satire
The full title of this paper is “Role of Energy Medicine in enhancing hemoglobin levels – A case study”. Readers who thus expect to learn about the effects of ENERGY MEDICINE (a branch of so-called alternative medicine based on the belief that healers can channel “healing energy” into patients and effect positive results) might be disappointed.
The abstract reveals that the article “explores the potential benefits of Acupuncture and Energy Medicine as energy therapies in managing anemia”. If you now expect to learn something about the combination of ACUPUNCTURE and ENERGY MEDICINE, you would be mistaken.
Here is the abstract of the case report:
A 43-year-old female with severe anemia (hemoglobin 6.5 g/dL) participated in a three-month treatment plan that combined acupuncture and energy therapy. Acupuncture targets specific points to enhance Qi flow, stimulate blood production, and restore energy balance. The energy therapy plan focused on blood-nourishing foods aimed at supporting hematopoiesis.
After three months of treatment, the patient’s hemoglobin levels increased by 4.9 g/dL, reaching 11.4 g/dL. Clinical symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness, and weakness, showed marked improvement. Additionally, the patient reported better sleep, enhanced mood, and an increase in appetite, all of which contributed to an improved overall sense of well-being.
The authors concluded that the results suggest that Acupuncture and Energy Medicine can serve as effective energy therapies in managing anemia, particularly for cases that do not respond well to conventional treatments. This case study provides preliminary evidence of their potential to improve hemoglobin levels and alleviate anemia-related symptoms. However, further research is necessary to validate these findings and explore the broader application of acupuncture and energy medicine in anemia management.
The authors of this paper, who come from the ‘International Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy Medical Sciences‘, Chengalpattu, Tamilnadu, India, never bothered to explain what type of ENERGY MEDICINE they applied to their patient. As it turns out, they used no ENERGY MEDICINE at all! Here is what they disclosed about the treatments in the full paper:
The patient was treated with energy medicine and the treatment protocol includes Acupuncture, Diet therapy that was designed in such a way to improve the blood circulation, balance energy flow, and address underlying deficiencies in Qi and blood, particularly in relation to the Spleen, Liver and Kidney meridians, which are believed to play a role in blood production in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
So, we now know that the case report entitled “Role of Energy Medicine in enhancing hemoglobin levels – A case study” was, in fact, about a patient receiving ACUPUNCTURE and DIET.
Next, we might wonder what condition the patient had been suffering from (anemia is not a disease but a sign that can be caused by a range of diseases). All we learn from the paper is this:
She had been diagnosed with anemia three months prior and had been taking iron supplements without significant improvement in her hemoglobin (Hb) levels.
So, we now know that despite the title of the paper ( “Role of Energy Medicine in enhancing hemoglobin levels – A case study”), the authors used no ENERGY MEDICINE. We also know thet they did not bother to adequately diagnose the patient. But we are told that the case shows that Acupuncture and Energy Medicine can serve as effective energy therapies in managing anemia, particularly for cases that do not respond well to conventional treatments. Just to be clear: if a doctor sees a patient with a dangerously low hemoglobin and does not bother to establish the cause and treats her with acupuncture and diet, the physician is, in my view, guilty of criminal neglect.
At this point, I have to admit that I lost the will to live – well, not quite, perhaps. But I certainly have lost the will to take the ‘International Institute of Yoga and Naturopathy Medical Sciences‘, Chengalpattu, Tamilnadu, India, seriously. In fact, I seriously doubt that this institution should be allowed to educate future doctors. If they are able of doing anything useful, they could try to publish a book on:
HOW NOT TO WRITE A MEDICAL PAPER.
The ‘Code of Professional Practice‘ for UK chiropractors (applicaple from 1.1.2026) has just been published by the UK General Chiropractic Council (GCC). It demands in no uncertain terms numerous things from chiropractors:
- You must put the interests of patients first
- You must ensure safety and quality in clinical practice
- You must act with honesty and integrity and maintain
- You must provide a good standard of clinical care and professional practice
- You must establish and maintain clear professional
- You must obtain appropriate, valid consent from patients
- You must communicate professionally, properly and effectively
- You must foster collaborative healthcare, effective professional relationships and safe, supportive workplace practice
- You must maintain, develop and work within your professional knowledge and skills
- You must maintain and protect patient information
It seems obvious to me that many of these demands cannot possibly met. Let me just pick two examples. The code explains that, as a chiropractor, you must:
- protect patients by promoting and maintaining a culture of safety, seeking to prevent harm before it occurs.
- use the findings of the clinical assessment and the best quality of evidence that is available at the time, to propose (and record) a plan of care for the patient. You must tell the patient where your proposals are not supported by evidence of accepted quality and record your rationale and discussions.
