satire
It has been reported that a chiropractor from Boulder City, US, has lost his license to practice for five years. The sentence could be extended if he does not adhere to requirements imposed by the Chiropractic Physicians’ Board of Nevada.
During a hearing, Tenney and his attorney, Hal Reiser, appeared before the board via Zoom to discuss the 25 charges against him. These charges stemmed from him reportedly hosting seminars to provide various services, treatments, nutritive supplementation devices related to diabetes, weight loss and neuropathy.
In a unanimous vote, the board approved Tenney’s voluntary surrender of his license effective immediately. Within 30 days, he must pay $44,514 in fees, costs and fines to the Chiropractic Physicians’ Board of Nevada. He must also provide refunds to three of the complainants in the case, in the amount of nearly $25,000. His attorney said that has been done and that in all, Tenney has refunded more than $150,000 to those who paid following one of his seminars and will continue to do so.
“Dr. Tenney’s failure to comply with any term or condition of this Settlement Agreement will result (in the) Board staff changing the public information related to Dr. Tenney from voluntary surrender to revoked,” a board report states. “Thereafter, Dr. Tenney’s license will be treated as having been revoked, and Dr. Tenney may not apply for reinstatement for at least 10 years after the change of such status.” Once the five-year period is up, Tenney would have to appear before the board for reinstatement.
“Some of the reviewed contracts contain references to an entity called Boulder Wellness,” the report states. “In the course of the investigation, it was determined that Boulder Wellness is a fictitious business name for Boulder Chiropractic, Inc. registered with the Clark County Clerk’s office on July 27, 2020.”
Though the contracts indicated a set price for the goods and services to be provided, they showed that Tenney would negotiate the price of contracts with the patients, ranging from a low of $1,500 to a high of $9,000, the document states. Most of the patients in the reviewed contracts paid in cash on the day of the signing of the contracts.
The board had received a consumer complaint from Patient FH about his and his wife’s attendance at a seminar and subsequent enrollment in a wellness program sold by Tenney in September 2021 in Pahrump.
From April 16, 2022 to Aug. 22, 2022, he hosted more than 50 seminars, sometimes two a day, with a total of 895 participants over that span. These seminars were held in Nevada, Utah and Arizona.
After learning all this, you might ask who is Tad Tenney?
Tad Tenney grew up and graduated in Prescott, Arizona in 1987. After spending two years on a missionary tour of Argentina on behalf of the LDS church, he returned home fluent in Spanish. He attended Snow College where he played basketball for a year. After a successful year, he transferred to Salt Lake Community College where he obtained an Associates of Arts. It was here that he fell in love with the idea of becoming a doctor of Chiropractic care.
Tad went onto attend college in Dallas Texas and obtained his Bachelor of Science and Chiropractic care. He moved to Boulder City in 1998 where he opened his practice. Over the last twenty years as his practice has evolved to include a whole health approach for every individual he encounters through his practice. Since his practice opened, he has had more than thirty thousand patient visits and over ten thousand individual patients. The Boulder City Chiropractic Health now specializes in the treatment of diabetes, neuropathy, back and joint pain, depression, and anxiety. It is truly a passion for him as his patients continue to recover without medications or surgery.
In 2018, Tenner was asked: “What are some things that help you continue through difficult moments?” He replied as follows: “Daily I keep a few sayings in mind. The first is: “Every day is a new life to a wise man.” The second is: “no matter what your past is you have a spotless future.” My mom often shared the second with me. These remind me that no matter the shortcomings or failures, I can change it all tomorrow or in the days ahead.”
It looks to me like Tenner needs to change quite a lot to achieve a spotless future.
The ‘LIGA MEDICORUM HOMOEOPATHICA INTERNATIONALIS’ recently held its 77th ‘World Homeopathic Congress’ in Seville, Spain. No, I was not invited and did not attend, but I have seen the abstract of a keynote lecture by Prof. Josef M Schmidt from the
Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany (the university where I studied and worked for many years). I find it quite remarkable and hope you agree:
Today, homeopathy is having to face massive campaigns targeted at excluding it from what is considered to be scientific medicine, as well as from participation in markets. These attacks are based on philosophical and political presuppositions without which this could not happen.
