fraud
DNP (2,4-dinitrophenol) is highly toxic. In the UK, it is illegal to sell DNP for human consumption. DNP causes serious harm to health. Its consumption has resulted in a significant number of deaths in the UK. Other side effects of DNP include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- restlessness
- flushed skin
- sweating
- dizziness
- headaches
- rapid breathing
- an irregular heartbeat.
All this does not seem to deter entrepreneurs in so-called alternative medicine (SCAM). One of them has just been jailed. Jack Finney, 25, of Northwich in Cheshire, sold the highly toxic chemical 2.4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) between June 2017 and July 2020 on the dark web. Finney was sentenced at Chester Crown Court and was handed a 28-month prison sentence.
In 2018, 31-year-old businessman Bernard Rebelo, from east London, was the first person to be convicted of manslaughter in relation to the sale of DNP pills. Mr Rebelo became a millionaire after selling the ‘weight-loss capsules’ to clients, but he was jailed for seven years after selling them to bulimic student Eloise Parry, who later died.
Reginald Bevan, Deputy Head of the National Food Crime Unit, said: ‘We welcome today’s sentencing as it sends a strong message to anyone seeking to profit from the illegal sale of this life-threatening substance. We continue to be relentless in pursuing and bringing to justice those who are endangering the public and breaking the law. This operation continues to demonstrate how seriously the NFCU takes the illegal sale of DNP for human consumption in the UK and through our close working partnership with local authorities and other law enforcement agencies in the UK and abroad that we are able to tackle offenders, close websites and work to disrupt possible supply routes within and into the UK.’
Don’t worry -it happens to the best of us: you have forgotten to get a present for someone.
Do not panic!
Here are five items that we discussed in 2021 on this blog and which might be suitable as a last-minute festive present:
How about a neckless? I know, it is perhaps not everyone’s taste but it has the additional advantage that, contrary to the manufacturer’s claim that it protects you from disease-causing radiation, it actually emits (radioactive) radiation. Ideal for a radiant Christmas, would you not agree?
The festive season is foremost the season for love. If you want to make sure that your partner is tuned in, you must quickly get the LOVETUNER. Yes, it does work, after all, Deepak Chopra recommends it!
Another recommendation comes from the renowned Prof Harald Walach: a rosary! It is hard to imagine a present that befits Christmas better than this one.
Many people will over-indulge during the festive season. For them, Prince Charles’ Detox Tincture is the perfect present. You might have to search hard for it though; if I am correctly informed he had to take it off the market.
My final recommendation is divine – yes, truly! This divine protection oil is a must-have, particularly if you are not fully vaccinated.
PLEASE STAY HEALTHY OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON AND DON’T OVERDO IT,
WHATEVER YOU ARE UP TO.
In Germany, the anti-vax movement is frighteningly strong and it constitutes one of the main reasons for the relatively immunization rate. In no small part, this is due to the many anti-vax Heilpraktiker who practice in Germany. In an attempt to put the record straight, the ‘Verband Klassischer Homöopathen Deutschlands’ (VKHD, Association of Classical Homeopaths of Germany) recently published an article entitled ‘Heilpraktiker – Homeopathy – Vaccination’ (Heilpraktiker – Homöopathie – Impfen). Here is a short excerpt (my translation):
… There is a clear conceptual similarity between homeopathy and vaccination [1]. From a historical point of view, this was already reflected in the early days of homeopathy, when its discoverer, Samuel Hahnemann, expressed himself very positively with regard to the smallpox vaccination newly introduced at that time [2]. Thus, it is historically wrong to insinuate that users of homeopathy have a fundamentally negative attitude towards vaccinations [3]. In this context, terms such as “vaccination opponents” or “vaccination refusers” are misleading and defamatory [4].
A critical (not skeptical) approach to the topic of vaccinations is basically a characteristic of people with medical expertise. Such an attitude corresponds to the critical consideration necessary in daily practice and in each individual case to advise on suitable therapy options [5]. Properly working alternative practitioners give differentiated advice accordingly [6]. A fundamentally vaccine-rejecting attitude is precisely not a characteristic of a critical assessment that has taken place. The same applies to an unreflective recommendation of vaccinations or therapy methods, without taking into account individual factors as well as scientific and social backgrounds [7].