Ad 1
Chiropractors administer spinal manipulations to well over 90% of their patients regardless of their condition or complaint. As we have often discussed on this blog, such treatments are not free of serious risks. It follows that preventing harm from patients and earning your living as a chiro is not really possible. Either you do one or you do the other; to be able to do both at the same time seems pure fantasy.
Ad 2
If chiropractors were to use the findings of the best quality of evidence that is available at the time, they would have to stop using spinal manipulation, a treatment that is, for many indications chiros use it, not supported by the best available evidence. But, as I already mentioned, spinal manipulation is the main therapy of chiros. Following the GCC’s demand is therefore an impossibility.
What is the solution?
Will the new code really disallow UK chiropractors to practice?
No! I fear that the solution is much simpler than it may look at first glance.
The GCC has in the past issued similar demands only to then do nothing to enforce them. Like past documents, the new code will turn out to be a document that changes nothing, except that it makes GCC members feel good: it allows them (and some consumers) the illusion that UK chiropractic an evidence-based, ethical and well-regulated profession.
Do you remember the case of Katie May who died “as the result of visiting a chiropractor for an adjustment, which ultimately left her with a fatal tear to an artery in her neck”?
Here is the abstract:
A 34-year-old female suffered a fatal stroke 7.5 h after cervical spine manipulation (CSM) performed by a chiropractic physician. Imaging noted vertebral artery dissection (VAD), basilar artery occlusion, and thromboembolic stroke. The medical examiner opined that CSM caused the VAD which embolized to cause the fatal stroke. However, causation of VAD by CSM is not supported by the research.
We utilized an intuitive approach to causation analysis to determine the cause of the VAD and the stroke. Causation of the VAD and the stroke by CSM could not be established as more likely than not. The malpractice case was settled by bringing allegations of misdiagnosis and failure to diagnose and refer the VAD to medical emergency.
We conclude that in the absence of convincing evidence that CSM could cause VAD, forensic professionals should consider VAD as a presenting symptom prior to CSM in such cases. Adherence to the standard of care for the chiropractic profession with attention to differential diagnosis could prevent such cases.
The author states that the objectives of this case report were to:
- Perform a forensic analysis to determine the most likely causal mechanism of the VAD.
- Perform a forensic analysis to determine the most likely causal mechanism of the stroke.
- Perform a medicolegal analysis of the standard of care with the aim of determining how this case could have been prevented, and how future such cases could be prevented.
There are, as far as I can see, at least three major problems with these objectives:
- The author is not qualified as a forensic analyst.
- He is merely a chiro (and acupuncturist) with a massive conflict of interest.
- Neither does he seem to be medically nor legally qualified for doing a medicolegal analysis (Dr. Brown received his undergraduate degree in Philosophy and History from Illinois State University in 1989. He went on to attend one semester of Law school at California Western School of Law in San Diego.)
The author even states that his information was taken from publicly available court documents. Background information was taken from publicly available investigative journalism and media coverage of this case. Any information that has not been made public is not reflected in this analysis. Images of the forensic microscopic review of the vertebral arteries were not available for review.
So, how valuable is chiro Brown’s medicolegal second opinion?
The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of existing literature to identify factors that contribute to high levels of satisfaction in chiropractic care. A comprehensive search was conducted to identify quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies exploring patient experience with chiropractic care. Forty-three studies were included in the review. The findings showed that patient satisfaction was consistently high in comparison to other professions. The review identified key factors that contribute to patient experience, which were not limited to clinical outcomes, but also the clinical interaction and clinician attributes. The findings of this review provide a core insight into patient experience, identifying both positive and negative experiences not just within chiropractic care but in the wider healthcare sector. Further work should explore factors that impact patient satisfaction and how this understanding may further improve healthcare to enhance patient experience.
I do sympathise with the chiro-industry wanting to promote chiropractic at all cost. But, please, let’s also have some understanding with the vodka industry. Here is my contribution to make sure they do not feel left out:
The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of existing literature to identify factors that contribute to high levels of satisfaction in vodka consumption. A comprehensive search was conducted to identify quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods studies exploring consumer experience with vodka drinking. Forty-three studies were included in the review. The findings showed that patient satisfaction was consistently high in comparison to drinking other beverages. The review identified key factors that contribute to consumer experience, which were not limited to outcomes, but also the interactions with and attributes of fellow drinkers. The findings of this review provide a core insight into consumer experience, identifying both positive and negative experiences not just with vodka consumption but with the wider drinks sector. Further work should explore factors that impact consumer satisfaction and how this understanding may further improve drinking to enhance consumer experience.