The common denominator of these ideologies is a reductionist world view, in terms of a money-driven rationality, with a neglect of other dimensions of life. Within this mediocre frame of thought and judgment, there would be little choice left for homeopathy other than to fight for its recognition and market access by means of administrative standards established by their competitors, i.e. by randomised clinical trials, onerous approval procedures, etc.
In reality, however, homeopathy can be said to encompass far more dimensions of being than just lógos-thinking in terms of measurability, reproducibility, commodifiability and the like. Its theory and practice also rests on hómoion- and iásthai-thinking, i.e. on the principles of similarity and healing, as has been recently suggested by medical historical research and presented at the last LMHI congresses (Istanbul 2022, Bogotá 2023).
In order to exploit the unique multidimensionality of homeopathy and its potential impact on the current scientific discourse, another framework for homeopathy within medical and political theory may well be needed. First, the reductionistic view of man advocated by the “buffered selves” of modernity (Charles Taylor) would have to be challenged and overcome, then, a wider and richer anthropology as well as educational and political ideals be advocated and, finally, homeopathy be presented as an exemplary art of healing, in terms of reasonability, efficiency and safety. Only thus may it become clear that, given its multidimensionality, homeopathy may have much more to give and to offer than continually partaking in a desperate struggle to fulfill the one-dimensional requirements their opponents use to impose upon it.
Schmidt has a remarkable CV:
1. Academic Education
Medical School at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich 1973–1980
Doctoral Degree in Medicine (MD) at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich in 1980
PhD-Program in Philosophy, Theology, and History of Medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich 1982–1988
Doctoral Degree in Philosophy (PhD) at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich in 1990
Habilitation (venia legendi) for the History of Medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich in 2005
2. Professional Career
Resident at the Clinical Center of the Technical University of Munich (Klinikum rechts der Isar der TUM) and other hospitals and medical offices in Munich 1981, 1989–1991, 1993–1994
Medical Specialization (Consultant) in General Practice (Family Medicine) in 1994
Additional Medical Qualifications in Homeopathy (1985), Naturopathy (1990) and Quality Management (1999)
Trial Investigator and Physician at the Hospital of Naturopathy in Munich (Krankenhaus für Naturheilweisen) 1995–2001
Head of the Library of the Hospital of Naturopathy in Munich 1989–2003
Research Associate (freelance) at the Institute of the History of Medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich 1988–2007
Research Associate at the University of California, San Francisco, USA, 1991–1992
Associate Lecturer (Lehrbeauftragter) for the History of Medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich 1992–2005
Private Lecturer (Privatdozent) for the History of Medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich 2005–2013
Research Associate (Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter) at the Institute of the History of Medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich 2007–2011
Research Associate (freelance) at the Institute of Ethics, History, and Theory of Medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich since 2011
Adjunct Professor (außerplanmäßiger Professor) for the History of Medicine at the Ludwig Maximilian’s University of Munich since 2013
3. Awards
Scholarship of the Robert Bosch Foundation 1987–1988
Scholarship of the German Research Association (DFG) 1991–1992
Professor Alfons Stiegele Research Award for Homeopathy in 1993
Science Award Samuel Hahnemann of the Town of his Birth Meißen 2015
Honorary Membership of the German Central Association of Homeopathic Physicians 2016
Even more remarkably, Schmidt has 25 Medline-listed publications all on homeopathy. As far as I can see, only one of them relates to a clinical trial. Here is its abstract:
Objective: To test whether an ultramolecular dilution of homeopathic Thyroidinum has an effect over placebo on weight reduction of fasting patients in so-called ‘fasting crisis’.
Design: Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel group, monocentre study.
Setting/location: Hospital for internal and complementary medicine in Munich, Germany.
Subjects: Two hundred and eight fasting patients encountering a stagnation or increase of weight after a weight reduction of at least 100 g/day in the preceding 3 days.
Intervention: One oral dose of Thyroidinum 30cH (preparation of thyroid gland) or placebo.
Outcome measures: Main outcome measure was reduction of body weight 2 days after treatment. Secondary outcome measures were weight reduction on days 1 and 3, 15 complaints on days 1-3, and 34 laboratory findings on days 1-2 after treatment.
Results: Weight reduction on the second day after medication in the Thyroidinum group was less than in the placebo group (mean difference 92 g, 95% confidence interval 7-176 g, P=0.034). Adjustment for baseline differences in body weight and rate of weight reduction before medication, however, weakened the result to a non-significant level (P=0.094). There were no differences between groups in the secondary outcome measures.