For the VKHD, we cannot give exact figures on recovered, vaccinated, or unvaccinated members. It is not the responsibility of a professional association to demand such information from its members [8]. We assume that alternative practitioners who provide information on vaccinations do so in accordance with a responsible ethical attitude, regardless of their own vaccination status [9] …
I have taken the liberty of inserting some references into this text. They relate to my comments, which are as follows:
- A conceptual similarity between vaccination and homeopathy exists only in the minds of homeopaths. They often claim that both use highly diluted remedies. This is wrong because homeopathic remedies do not usually contain active ingredients, whereas vaccines do. This fact also explains why homeopathics do not produce immune reactions, whereas vaccines do.
- Correct! Hahnemann was in favor of vaccination. That is why he would be ashamed today if he knew how many homeopaths oppose vaccination.
- What has this got to do with ‘historical’? I assume that the ‘insinuations’ refer to the situation today. Further, I don’t think anyone is suggesting that all homeopaths are ‘fundamentally’ opposed to vaccination. However, that many of them are anti-vaxers is an indisputable fact.
- I would rather think they are accurate.
- Correct.
- How can they without any medical background?
- Is it to be implied here that real medical people do?
- Maybe not ‘demand’, but inquire or request would be possible and desirable, wouldn’t it?
- It is nice that you believe this. But belief is not evidence.
Protection against electromagnetic fields has been a topic before (see here and here). In so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) entrepreneurs have been quick to sell all sorts of ‘protective’ gadgets to the often all too gullible public. The devices are based on two main assumptions:
- EMF causes ill health.
- The device prevents this from happening.
Neither of them is correct, and the harm done by the claim is substantial. It can be measured in £ or $, because these gadgets are, of course, not cheap. Now a new type of harm is in the spotlight.
It has been reported that the Dutch authority for nuclear safety and radiation protection (ANVS) found several of these devices claimed to protect against 5G networks gave off harmful ionising radiation. It urged people not to use the products, which could cause harm in the long term.
The World Health Organization assures us that 5G mobile networks are safe, and not fundamentally different from existing 3G and 4G signals. They emit non-ionizing radio waves that do not damage DNA. But the marketers of these devices claim otherwise and many consumers believe them. This explains why there have been attacks on transmitters by people who believe 5G is harmful. The Guardian reported that, last year, 15 EU member states called on the European Commission to address a spate of conspiracy theories that had led to arson attacks against telecommunications masts.
The products identified included:
- “Energy Armor” sleeping mask,
- “Energy Armor” bracelet,
- “Energy Armor” necklace,
- Magnetix Wellness, a device for children.
Despite clear evidence that EMF protection is an expensive scam, Kim Jobst, Visiting Professor of Healthcare and Integrated Medicine Oxford Brooks University UK and former editor of the notorious JACM, stated the following about such a gadget: “Emerging evidence from early clinical, cellular and molecular studies of the effects of QLink on cardiovascular, immune and central nervous systems is startling.”
In May 2020, the UK’s Trading Standards sought to halt sales of a £339 USB stick that claimed to offer “protection” from 5G. “Anti-radiation stickers” have also been sold on Amazon. On this blog, we have discussed EMF devices that cost well over £4000.
A remarkable case of a German doctor homeopath from the Lake Constance district in Germany has been reported. The public prosecutor’s office in Constance is currently investigating the physician on suspicion of causing bodily harm.
Several hundred people seem to have received an ineffective Corona vaccination from her. According to a spokesperson from the office of the Lake Constance district, 430 people who had been vaccinated against the Coronavirus in the doctor’s practice in Markdorf have now received mail from the public health department.
The recipients of the letter were instructed to take an antibody test to clarify their vaccination status. The officials are also interested in their testimonies on the circumstances of the vaccination. It is suspected that the doctor added “something homeopathic” to the injections which presumably were saline solutions.