Allow me to congratulate the authors – researchers from the newly renamed ‘Sciences University, Bournemouth, UK’ (formerly merely a chiro college) – on such an elegant study and cutting-edge science.
The year 2024 brought many disappointments. But let’s not dwell on those, lets get in the mood for tonights celebrations! And what could be more fitting for that than a review of the positive cardiovascular effects of wine drinking? After all wine involves both aromatherapy as well as antioxidants, botanical medicine and naturopathy! As luck would have it, we even have some recent evidence on this very subject.
The objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were:
- (i) to examine the association between wine consumption and cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and coronary heart disease (CHD),
- (ii) to analyse whether this association could be influenced by personal and study factors, including the participants’ mean age, the percentage of female subjects, follow-up time and percentage of current smokers.
The searched several databases for longitudinal studies from their inception to March 2023.
A total of 25 studies were included in the systematic review, and 22 could be included the meta-analysis. The pooled risk ration (RR) for the association of wine consumption and the risk of CHD using the DerSimonian and Laird approach was 0.76 (95% CIs: 0.69, 0.84), for the risk of CVD was 0.83 (95% CIs: 0.70, 0.98), and for the risk of cardiovascular mortality was 0.73 (95% CIs: 0.59, 0.90).
The authors concluded that their research revealed that wine consumption has an inverse relationship to cardiovascular mortality, CVD, and CHD. Age, the proportion of women in the samples, and follow-up time did not influence this association. Interpreting these findings with prudence was necessary because increasing wine intake might be harmful to individuals who are vulnerable to alcohol because of age, medication, or their pathologies.
What, you suspect that this paper was sponsored by the wine industry?
No, you are mistaken! It was funded by FEDER funds, by a grant from the University of Castilla-La Mancha, and by a grant from the science, innovation and universities.
So, maybe just for tonight we put the worries about our livers aside and enjoy a (non-homeopathic) dose of wine.
Cheers!
It’s the season to be jolly!
But there seems to be so little to be jolly about!
No worries – I found something that will surely make you laugh out loud.
This article by Iurii Titarenko (PhD in Psychology, Private Scientific Institution “Scientific and Research University of Medical and Pharmaceutical Law”; European Academy of Digital Medical Technologies – “Re-Generation” Center, Ukraine) is the best comic relief Santa can offer:
Bioresonance therapy is a cutting-edge approach that uses electromagnetic waves to restore the body’s natural bioelectric balance and activate inherent self-healing mechanisms. It is steadily gaining recognition across diverse medical fields – ranging from allergology and neurology to metabolic disorders and oncology.
This article examines the clinical outcomes associated with employing bioresonance for the treatment and support of various patient groups, including those with allergies, autoimmune conditions (notably those related to Lyme disease), metabolic imbalances, chronic pain, depression, cancer, and other health challenges.
Of particular importance is the therapy’s demonstrated effectiveness in alleviating allergic reactions, stabilizing metabolic processes, managing neurological conditions, and mitigating the adverse effects of conventional cancer treatments. Beyond these benefits, bioresonance not only enhances patients’ overall well-being, but also complements traditional therapies by improving their outcomes, minimizing side effects, and hastening recovery. It has shown promise as a means to refine and optimize existing treatment regimens, thereby paving the way for more comprehensive patient care. The article also highlights the method’s potential applications in routine medical practice and emphasizes the necessity of further clinical trials to identify optimal therapeutic parameters and clarify its mechanisms of action.
Bioresonance therapy could become a crucial adjunct to traditional medical strategies, substantially improving patients’ quality of life. As ongoing research continues to elucidate its role, incorporating bioresonance into integrated treatment plans may broaden therapeutic horizons, enabling personalized, preventive, and more effective healthcare solutions for the future.
For those who do not know much about bioresonance, let me just confirm that is pure nonsense. One of the best tests of bioresonance is this one. Its results show that bioresonance:
- failed to diagnose serious diseases in the patients,
- gave a clean bill of health to a corpse,
- diagnosed a host of health risks in healthy volunteers,
- produced variable results for a sample of liver pate as well as a wet towel with standard deviations for repeated tests exceeding 200%,
- was unable to differentiate between a wet towel and the healthy volunteers.
But such findings did not stop the author of the above paper to arrive at his pseudo-scientific conclusion:
Bioresonance therapy is a promising method that opens up new opportunities in the treatment and support of patients with various diseases …
Needless to mention that he does not supply any reliable evidence for his outlandish claims.
(Mainly, I guess, because there is no such evidence)
The General Chiropractic Council (GCC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with NHS England, the Crown Prosecution Service and the National Police Chiefs’ Council to collaborate where there is suspected criminal activity on the part of a GCC member in relation to the provision of clinical care or care decision-making.