Conclusions: Patients receiving Thyroidinum had less weight reduction on day 2 after treatment than those receiving placebo. Yet, since no significant differences were found in other outcomes and since adjustment for baseline differences rendered the difference for the main outcome measure non-significant, this result must be interpreted with caution. Post hoc evaluation of the data, however, suggests that by predefining the primary outcome measure in a different way, an augmented reduction of weight on day 1 after treatment with Thyroidinum may be demonstrated. Both results would be compatible with homeopathic doctrine (primary and secondary effect) as well as with findings from animal research.
So, Schmidt turned an essentially negative finding into a (cautiously) positive one by starting his conclusion with the sentence: Patients receiving Thyroidinum had less weight reduction on day 2 after treatment than those receiving placebo.
Altogether this seems to me to be a herculean effort that merits admission into my ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE HALL OF FAME where he joins all of the following members:
- Meinhard Simon (homeopathy0
- Richard C. Niemtzow (acupuncture)
- Helmut Kiene (anthroposophical medicine)
- Helge Franke (osteopathy, Germany)
- Tery Oleson (acupressure , US)
- Jorge Vas (acupuncture, Spain)
- Wane Jonas (homeopathy, US)
- Harald Walach (various SCAMs, Germany)
- Andreas Michalsen ( various SCAMs, Germany)
- Jennifer Jacobs (homeopath, US)
- Jenise Pellow (homeopath, South Africa)
- Adrian White (acupuncturist, UK)
- Michael Frass (homeopath, Austria)
- Jens Behnke (research officer, Germany)
- John Weeks (editor of JCAM, US)
- Deepak Chopra (entrepreneur, US)
- Cheryl Hawk (chiropractor, US)
- David Peters (osteopathy, homeopathy, UK)
- Nicola Robinson (TCM, UK)
- Peter Fisher (homeopathy, UK)
- Simon Mills (herbal medicine, UK)
- Gustav Dobos (various SCAMs, Germany)
- Claudia Witt (homeopathy, Germany/Switzerland)
- George Lewith (acupuncture, UK)
- John Licciardone (osteopathy, US)
It has been reported that King Charles is on a secret trip to Bengaluru, his first visit to India since being coronated as king of the United Kingdom on May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey, London. Charles arrived in Bengaluru on October 27 and will be at the Soukya International Holistic Health Centre (SIHHC) in Whitefield for wellness treatment till Wednesday (30/10) night, when he is expected to fly to London.
Sources privy to his secret visit said that King Charles arrived in Bengaluru directly from Samoa, where he attended the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting from October 21-26. His visit to Bengaluru was strictly kept under wraps, and he was directly taken to SIHHC, where he was also joined by his wife, Queen Camilla.
According to sources, the couple’s day begins with a morning yoga session, followed by breakfast and rejuvenation treatment before lunch. After a brief rest, a second round of therapies follows, ending with a meditation session before dinner and lights out by 9 pm. They have been enjoying long walks around the campus, visiting the organic farm and cattle shed. Considering the high-profile secret visit, a high-security ring was thrown around SIHHC.
The health centre, founded by Dr. Issac Mathai, is located in Samethanahalli, Whitefield, on Bengaluru’s outskirts. This integrative medical facility combines traditional systems of medicine, including Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Yoga, and Naturopathy, along with over 30 complementary therapies like reflexology, acupuncture, and dietetics.
Although this is his first visit as a monarch, Charles has visited the centre on nine earlier occasions and celebrated Deepavali on three occasions there. The royal couple has earlier taken wellness treatments, including anti-ageing, detoxification and rejuvenation. On November 14, 2019, the couple celebrated the then Prince Charles’ 71st birthday at SIHHC, an event that attracted a lot of publicity, unlike this visit.
_______________________
The website of the SIHHC modestly claims to be “THE WORLD’S FIRST INTEGRATIVE HEALTH DESTINATION’
As I reported in 2022, at a press conference in Goa it was claimed, that Prince Charles had been cured of COVID-19 after seeking treatment from a Bengaluru-based alternative treatment resort, SOUKYA International Holistic Health Centre’ run by a doctor Isaac Mathai. The Palace later denied that this was true.