One of the victims has now filed an official complaint. At the request of the Constance public prosecutor’s office, a judge of the district court issued a search warrant for the medical practice concerned, whereupon officers of the Ravensburg police headquarters seized evidence.
The case had come to the attention of the authorities after no antibodies against the coronavirus could be detected initially in three patients despite them having received first and second vaccinations and no plausible medical reasons for this lack of response could be found.
__________________
It is true that some homeopaths reject vaccinations and believe that homeopathic vaccinations are an effective alternative. It is also clear to anyone who has followed the discussions on this blog that some homeopaths are severely deluded and might therefore try this method on patients, even though there is not a jot of evidence that it works. The fact that this is done dishonestly and without the informed consent of the patient is nevertheless astonishing. Even more surprising, I find, is the notion that such a crime should be committed by a doctor who must know better.
Steiner (Waldorf) schools, like anthroposophical medicine, are the inventions of Rudolf Steiner. His followers have often been associated with rampant anti-vax sentiments. Yet, officially such beliefs are usually denied.
A few days ago, I came across this tweet:
Der Dachverband der anthroposophischen Medizin begrüßt Corona-Impfungen… & distanziert sich von Querdenken und Co. Steiner war selbst gegen Pocken geimpft und ließ impfen.
As it is in German, allow me to translate it for you:
The umbrella organization of anthroposophical medicine welcomes corona vaccinations… & distances itself from lateral thinking and co. Steiner himself was vaccinated against smallpox and had it vaccinated.
Almost simultaneously, it was reported that, after the Corona outbreak at a Freiburg Steiner school with more than 100 people infected, it is now certain: the certificates presented to the school for exemption from wearing masks were invalid.
During circus performances at the Steiner school in Freiburg, more than 100 people had become infected with the coronavirus in October: among them pupils, teachers, and contact persons. Therefore, the school inspectorate of the Freiburg Regional Council examined the certificates that freed people from the obligation to wear masks at school for health reasons. Heike Spannagel, a spokeswoman for the Freiburg Regional Council, called the results surprising. There were 55 certificates, 52 from pupils and three from teachers – and all of them were invalid. Heike Spannagel added that the school will no longer recognize any of the certificates. Those who cannot present new certificates that are more convincing will therefore have to wear the mask, Spannagel said.
It was noticeable that many certificates came from (far remote) private clinics in Bavaria or Berlin. In addition, a Freiburg doctor had exempted pupils from the obligation to wear a mask with identical justifications. According to the regional council, however, justifications must be individually tailored. In the meantime, the public prosecutor’s office in Freiburg has requested documents from the regional council in order to initiate an investigation.
So, what has been going on?
To me, it looks like the Steiner school was tolerating or even encouraging the use of dodgy certificates. This contrasts somewhat with the tweet cited above. And, in turn, this seems to indicate that proponents of anthroposophy say one thing about COVID and then do something entirely different. This suspicion was strengthened by a tweet that appeared a little while later as a response to the tweet cited above:
Alle Anhänger der Anthroposophie, die ich kenne, sind nicht geimpft. Es ist ja schön, wenn diese Verbände das öffentlich so verkünden. Die Praxis sieht leider anders aus.
Allow me to translate again:
All the followers of anthroposophy that I know are not vaccinated. It is nice when these associations proclaim this publicly. Unfortunately, the practice looks different.
Long-COVID syndrome is a condition that will affect a large proportion of those who survived a COVID-19 infection. According to a recent meta-analysis, it is associated predominantly with poor quality of life, persistent symptoms including fatigue, dyspnea, anosmia, sleep disturbances, and mental health problems.
At present, we are still struggling to understand the exact causes and mechanisms of this condition. Therefore, its optimal treatment is as yet uncertain. Governments around the world have therefore made sizable research funds available to make progress in this area, and research in this area is frantically active.