I find this interesting and most laudable!
But I also have seven questions, e.g.:
- Does it amount to criminal activity in relation to the provision of clinical care or care decision-making, if a chiropractor explains that the patient’s problem is caused by a subluxation of the spine, an entity that does not even exist? Apparently this happens every day.
- Does it amount to criminal activity in relation to the provision of clinical care or care decision-making, if a chiropractor treats a patient without prior informed consent? Apparently, this happens regularly.
- Does it amount to criminal activity in relation to the provision of clinical care or care decision-making, if a chiropractor fails to warn a patient that his/her manipulations can cause harm and even put him/her in a wheelchair? Apparently this (the lack of warning) happens all the time, and some chiropractors even insist that their manipulations are entirely safe.
- Does it amount to criminal activity in relation to the provision of clinical care or care decision-making, if a chiropractor claims that spinal manipulations are effective for curing the patient’s problem, while the evidence does not support the claim? Apparently this happens more often than not.
- Does it amount to criminal activity in relation to the provision of clinical care or care decision-making, if a chiropractor persuades a patient to have expensive long-term maintenance therapy for preventing health problems, while the evidence for that appoach is less than convincing? Apparently this happens rather frequently.
- Does it amount to criminal activity in relation to the provision of clinical care or care decision-making, if the chiropractor issues advice that is both outside his/her competence and detrimental to the health of the patient (for instance, advising parents not to vaccinate their kids)? Apparently this happens a lot.
- Does it amount to criminal activity in relation to the provision of clinical care or care decision-making, if a chiropractor advises a patient not to do what a real doctor told him/her to do? Apparently this is far from a rare occurance.
I would be most grateful, if the GCC would take the time to answer the above questions.
Many thanks in advaance.
“Crusade Against Naturopathy” (Kreuzzug gegen Naturheilkunde) is the title of a recent article (in German – so, I translated for you) published in ‘MULTIPOLAR‘. It is a defence of – no, not naturopathy – quackery. The authors first defend the indefencible Heilpraktiker. Subsequently, they address what they call ‘The Homeopathy Controversy‘. This is particularly ridiculous because homeopathy is not a form of naturopathy. Yes, it uses some natural materials, but it also employs any synthetic substance that you can think of.
The section on homeopathy contains many more amusing surprises; therefore, I have translated it for you [and added a few numers in square brackets that refer to my brief comments below]:
According to a representative survey conducted by the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion Research in 2023, 35 per cent of homeopathy users are fully convinced of its effectiveness, while 55 per cent rate it as partially effective. Only nine per cent of respondents described homeopathic medicines as completely ineffective. [1]
Nevertheless, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach announced at the beginning of 2024 that he wanted to abolish homeopathy as a health insurance benefit. Stefan Schmidt-Troschke, paediatrician and managing director of the ‘Gesundheit Aktiv Association’, then launched a petition for the preservation of homeopathic medicines as statutory benefits in statutory health insurance. The petition was signed by more than 200,000 people. In March 2024, the cancellation of homeopathy and anthroposophic medicines as additional statutory benefits was revoked. [2]
Shortly afterwards, in May 2024, the ‘German Medical Assembly’ passed a motion against homeopathy to bring about a total ban for doctors. Dr Marc Hanefeld, official supporter of the ‘Informationsnetzwerk Homöopathie’, was behind the motion. Doctors should be banned from practising homeopathy in future, as well as billing via statutory and private health insurance. [3]
The case of the Charité University Hospital in Berlin shows just how much influence opponents of homeopathy have: for years, the hospital’s website stated ‘that homeopathic medicine can cure or improve even the most serious conditions’. After fierce protests – including from the health journalism portal MedWatch – the statement was removed. [4]
My comments:
- Effectiveness is not something to be quantified by popular votes. Responsible healthcare professionals employ rigorous clinical trials for that purpose.
- Lauterbach caved in because of the pressure from the Green Party and insists that his plans are merely postponed.
- The ‘German Medical Assembly’ decided that the use of homoeopathy in diagnostics and therapy does not constitute rational medicine. German doctors continue to be free to practice homeopathy, if they so wish.
- The notion that ‘homeopathic medicine can cure or improve even the most serious conditions’ is so obviously and dangerously wrong that it had to be corrected. This has little to do with the influence of opponents but is due to the influence of the evidence.
I feel that, if proponents of homeopathy want to save their beloved quackery from the face of the earth, they could at least get their facts right and think of some agruments that are a little less ridiculous.