And what about Dr. Issac Mathai? This is what he writes about himself:
A journey that began from the hills of Wayanad (northern Kerala) in 1985, started to bloom in 1998, and today is an international destination for Holistic health and wellbeing. When Dr. Issac Mathai embarked on this journey influenced by his mother, a Homeopathy practitioner who “helped people get better”, little did he know that one day he would lead a team to redefine the essence of health and wellbeing.
As a confident youngster aspiring to be an ‘exceptional Homeopathic Doctor’, Dr. Mathai encountered two key turning points in life – one, an internationally well-received research paper on integrating Yoga with Homeopathy to cure respiratory disorders, and two, learning at the Hahnemann Postgraduate Institute of Homeopathy, London.
Later he was made a Consultant Physician at the Hale Clinic in London, where he treated a number of high-profile people. This helped him establish a reputation in the holistic healing community in quick time. SOUKYA, is today, a residential holistic centre comparable to any facility in the world.
In a world that is comfortable with the conventional practice of ‘popping pills’, the world at large practices a combination of self-medication based on preconceived notions about what is wrong with individuals. In such a scenario, Dr. Issac Mathai and his team of experienced practitioners from different streams have achieved an important goal – create awareness about the possibility of prevention of adverse health conditions, rather than just addressing the symptom.
Education:
M.D. (Homeopathy),
Hahnemann Post-Graduate Institute of Homeopathy, London M.R.C.H, London
Chinese Pulse Diagnosis and Acupuncture, WHO Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China
Trained (Mind-Body Medicine Programme) at Harvard Medical School, USA
Of the 3 institutions mentioned above, I could only find the last one: Harvard CME | Mind Body Medicine.
And under MD (Homeopathy), I found this: MD in Homoeopathy is a 3-year long postgraduate course in medicine including a year of house job, and remaining 2 years of research and study.
So, should we be concerned about the health of our King?
What do you think?
Having recently come across the strange and scary story of the Nazi’s experiments on Caladium Seguinum, I did some research to find out about the current medicinal uses of this plant. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is today mostly advocated as a homeopathic remedy. In particular, it is highly recommended for erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation. Here are some extracts from a particularly ‘impressive’ article on this topic:
… [Caladium Seguinum] … is particularly suited for treating premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction, since these two problems cause widespread testicular swelling. The genital swelling is often associated with pruritus and internal inflammation that can be effectively treated with caladium.
The use of Caladium Seguinum is more common among men who are diagnosed with typical symptoms, along with an established case of either premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction. Prescription of caladium is more common among men who suffer from genitals lacking vitality, wherein the penis doesn’t enter a state of arousal in a normal manner.
It has been noted that emotional and stress-linked problems are often the cause of underlying, undiagnosable causes of sexual problems among men. Similarly, ED and premature ejaculation are more commonly associated with men who are mentally exhausted or suffering from a mental trauma. In such cases, the use of caladium is applicable.
In cases wherein male impotency is linked to lifestyle habits like smoking, caladium is often prescribed. Further, premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction in men who also complain of motion sickness are more likely to be treated with caladium. Caladium is very helpful if the premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction has resulted in visible inflammation of the penile region, particularly redness of the glans.
Men who are suffering from ED along with symptoms like cold sweats and thickening of the scrotum skin are ideal candidates for caladium treatment. Men presenting disturbed respiratory functions, often described as an asthma-like condition, along with having erectile dysfunction are better candidates for caladium treatment.
Some of the other symptoms that contribute towards premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction and are usually treated with caladium or caladium-enriched homeopathic mixtures include:
- Propensity towards unintentional penile erection
- Painful erection
- Testicular discomfort associated with gonorrhea
- Itching or surface eruptions on scrotal sac
- Disturbed sleep patterns
- Nighttime discharge from penis
Advantages of Caladium Seguinum
The biggest advantage of using homeopathic remedies for male infertility problems like erectile dysfunction is their overall safety. None of the homeopathic medications, including caladium, are known to induce any serious side-effects. However, the use of Caladium without medical supervision of a homeopathic specialist is highly inadvisable. Caladium Seguinum is retailed in various potencies and gauging the required potency is rather difficult.
For instance, Caladium Seguinum is commonly retailed with potency grading between 6X and 30X. Here, determining the appropriate potency largely depends upon understanding the associated symptoms and past medical history. In some cases, Caladium of lower potency is better suited since it is prescribed in combination with other homeopathic medications for better results.