Regardless of the evidence, practitioners and entrepreneurs of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) are gearing up to jump on this bandwagon by declaring that their offerings are a solution to this growing problem. Indeed, many of them have already done so. Here are just three sites that I found today which are promoting homeopathy for long COVID:
- Post Covid Syndrome – Homeopathy for Support & Symptom Management
- HOMEOPATHY FOR POST- COVID-19 SYNDROME
- Homeopathic medicines for Post Covid
One hardly needs to mention that homeopathy is not supported by sound evidence in the management of long-Covid (or any other condition for that matter). Neither does one need to stress that homeopaths are just one example, and virtually all other SCAM providers are promoting their services in the absence of evidence.
A recent review of the literature stated this:
Patients with long COVID commonly refer to taking ‘the stack’ or ‘the supplement stack’, which includes high-dose vitamin C and D, niacin (nicotinic acid), quercetin, zinc, selenium, and sometimes also magnesium. Further research is needed to confirm or refute the impact of supplements in long COVID. Examples of noteworthy interactions with supplements include: niacin causing an increased risk of bleeding events when combined with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, increased risk of rhabdomyolysis together with statins, and quercetin causing inhibition and induction of various human cytochrome P450 enzymes.
Why then are SCAM providers promoting SCAM for long-COVID?
This is a daft question if there ever was one.
It seems obvious they do it because:
- they are believers who don’t care about evidence,
- they are in it for the money,
- or both.
Some time ago, this homeopath already indicated, that SCAM providers should see COVID as an opportunity: For homeopathy, shunned during its 200 years of existence by conventional medicine, this outbreak is a key opportunity to show potentially the contribution it can make in treating COVID-19 patients. We should perhaps not hold our breath to see the emergence of convincing evidence, but we should be prepared to warn the public of getting exploited by charlatans who disregard both ethics and evidence.
Well-conducted systematic reviews (SRs) should in principle provide the most reliable evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture. However, limitations on the methodological rigour of SRs may impact the trustworthiness of their conclusions. This cross-sectional study was aimed at evaluating the methodological quality of recent SRs of acupuncture.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched for SRs focusing on manual acupuncture or electro-acupuncture published during January 2018 and March 2020. Eligible SRs needed to contain at least one meta-analysis and be published in the English language. Two independent reviewers extracted the bibliographical characteristics of the included SRs with a pre-designed questionnaire and appraised the methodological quality of the reviews with the validated AMSTAR 2 (A MeaSurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2). The associations between bibliographical characteristics and methodological quality ratings were explored using Kruskal-Wallis rank tests and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients.
A total of 106 SRs were appraised. The results were as follows:
- one (0.9%) SR was of high methodological quality,
- no review (0%) was of moderate quality,
- six (5.7%) were of low quality,
- 99 (93.4%) were of critically low quality.
Only ten (9.4%) provided an a priori protocol, only four (3.8%) conducted a comprehensive literature search, only five (4.7%) provided a list of excluded studies, and only six (5.7%) performed a meta-analysis appropriately. Cochrane SRs, updated SRs, and SRs that did not search non-English databases had relatively higher overall quality. The vast majority (87.7%) of the 106 reviews included in this analysis originated from Asia. Conflicts of interest of the review authors were declared in only 2 of the 106 reviews.
The authors concluded that the methodological quality of SRs on acupuncture is unsatisfactory. Future reviewers should improve critical methodological aspects of publishing protocols, performing comprehensive search, providing a list of excluded studies with justifications for exclusion, and conducting appropriate meta-analyses. These recommendations can be implemented via enhancing the technical competency of reviewers in SR methodology through established education approaches as well as quality gatekeeping by journal editors and reviewers. Finally, for evidence users, skills in SR critical appraisal remain to be essential as relevant evidence may not be available in pre-appraised formats.
On this blog, I have often complained about the lack of critical input and the poor quality of systematic reviews of so-called alternative medicine (SCAM), particularly of acupuncture, and especially of Chinese reviews, and even more especially Chinese reviews of (mostly) Chinese studies. This new paper is a valuable confirmation of this fast-growing deficit.