I came across this remarkable chapter entitled “Reiki in Companion Animals “. As it comes from the Department of Clinical Studies and the Department of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, the paper ought to be taken seriously, I thought. It seems that I was mistaken!
Here is the unaltered abstract:
The word “Reiki” is derived from two Japanese words “Rei” and “kei” meaning spiritually guided life energy. Reiki helps an individual to feel from disease, grow emotionally, spiritually and mentally. In case of animal, Reiki helps to build trust between pets and owner, promotes healing decrease psychological issues and keep an animal healthy. The major energies Reiki attunement include earth energy, heavenly energy and heart energy. Furthermore, the three degrees of chakra i.e., the heart chakra, the throat chakra and third eye chakra, allow an individual to love unconditionally, open path to consciousness and build trust, respectively. Some practitioner in Reiki train for years to understand the energy and how to navigate delicate and subtle energy which shifts within themselves and their participants, where instead of realigning your bones and muscles tension. The process of Reiki is something anyone can learn and something you can learn fairly swiftly, especially for animals. Reiki allows us to perform at a level where our positive energy flows freely. Reiki should not be an alternative to veterinarian medical care, but seen instead as an aid in the diagnosis to recovery.
Are you as baffled as I am? Here are some of my most immediate questions:
What is “Reiki attunement”?
What is “earth energy”?
What is “heavenly energy”?
What is “heart energy”?.
What is “the heart chakra”?
What is “the throat chakra”?
What is “the third eye chakra”?
What is an “open path to consciousness”?
What is “a level where our positive energy flows freely”?
None of these terms or concepts are defined. Why not? The answer is that they are not definable; they are mystical notions without meaning aimed at a gullible public (a polite way of avoiding the word bullshit).
Needless to say that the rest of the chapter is packed with some of the worst proctophasia and pseudo-science I have ever come across. The fact is that Reiki is nonsense, and nonsense should not be used to treat either humans or animals. If you are not convinced, please explain to me what this sentence tries to tell us: “Some practitioner in Reiki train for years to understand the energy and how to navigate delicate and subtle energy which shifts within themselves and their participants, where instead of realigning your bones and muscles tension.”
QED!
It has been reported that Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s pick to lead the FBI. Patel seems to be a scary man. During 2023 appearance on Steve Bannon‘s “War Room” podcast, Patel agreed that Trump is “dead serious” about his intent to seek revenge against his political enemies should he be elected in 2024. Patel stated:
“We will go out and find the conspirators — not just in government, but in the media … we’re going to come after the people in the media who lied about American citizens, who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections … We’re going to come after you. Whether it’s criminally or civilly, we’ll figure that out. But yeah, we’re putting you all on notice, and Steve, this is why they hate us. This is why we’re tyrannical. This is why we’re dictators … Because we’re actually going to use the Constitution to prosecute them for crimes they said we have always been guilty of but never have.”
Meanwhile, Patel has been flogging a range of very odd products aimed at the MAGA crowd, making hundreds of thousands of dollars from Trump-aligned businesses. In particular, Patel promoted pills that claim to reverse the effects of the Covid-19 vaccine. Marketed under the trademark “Nocovidium,” the pills from a company called ‘Warrior Essentials’ contain a range of ‘natural ingredients none of which has been shown to do anything significant in relation to Covid-19 or vaccines:
“Spike the Vax, order this homerun kit to rid your body of the harms of the vax,” Patel said in a Truth Social post promoting the SCAM remedy. Another advert stated: “You were immune to the propaganda, but are you immune to the shedders.”
The website explains:
“The ingredients are listed above, but they break down into a few distinct categories. Polyamines are the driving force that helps to push the body into autophagy. These are found in many foods and are also in all living organisms. Our formula is designed to give a boost of externally supplied polyamines, while also working to turn your body into a polyamine producing gigafactory. This is done by providing the body the precursors, activators, and synthesizers to ramp up production. The third goal is to inhibit pathogens, including the spike protein, from interfering with the process. It’s a 1-2-3 patent-pending punch. Every ingredient was specifically chosen and balanced for its ability to promote autophagy, polyamine production, the inhibition of factors that can stop the process, or a combination of all three.”
The website even explains how the supplement works: “With regards to the spike protein, the body identifies this as a foreign object, and the autophagy process is designed to help protect your body by completely eliminating items like the spike. Many indicators show that the spike’s ability to block this process may be why the spikes are lasting far longer in the body than anybody ever expected. Our formula was developed to counter these measures allowing the process to complete and the objects, including the spike, identified by the body for removal, to be eliminated.”
Is there any evidence?
One should not ask such probing questions!
Why not?
The answer is as simple as it is scary: “We’re going to come after you!”