__________________________
I think I know the question you were about to ask:
IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE FOR THESE CLAIMS?
The short answer is NO!
- The article itself does not provide any.
- My Medline search did not identify any.
- Further searches were equally unsuccessful.
In fact, there is no homeopathic remedy that has been shown to be effective for the named conditions.
What is more, there is no homeopathic remedy that has been shown to be effective for ANY condition.
This begs the question as to what we should call the many claims to the contrary:
- Wishful thinking?
- Naive mistakes?
- Commercials?
- Fraud?
You decide.
After all these years, some homeopaths still manage to make me (almost) speechless. Here is the abstract of an article (Ravi Raghul.G, Shivaprasad J. Overuse Injuries in Children: A Homoeopathic Approach. Indian J Integr Med. 2024; Online First.) that achieved this rare feast of incompetence:
The increasing participation of children in organized competitive sports has led to a rise in overuse injuries, posing risks of limb deformity and impairment. This article explores the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic applications of HOMOEOPATHY in addressing overuse injuries in children. Overuse injuries result from repetitive strain on musculoskeletal structures, particularly prevalent during periods of physical growth and immaturity. Common injuries include stress fractures, traction apophysitis, and chronic physeal damage. In the Indian context, lack of awareness and inappropriate self-treatment exacerbate these injuries. Recognition of warning signs, such as persistent soreness, is crucial for early intervention. Rehabilitative approaches involve rest, gradual strengthening, and attention to flexibility. HOMOEOPATHY offers personalized remedies targeting specific musculoskeletal entities, aiding in recovery and preventing recurrence. Remedies such as Rhus Toxicodendron, Ruta, and Bryonia address tendon and joint issues, while Arnica montana and Symphytum officinale target trauma-related injuries. Individualized homeopathic treatment, alongside appropriate rehabilitation regimens, facilitates faster recovery from overuse injuries in children.
As this does not provide any concrete insights into how to treat overuse injuries of kids, let me also show you the ‘results’ section of this paper:
Arnica Montana
Indications: Arnica is one of the most used homeopathic remedies for injuries. It is particularly effective for muscle soreness, bruising, and inflammation resulting from overexertion and trauma. Athletes often use Arnica to reduce pain and swelling associated with overuse injuries [6].
Rhus Toxicodendron
Indications: This remedy is beneficial for conditions characterized by stiffness and pain that improve with movement and worsen with rest. Rhus tox is particularly suitable for tendinitis and bursitis where the affected area feels better after initial movement but stiffens up after periods of inactivity [7].
Ruta graveolens
Indications: Ruta is indicated for injuries involving tendons and ligaments. It is particularly useful for conditions like tendinitis and sprains where there is a sensation of bruising and lameness. This remedy is also effective in promoting the healing of bones and connective tissues [8].
Bryonia alba
Indications: Bryonia is suitable for conditions where pain is aggravated by movement and relieved by rest. It is particularly helpful for joint and muscle pain that worsens with the slightest movement [9].
Symphytum officinale
Indications: Known as “knitbone” Symphytum is particularly effective for promoting the healing of fractures and bone injuries. It is also used for periosteal injuries where the covering of the bone is affected [10].
As in this section the authors (from Dept. of Homoeopathic Paediatrics, and Father Muller Homoeopathic Medical College, Mangaluru, India) do also not provide any real evidence, let’s have a look at their references 6 – 10:
6. Tveiten D, Bruset S. Effect of Arnica montana in marathon runners. Homeopathy. 2003; 92(4):187-189.
7. Ernst E. A systematic review of systematic reviews of homeopathy. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2002; 54(6):577-582.
8. Oberbaum M, Schreiber R, Rosenthal C, et al. Homeopathic treatment in emergency medicine. A case series. Homeopathy.
2003; 92(1):44-47.
9. Bell IR, Schwartz GE, Boyer NN, et al. Advances in integrative nanomedicine for improving infectious disease treatment in
public health. Eur J Integr Med. 2013; 5(1):39-56.
10. Vickers AJ, Fisher P, Smith C, et al. Homeopathic Arnica 30X is ineffective in preventing pain after tooth extraction. Br J Clin
Pharmacol. 1998; 45(4):532-535.
I happen to know all of these papers well (particularly the one I authored myself!). And I can assure you that none of them backs up the notion that the listed homeopathic remedies are effective for overuse injuries of children.