One does not need to be a prophet to predict that this pollution of the literature with complete rubbish will have detrimental effects. Because poor reviews almost always draw an over-optimistic picture of the value of acupuncture, this phenomenon must seriously mislead the public. The end result will be that the public believes acupuncture to be effective.
I cannot help thinking that this is, in fact, the intended aim of the authors of such poor, false-positive reviews. Moreover, a glance at the subject areas of the reviews in the list below gives the impression that China is heavily promoting the idea that acupuncture is a panacea. Yet there is good evidence to show that acupuncture is little more than placebo therapy.
In my last post, I have reported that I am an author of many of the frequently-cited systematic acupuncture reviews. You might thus assume that I am a significant part of this pollution by rubbish reviews. This would, however, be an entirely wrong conclusion. The above analysis covers a period when my unit had already been closed, and I am thus not responsible for a single of the papers included in the above analysis.
List of included systematic reviews
ID | Included systematic reviews |
1 | Acupuncture for primary insomnia: An updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials |
2 | Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for essential hypertension: A meta-analysis |
3 | Acupuncture for the treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss: A systematic review and meta-analysis: Acupuncture for SSNHL |
4 | Effectiveness of Acupuncturing at the Sphenopalatine Ganglion Acupoint Alone for Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
5 | Acupuncture and clomiphene citrate for anovulatory infertility: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
6 | Acupuncture for primary trigeminal neuralgia: A systematic review and PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis |
7 | Acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for angina due to coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis |
8 | Conventional treatments plus acupuncture for asthma in adults and adolescent: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
9 | Optimizing acupuncture treatment for dry eye syndrome: A systematic review |
10 | Acupuncture using pattern-identification for the treatment of insomnia disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
11 | Efficacy and Safety of Auricular Acupuncture for Cognitive Impairment and Dementia: A Systematic Review |
12 | Acupuncture for cognitive impairment in vascular dementia, alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
13 | Effectiveness of pharmacopuncture for cervical spondylosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
14 | Acupuncture combined with swallowing training for poststroke dysphagia: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials |
15 | Scalp acupuncture treatment for children’s autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
16 | Acupuncture for Post-stroke Shoulder-Hand Syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
17 | Systematic review of acupuncture for the treatment of alcohol withdrawal syndrome |
18 | Acupuncture for hip osteoarthritis |
19 | Clinical Benefits of Acupuncture for the Reduction of Hormone Therapy-Related Side Effects in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review |
20 | Combination therapy of scalp electro-acupuncture and medication for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
21 | Acupuncture for migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
22 | Acupuncture to Promote Recovery of Disorder of Consciousness after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
23 | Acupuncture Compared with Intramuscular Injection of Neostigmine for Postpartum Urinary Retention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
24 | Acupuncture for the relief of hot flashes in breast cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies |
25 | Effectiveness and Safety of Acupuncture for Perimenopausal Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
26 | Acupuncture plus Chinese Herbal Medicine for Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
27 | Electroacupuncture as an adjunctive therapy for motor dysfunction in acute stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analyses |
28 | Acupuncture for Acute Pancreatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis |
29 | Acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
30 | Compare the efficacy of acupuncture with drugs in the treatment of Bell’s palsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs |
31 | The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for the treatment of myasthenia gravis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
32 | Acupuncture therapy for fibromyalgia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
33 | The effectiveness of acupuncture therapy in patients with post-stroke depression: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
34 | Fire needling for herpes zoster: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials |
35 | Comparison between the Effects of Acupuncture Relative to Other Controls on Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis |
36 | Manual Acupuncture for Optic Atrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
37 | Effect of warm needling therapy and acupuncture in the treatment of peripheral facial paralysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
38 | The Effect of Acupuncture in Breast Cancer-Related Lymphoedema (BCRL): A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
39 | The Efficacy of Acupuncture in Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
40 | The maintenance effect of acupuncture on breast cancer-related menopause symptoms: a systematic review |
41 | The effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of persistent regional myofascial head and neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
42 | Acupuncture for the Treatment of Adults with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
43 | The effectiveness of superficial versus deep dry needling or acupuncture for reducing pain and disability in individuals with spine-related painful conditions: a systematic review with meta-analysis |
44 | Effects of dry needling trigger point therapy in the shoulder region on patients with upper extremity pain and dysfunction: a systematic review with meta-analysis |
45 | Is dry needling effective for low back pain?: A systematic review and PRISMA-compliant meta-analysis |
46 | The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for patients with atopic eczema: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
47 | Comparing verum and sham acupuncture in fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
