: online searches using databases available at PUBMED Central and VHL/BIREME. Other platforms such as Web of Science, Science Direct and Google Academy. Results: Our search resulted in 25 articles. Conclusion: Despite the mysticism that surrounds it, the use of homeopathic medicines in dental treatments is, in fact, a scientifically proven alternative treatment, which helps in various pre and post surgical procedures, which has a low financial cost and great effectiveness, enabling a contribution to dental care. Scientific study in this area requires more research and clinical evidence, so that this practice is more widespread and used by dental surgeons, in addition to the application of homeopathy as a discipline in dentistry.
But that’s merely the abstract. Perhaps the article itself offers some convincing evidence. See for yourself; here is the only section of the paper that provides something akin to evidence:
In dentistry, homeopathic remedies have been proposed for a variety of conditions including oral ulcers, sialorrhea (excessive salivation), neuralgia, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), xerostomia (dry mouth), lichen planus, bruxism (teeth grinding), minor acute illnesses, chronic pathologies, atypical facial pain, burning mouth syndrome, postoperative osteitis, and anxiety related to dental treatment (Steinchler, 2015; Fischer, 2005). They are often used as adjuncts to conventional treatments, especially in cases where traditional approaches have failed or are contraindicated (Amaral, 2021).
Homeopathic medicines for these conditions come in various forms such as tablets, pills, drops, liquids, granules, and creams (Darby, 2011). Some are designed to dissolve on or under the tongue for quick absorption. The instructions typically advise placing the medicine directly in the mouth, where it can be sucked or chewed to facilitate absorption (Darby, 2011).
The use of homeopathic remedies in dentistry offers several potential benefits, including cost-effectiveness, versatility across different dental specialties (such as orthodontics, stomatology, endodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, and surgery), relative efficacy, safety, and ease of use (Eleutério, 2011; Mendonça, 2022; Almeida et al., 2023). This makes them a valuable option in integrative dental care, where they can complement conventional treatments and provide additional therapeutic options for patients.
______________________
As the Brazilian authors of the article fail to say it, allow me to do so:
The place of homeopathy in dentistry is nowhere! There is no reliable evidence that homeopathy is effective for any of the conditions listed above.
PS
This paper is nonetheless notable: it is certainly amongst the worst I have seen for a very long time.
To accuse anyone of an abuse of science is a hefty charge, I know. In the case of proponents of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) doing science, it is, however, often justified. Let me explain this by using the example of chiropractors (I could have chosen homeopathy, faith heaalers, acupuncturists or almost any other type of SCAM professional, but in recent times it was the chiros who provided the clearest examples of abuse).
Science can be seen as a set of tools that is used to estabish the truth. In therapeutics, science is employed foremost to answer three questions:
- Is the therapy plausible?
- Is the therapy effective?
- Is the therapy safe?
The way to answer them is to falsify the underlying hypotheses, i.e. to demonstrate that:
- The therapy is not plausible.
- The therapy is not effective.
- The therapy is not safe.
Only if rigorous attempts at falsifying these hypotheses have falied can we conclude that:
- The therapy is plausible.
- The therapy is effective.
- The therapy is safe.
I know, this is rather elementary stuff. It is taught during the first lessons of any decent science course. Yet, proponents of SCAM are either not being properly taught or they are immune to even the most basic facts about science. On this blog, we regularly have the opportunity to observe exactly that when we read and are bewildered by the comments made by SCAM proponents. This is often clearest in the case of chiropractors.
- They cherry-pick the evidence to persuade us that their hallmark intervention, spinal manipulation, is plausible.
- They cherry-pick the evidence to persuade us that their hallmark intervention, spinal manipulation, is effective.
- They cherry-pick the evidence to persuade us that their hallmark intervention, spinal manipulation, is safe.
If they conduct research, they set up their investigations in such a way that they confirm their beliefs:
- Spinal manipulations are plausible.
- Spinal manipulations are effective.
- Spinal manipulations are safe.
In other words, they do not try to falsify hypotheses, but they do their very best to confirm them. And this, I am afraid, is nothing other than an abuse of science.
QED
And how can the average consumer (who may not always be in a position to realize whether a study is reliable or not) tell when such abuse of science is occurring? How can he or she decide who to trust and who not?
A simplest but sadly not fool-proof advice might consist in 2 main points:
- Never rely on a single study.
- Check whether there is a discrepancy in the results and views of SCAM proponents and independent experts; e.g.:
- Chiropractors claim one thing, while independent scientists disagree or are unconvinced.
- Homeopath claim one thing, while independent scientists disagree or are unconvinced.
- Acupuncturists claim one thing, while independent scientists disagree or are unconvinced.