So, what is this paper?
- Scientific misconduct?
- Fraud?
- Sloppy research?
- Pseudo-sciene?
- Wishful thinking?
- Stupidity?
- Or just normal behaviour of pseudo-researchers in homeopathy?
I let you decide.
The German ‘TAZ’ recently reported about an interesting homeopathic research project. Here I have translated a few excerpts for you:
The title of the research project at the University of Oldenburg is unspectacular: ‘Microbiological investigation of the maturation process of mother tinctures’. However, the sponsor and the word ‘mother tincture’ make you wonder. The project, which ran from 2016 to 2023, investigated the microbiome of various medicinal plants that are used to produce ‘mother tinctures’. These are the undiluted starting materials for homeopathic remedies. The project was financed and largely controlled by the homeopathy company Wala … According to the German Medical Association, homeopathy is generally incompatible with rational medicine and medical ethics. So why is a state university researching ‘mother tinctures’?
The person responsible is marine biologist Meinhard Simon … a member of the university’s Commission for Good Scientific Practice since 2020 and is therefore responsible for ensuring compliance with scientific standards. Prior to that, he was Chairman of the Ethics Committee for ten years. Meinhard Simon describes questions about ethical aspects of the collaboration with Wala as ‘pointless’. When asked, he explained that current studies do indeed prove the effectiveness of homeopathy. Publications and press articles stating otherwise are ‘one-sided’ and ‘tendentious’.
For years, he has used his position to give homeopathy a scientific veneer. He has co-authored several studies on the subject, supported by homeopathic companies and lobby groups. If he and his colleagues are unable to prove an effect despite funding from the homeopathy industry, they simply blame the study design for the failure, as in a 2011 study, and remain in line with the funders, despite their own data. Simon and colleagues assume ‘force-like (immaterial) resonance effects’ of homeopathy. In other words: magic.
In the past, Wala has funded a lobbyist who has publicly denounced scientists and journalists who have criticised homeopathy and warned of its risks. Among them was Edzard Ernst who said of the university’s collaboration with Wala: ‘I take a rather critical view, especially when it’s a company whose advertising misleads customers.’
‘As a basic researcher in microbiology, I believe that cooperation projects with a company like Wala are not only justifiable in terms of medical ethics, but also important and in keeping with the times,’ explains Simon. He himself is a member of a lobby group for alternative medicine, which is part of the Wala-affiliated ‘Foundation for Integrative Medicine & Pharmacy’. Among other things, it campaigns for the treatment of cancer with mistletoe.
When asked, the University of Oldenburg explained that it saw no reason to judge Simon’s research as negative and referred to his good reputation. It does not answer questions about Wala’s dubious methods or how Simon’s relaxed relationship with science can be reconciled with his role as a guardian of scientific rigour and ethics.
______________________________
Prof Simon’s papers on homeopathy include the following:
Development of a test system for homeopathic preparations using impaired duckweed (Lemna gibba L.).
Effects of potentised substances on growth rate of the water plant Lemna gibba L.
Duckweed (Lemna gibba L.) as a test organism for homeopathic potencies.
_________________________________
All of this seems to beg the following question: should Simon be adnitted to my ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE HALL OF FAME?
I think the answe is a clear YES!
So, welcome, Prof. Meinhard Simon, you are in excellent company:
- Richard C. Niemtzow (acupuncture)
- Helmut Kiene (anthroposophical medicine)
- Helge Franke (osteopathy, Germany)
- Tery Oleson (acupressure , US)
- Jorge Vas (acupuncture, Spain)
- Wane Jonas (homeopathy, US)
- Harald Walach (various SCAMs, Germany)
- Andreas Michalsen ( various SCAMs, Germany)
- Jennifer Jacobs (homeopath, US)
- Jenise Pellow (homeopath, South Africa)
- Adrian White (acupuncturist, UK)
- Michael Frass (homeopath, Austria)
- Jens Behnke (research officer, Germany)
- John Weeks (editor of JCAM, US)
- Deepak Chopra (entrepreneur, US)
- Cheryl Hawk (chiropractor, US)
- David Peters (osteopathy, homeopathy, UK)
- Nicola Robinson (TCM, UK)
- Peter Fisher (homeopathy, UK)
- Simon Mills (herbal medicine, UK)
- Gustav Dobos (various SCAMs, Germany)
- Claudia Witt (homeopathy, Germany/Switzerland)
- George Lewith (acupuncture, UK)
- John Licciardone (osteopathy, US)
I sometimes like to browse through old articles of mine and amaze myself. It is now 15 years ago that I published this paper:
Since 1994 chiropractic has been regulated by statute in the UK. Despite this air of respectability, a range of important problems continue to bedevil this profession. Professional organizations of chiropractic and their members make numerous claims which are not supported by sound evidence. Many chiropractors adhere to concepts which fly in the face of science and most seem to regularly violate important principles of ethical behaviour. The advice chiropractors give to their clients is often dangerously misleading. If chiropractic in the UK is to grow into an established health care profession, the General Chiropractic Council and its members should comply with the accepted standards of today’s health care.