48 | Acupuncture for symptomatic gastroparesis |
49 | The Efficacy and Safety of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
50 | Acupuncture Versus Sham-acupuncture: A Meta-analysis on Evidence for Non-immediate Effects of Acupuncture in Musculoskeletal Disorders |
51 | Acupuncture Treatment for Post-Stroke Dysphagia: An Update Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
52 | Effectiveness of Acupuncture Used for the Management of Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
53 | Clinical effects and safety of electroacupuncture for the treatment of post-stroke depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials |
54 | Placebo effect of acupuncture on insomnia: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
55 | Acupuncture for Chronic Pain-Related Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
56 | Evidence for Dry Needling in the Management of Myofascial Trigger Points Associated With Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
57 | Warm needle acupuncture in primary osteoporosis management: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
58 | Acupuncture for overactive bladder in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
59 | Traditional acupuncture for menopausal hot flashes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
60 | The effectiveness of acupuncture for osteoporosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
61 | Long-term effects of acupuncture for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: Systematic review and single-Arm meta-Analyses |
62 | Does acupuncture the day of embryo transfer affect the clinical pregnancy rate? Systematic review and meta-analysis |
63 | Acupuncture treatments for infantile colic: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis of blinding test validated randomised controlled trials |
64 | Acupuncture performed around the time of embryo transfer: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
65 | Is Acupuncture Effective for Improving Insulin Resistance? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis |
66 | Efficacy of acupuncture in the management of post-apoplectic aphasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
67 | Acupuncture for lumbar disc herniation: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
68 | Traditional Chinese acupuncture and postpartum depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
69 | Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis |
70 | Acupuncture Therapy for Functional Effects and Quality of Life in COPD Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
71 | Electroacupuncture for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy after Stroke: A Meta-Analysis |
72 | The Effect of Patient Characteristics on Acupuncture Treatment Outcomes |
73 | The efficacy and safety of acupuncture in women with primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
74 | Role of acupuncture in the treatment of insulin resistance: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
75 | Appropriateness of sham or placebo acupuncture for randomized controlled trials of acupuncture for nonspecific low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
76 | Evidence of efficacy of acupuncture in the management of low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo- or sham-controlled trials |
77 | The effects of acupuncture on pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
78 | Acupuncture for migraine without aura: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
79 | Acupuncture for acute stroke |
80 | Acupuncture at Tiaokou (ST38) for Shoulder Adhesive Capsulitis: What Strengths Does It Have? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
81 | Acupuncture for hypertension |
82 | The effect of acupuncture on Bell’s palsy: An overall and cumulative meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
83 | Effects of acupuncture on cancer-related fatigue: a meta-analysis |
84 | Acupuncture for adults with overactive bladder |
85 | Electroacupuncture for Postoperative Urinary Retention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
86 | Meta-Analysis of Electroacupuncture in Cardiac Anesthesia and Intensive Care |
87 | Acupuncture therapy improves health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
88 | The effect of acupuncture on the quality of life in patients with migraine: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
89 | Cognitive improvement effects of electro-acupuncture for the treatment of MCI compared with Western medications: A systematic review and Meta-analysis 11 Medical and Health Sciences 1103 Clinical Sciences |
90 | Oriental herbal medicine and moxibustion for polycystic ovary syndrome: A meta-analysis |
91 | The Effect of Acupuncture and Moxibustion on Heart Function in Heart Failure Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
92 | Acupuncture therapy for the treatment of stable angina pectoris: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
93 | Traditional manual acupuncture combined with rehabilitation therapy for shoulder hand syndrome after stroke within the Chinese healthcare system: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
94 | Effects of moxibustion on pain behaviors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A meta-analysis |
95 | Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Pelvic Pain in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials |
96 | The effectiveness of dry needling for patients with orofacial pain associated with temporomandibular dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis |
97 | Acupuncture for postherpetic neuralgia systematic review and meta-analysis |
98 | Acupoint selection for the treatment of dry eye: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials |
99 | Warm-needle moxibustion for spasticity after stroke: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials |
100 | Acupuncture for menstrual migraine: a systematic review |
101 | The efficacy of acupuncture for stable angina pectoris: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
102 | Acupuncture and weight loss in Asians: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis |
103 | Effects of Acupuncture on Breast Cancer-Related lymphoedema: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis |
104 | Acupuncture for infertile women without undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ART): A systematic review and meta-analysis |
105 | Moxibustion for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy in people with cancer |
106 | Acupuncture for stable angina pectoris: A systematic review and meta-analysis |
The 13th European Congress for Integrative Medicine is about to take place online between 4 and 7 November 2021. It will host 125+ speakers presenting from around the world. The programme will cover the following topics.