- Energy healers claim one thing, while independent scientists disagree or are unconvinced.
- Naturopaths claim one thing, while independent scientists disagree or are unconvinced.
- Etc., etc.
In all of those cases, your alarm bells should ring and it might be wise to be cautious and avoid the treatment in question.
For many years, Dale Thompson has been one of our most loyal commentators, often defending the indefensible, or willfully misleading us, or deliberately distracting us from the topic at hand. He has made his comments under several names or pseudomyms, sometimes with and sometines without using the doctor-title, sometimes disclosing that he is a chiropractor and someimes not disclosing either this information or his most obvious conflicts of interest.
Recently, several readers became more interested in Dale and his activities. I therefore thought it would be relevant to find out how he is being presented on the Internet. Here are the mentions I found that include some relevant information about Dale:
- Dr. Dale Thompson. Over 20 years of delivering a conservative approach to muscle and joint issues. Trained in approaches that don’t require the typical adjustment but it is available when needed. Use a whole body approach and consider other factors that may be contributing to problems such as diet, ergonomics, lifestyles, etc.
- Dr. Dale Thompson is a Stratford, Iowa based male chiropractor with 22 years of experience in General Chiropractor. He completed his graduation from Logan College Of Chiropractic in 2002. He accepts the Medicare-approved amount. Patients will not be billed for any more than the Medicare deductible and coinsurance. Active license number of Dr. Dale Thompson as General Chiropractor is 06631 in Iowa. Dr. Dale Thompson is qualified as a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.), licensed by the State and who practices chiropractic medicine -that discipline within the healing arts which deals with the nervous system and its relationship to the spinal column and its interrelationship with other body systems.
- Dr. Thompson graduated from the Logan College of Chiropractic in 2002. He works in Stratford, IA and specializes in Chiropractor.
- DALE THOMPSON, D.C. practices at 813 SHAKESPEARE AVE, STRATFORD, IA 50249. Chiropractors diagnose and treat common spinal misalignments that can occur from lifestyle or injuries causing pain, discomfort and degenerative conditions. DALE THOMPSON, D.C. may be able to treat; back pain, sciatica, neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, sports injuries, and auto accident injuries.
- Dr. Dale Thompson – Why I Like Being An Evidence-Based Chiropractor. Today we’re going to talk about being an evidence-based chiropractor. What does it mean to be practicing evidence-based chiropractic and we’re going to be talking about with Dr. Dale Thompson from Iowa. USA.
As we see, these texts are not always entirely clear about the fact that Dale has no medical degree. Dale recently posted: “Here in the USA it would be a board violation to ‘conceal’ that one is a doctor of chiropractic.” And in August 2021, he made this comment: “There are several professions that use the title doctor which aren’t earned from a medical college: dentists, optometrists, physical therapists. Within chiropractic, when we advertise, at least in the USA, we are required to identify that we are a doctor of chiropractic. Of course the word doctor originally was used by a religious sect but the medical profession decided they wanted it … “Several authors have recently lamented the continued chiropractic inclination to use outdated and anatomically incorrect language to describe the nature of the manipulable lesion (“subluxation”) and the method of treatment (“adjustment”).2,3,11 J Chiropr Educ. 2020 Oct; 34(2): 172–176.”
Next, I looked on Medline to find out wether Dale has ever published any research on his subject. I failed to find a single article in his name. This is remarkable because, all too often, he presents himself as THE expert in research.
Subsequently, I looked at some of the claims made by Dale. Here are a few of them:
- I can go to a conference and know if the speaker is generally telling the truth or is trying to sell a lie.
- I can read a research paper and know if it’s good or bad and how it may apply to what I do.
- I can take the best evidence and apply it and yet also have the freedom to find novel ways to approach a problem.
- I can take a seemly complex problem and find a simple solution as well as understand the complexity of an apparently simple problem.
- I know my clinical strengths and limitations as well as the strengths and limitations of other healthcare professionals.
- I do not have to jump on board the latest health fad but I can, and may, scrutinize it using logic, reasoning and supporting evidence.
- I can respect my colleagues desire to practice different than me but I still demand they do so in an evidence-based chiropractor and ethical manner.
- My patients come first, my profession second and I am last.
So, what should we conclude about Dale Thompson?
I don’t know about you, but I get the impression that Dale lacks the ability to be critical of his own abilities and of the value of chiropractic. He likes to post comments that are aimed at misleading us. He might not be a ‘straight chiropractor‘ in the usual sense of the term, but in my view he also is still far from straight. Personally, I have not taken much notice of his deeply biased, often pompous and smug comments for some time. I suggest you consider doing the same.
But Dale is just one chiro!
He hardly has any wider significance.