- Anthroposophic Medicine
- Arts in Healthcare
- Acupuncture
- Antimicrobial Resistance
- Ayurveda
- Covid Research
- Diabetes
- Homeopathy
- Immunology
- Integrative Oncology
- Lifestyle Medicine
- Medical Education
- Mental Health & Stress Management
- Mind and Body Connection
- Mistletoe Therapy
- Nutrition, Gut Health & Microbiome
- Pain Management
- Patient Activation & Self-Management
- Planetary & Environmental Health
- Research and Evaluation
- Social Prescribing
- Traditional Health
- Yoga
Even looking at the more detailed list of lectures, I did not find a single contribution on conventional medicine (“Integrative medicine combines conventional medicine with…” [see below]) or a lecture that is remotely critical of integrative medicine. The definition of INTEGRATED MEDICINE (IM) adopted here seems similar to the US definition we recently discussed. Here is the European definition:
Integrative medicine combines conventional medicine with evidence-informed complementary medicine and therapies to achieve the optimum health and wellbeing of the patient. Focusing on a holistic, patient-centred approach to healthcare, it takes into consideration the patient’s physical and psychological wellbeing and treats the whole person rather than just the disease.
Allow me to do a quick analysis of this definition by looking at its key elements:
- Evidence-informed: While proper medicine is BASED on evidence, IM is merely INFORMED by it. The difference is fundamental. It allows IM clinicians to use any un- or disproven so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) they can think of or invent. The evidence for homeopathy fails to show that it is effective? Never mind, IM does not need to be evidence-based, it is evidence-informed. IM physicians know homeopathy is a placebo therapy (if not they would be ill-informed which would make them unethical), but they nevertheless use homeopathy (try to find an IM clinic that does not offer homeopathy!), because IM is not EBM. IM is evidence-informed!
- Therapies that achieve optimum health and wellbeing. This is odd because the website also states that “therapies can include anything from acupuncture, yoga, massage, aromatherapy, herbal medicine, nutrition, exercise along with many more approaches, tailored to the needs of the individual” indicating that virtually anything can be included. Anyway, “optimum health and wellbeing” seems a strange and unachievable criterion. In fact, it is nothing but a ‘bait and switch‘ salesmen’s trick.
- Holistic: This is a little trick that IM proponents love. With it, they imply that normal medicine is not holistic. However, this implication is demonstrably wrong. Any good medicine is holistic, and if a sector of healthcare fails to account for the whole person, we need to reform it. (Here are the conclusions of an editorial I published in 2007 entitled ‘Holistic heath care?‘: good health care is likely to be holistic but holistic health care, as it is marketed at present, is not necessarily good. The term ‘holistic’ may even be a ‘red herring’ which misleads patients. What matters most is whether or not any given approach optimally benefits the patient. This goal is best achieved with effective and safe interventions administered humanely — regardless of what label we put on them.) Creating a branch of medicine that, like IM, pretends to have a monopoly on holism is grossly misleading and can only hinder this process.