So, why even bother and write a whole blog post about him?
I certainly agree that such a man does not deserve the attention we have been giving him. But Dale stand for so many of his colleagues. In fact, he is a prime example of a chiro victim of the ‘Dunning Kruger Effect‘. These people have a thin veneer of respectability which allows them to pretend to be veritable ‘know alls’. They remain entirely oblivious to the fact that they have been brain-washed at chiro school and have become a life-time members of a cult unable to see how deluded they truly are. As such they are dangerous, and I feel that the public needs to be aware of the danger.
And here you have the true reason why I am writing these lines.
Jay Kennedy is an experienced chiropractor of some standing.
In “2018, ‘The American Chiropractor’ wrote this about Jay Kennedy:
Jay Kennedy, DC, is a 1987 graduate of Palmer Chiropractic College and maintains afull time practice in western Pennsylvania. He is the principal developer of the Kennedy Decompression Technique. Dr. Kennedy teaches his non-machine specific technique to practitioners who want to learn clinical expertise required to apply this increasingly mainstream therapy. Kennedy Decompression Technique Seminars are approved for CE through various Chiropractic Colleges.
‘The Dynamic Chiropractor’ published plenty of articles authored by Jay Kennedy.
I am telling you this because Jay Kennedy recently posted a comment which is far too important to be burried in the many other comments on this blog. I think it deserves full recognition and loud applause. I have therefore decided to take the unusual step and re-post it here as an entirely seperate post.
Here we go:
I was a DC for 30+ years and a notable one for the last 20 years. I taught 200+ seminars, wrote innumerable articles and taught at many chiropractic colleges. I had (3) private practices and was a technique “guru”: “Kennedy decompression technique” or KDT. We “certified” nearly 5000 DCs to be “decompression experts”!
Kdt still sells farcical traction-tables I developed and designed (labeled as “decompression systems”) as well as useless lasers, ultrasonic vibrators and other scam modalities to confound the DCs and milk the public. (I have been out of it for several years now).
I am not proud of the fact I made a lot of money both in practice and as a lying cultist-entrepreneur.
I have read your blog for several years and many of your books, especially related to Chiropractic. You are not mistaken and I do NOT believe you are biased, the fact that you define the practice as SCAM and a cult is absolutely the case. As has been said before it is “the world’s largest non-scientific healthcare delivery system”. I was fortunate many years ago to meet Stuart McGill PhD. It changed my practice considerably. I opened a gym and focused dramatically on exercise. I also had other income steams from selling bullshit equipment. The regrettable feature is chiropractors sell “treatments”…. Some of which superficially alter pain signals temporarily like many OTHER less expensive and less mendacious things. This “traps” many patients into an erroneous paradigm….one a DC is ready, willing and able to exploit. “Chiropractic treatments” NEVER get to the root of a problem, alter any disease-process or substantially improve a patient. Regrettably selling exercise simply WILL NOT garner the income that selling (and coercing) subluxation-elimination treatments will (and virtually NO DC has the experience or expertise a PT PhD has in that arena).
Interestingly when you do seminars as a chiropractor, most states make you sign a waiver stating that you will not disparage Chiropractic or discuss information that minimize the value of Chiropractic. Can you imagine medical seminars or a scientific seminar having such a waiver? Chiropractic is and has always been a moneymaking scheme. That doesn’t exclude the fact there are many chiropractors who buy into it as a supreme truth….just like Muslims who murder with the thought of getting directly to Heaven to start porking some virgins.
I have discovered most DCs are on the low IQ scale, have poor critical thinking skills and rarely question their golden-goose (or perhaps more sympathetically; never venture outside the bounds of the profession and its rhetoric and hyperbole. They have been effectively able to compartmentalize Chiropractic from rightful and accurate criticism). Most of the successful ones are of course entrepreneurs with ravenous appetites for money, prestige and approval (and have little or no interest in the “truth”…..oops I described myself I guess).
The majority however struggle to get by and are constantly seeking SOMETHING that might actually work. Thus 70%+ use and advertise “decompression”, Activators (and other ridiculous “adjusting guns”), drop-tables, energy-techniques, orthotics and whatever other nonsense some company advertises in Chiropractic Economics with a testimonial of how much money can be made. It always fascinated me that if “subluxation-reduction or elimination” was the solution for disease and pain WHY did the profession embrace all of these other nonsensical modalities? If your guess is: “chiropractic doesn’t really work”…give yourself a beer.
When you graduate as a DC you CAN ONLY be in private SCAM practice….no other opportunities exist. Is it really any wonder that lying is the only avenue available to support a practice and an income stream? Nope.
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I wish to express my thanks to Jay for his courage and honesty in writing these lines.