- Patient-centred: This is the same mean little trick in a different guise. They imply that conventional medicine is not patient-centred. Yet, all good medicine is, of course, patient-centred. To imply otherwise is just daft.
- Consideration of the patient’s physical and psychological wellbeing and treating the whole person rather than just the disease: Same trick yet again! The implication is that physical and psychological wellbeing and the whole person are not all that relevant in conventional medicine where only disease labels are being treated.
Altogether, this definition of IM is unworthy of anyone with the slightest ability to think critically. I find it much worse than the latest US definition (which already is fairly awful). In fact, it turns out to be a poorly disguised bonanza of strawman fallacies combined with ‘bait and switch’ deception.
How can this be?
How can a professional organisation engage in such mean trickery?
Perhaps a look at the list of speakers will go some way towards answering the question. Have a good look, you might recognize many individuals as members of our ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE HALL OF FAME.
PS
Registration costs £ 249 (standard rate)
PPS
Perhaps I should also mention at least 4 of the many commercial sponsors of the conference:
- Boiron
- Helixor
- Iscador
- Weleda
The secret is simple, and it is for sale. The advertising could not be clearer:
“Get ready for some good lovin’ because more blood to your bits means better stimulation to your love organ, which may improve fertility and give you a boost to your libido.”
The supplement that can achieve all this for you is called ‘Nitro Wood‘. It contains the following ingredients:
PINE BARK + BEETROOT + CINNAMON + GRAPE SEED EXTRACT + GARLIC EXTRACT + CAYENNE PEPPER
And these herbal remedies are claimed to have the following effects:
- Promotes Nitric Oxide Production Studies suggest that almost half the cases of sexual dysfunction in men are from lack of nitric oxide. This explosive blend naturally triggers the best kind of nitric oxide production — your own body’s.
- Lowers Blood Pressure Healthy blood vessels significantly lower your risks of heart disease and stroke. This combination of superfood extracts is high in nitrates, which is nature’s way of keeping your blood pressure in check.
Improves Physical Performance You’ll notice a vast improvement in your physical activity and endurance, whether at the gym or in the bedroom. Whatever the playground, you’ll be knocking it out of the park!
And it comes with an authoritative endorsement:
Nitro Wood contains key nutrients that are proven to support healthy blood flow, improving your overall wellness, energy levels and performance in the gym — and in the bedroom (if you know what we mean 😉
Cedars-Sinai Cardiologist Dr. David M. Filsoof, M.D.
And at an ‘auto subscription’ prize of US$ 34.39 for 30 servings, this seems a bargain too good to miss. There is, as far as I can see, just one tiny little snag: I failed to find anything that looks remotely like evidence to suggest that ‘Nitro Wood’ has any effect whatsoever.
So, in case you are disappointed by this product and also prefer something that is ‘super safe’, how about this gadget?
Doubting your capability in bed? We got you! We are happy to offer you a product that can make you last long in bed while providing the maximum performance! Introducing the 4000ions HardSteel AlphaMaleMagnetic Bracelet
This STYLISH BRACELET is POWERED by a BUILT-IN INFRARED that has a BIO-ACT TECHNOLOGY that DELIVERS the fir (far-infrared) energy into a nano structure that PENETRATES DEEPLY in to the human skin and provides the following benefits: Reduces Inflammation, Strengthens Heart Health, Aids Digestion, Lowers Blood Pressure, Detoxify Body, Relieves Stress and Boosts Immune System.
Please note how almost all the buzz-words of so-called alternative medicine are elegantly put to their strongest advantage:
- bio
- energy
- nano
- detox
- stress
- immune system
The ‘4000ions HardSteel AlphaMaleMagnetic Bracelet’ has the additional advantage of being more economical. It costs just Euro 10.26!
Alas, the gadget has the same drawback as the ‘Nitro Wood’ supplement: there is not a jot of evidence to suggest that it helps anyone else than the manufacturer.