This begs the question: HAVE THINGS IMPROVED AT ALL?
- Have professional organizations of chiropractic stopped making claims which are not supported by sound evidence?
- Have their members stopped making claims which are not supported by sound evidence?
- Do chiropractors no longer adhere to concepts which fly in the face of science?
- Have they ceased violating important principles of ethical behaviour?
- Is the advice chiropractors give to their clients no longer dangerously misleading?
Here are my answers to these questions:
- No.
- No.
- No.
- No.
- No.
Yes, there are moments when I surprise myself. And there are also those when I ask whether any of my work has ever had any effect. And then, after some reflection, I discover that my job is not nearly as bad as some others.
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.
What is it about Reiki that fascinates me?
It must be the exemplary poor science that its proponents use trying to convince us that it is valid.
This randomized controlled trial investigated the effect of Reiki on pain, functional status, and holistic well-being in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). The sample consisted of 42 patients.
- The control group received standardized treatment only.
- The intervention group received face-to-face Reiki (nine positions; 39 minutes) and distance Reiki on two consecutive days in addition to standardized treatment in addition to standard treatment.
The results show that the Reiki group had lower pain scores than the control group as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (p < .001) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index pain score (p < .001). Those participating in the Reiki group had improved holistic well-being scores specifically for the subscales of Sadness, Perception of Sadness, Spiritual Disruption, Cognitive Awareness, and General mood.
The authors concluded that Reiki is a safe, noninvasive, and cost-effective alternative treatment technique that has the potential to reduce symptoms of pain and improve holistic well-being in patients with knee OA.
So many falsehoods in one sentence!
Is this a new record?
Let’s analyse these conclusions a little, shall we?
- Reiki is safe: this does not follow from the data because the sample was far too small for assessing rare safety issues, safety was not measured, and half of the Reiki group might have dropped dead a week after the study.
- Reiki is non-invasive: that might be true.
- Reiki is cost-effective: cost-effectiveness was not an endpoint; the statement is thus not supported by the data.
- Reiki reduces the symptoms of pain and improve holistic well-being in patients with knee OA: I disagree! The observed outcomes are much more likely caused by the considerable amount of extra attention and treatment time given to the Reiki group, and the results were entirely unrelated to any specific effects of the therapy.
So, I feel the need for re-phrasing the conclusions as follows:
Reiki is an implausible treatment and the outcomes of this study are unrelated to any alleged specific effects of this therapy.
A new market report predicts that the worldwide market for so-called alternative medicine (SCAM) will grow from $100 billion in 2022 to $438 billion by 2032.
According to the report, the SCAM market is expected to see innovation and expansion through mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships among large companies. Companies that are capitalizing on these trends include health supplement companies, companies that specialize in Ayurvedic health, those that offer TCM solutions, and those that offer more general holistic solutions to health. Major supplement brands include Herb Pharm LLC, Gaia Herbs, NOW Foods, Life Extension, Pure Encapsulations, Douglas Laboratories, Nordic Naturals, Nordic Nutraceuticals, Quality of Life Labs, Nature’s Bounty Co., Valensa International, Herbo Nutra, and Emerson Ecologics.
Other major players mentioned in the report are:
- AYUSH Ayurvedic Pte Ltd, Dabur India Ltd., Himalaya Global Holdings Ltd., Banyan Botanicals, and Arya Vaidya Pharmacy offer Ayurvedic health and wellness products while aiming to advance the science behind Ayurveda.
- Sheng Chang Pharmaceutical Company produces traditional Chinese medicines and herbal products that is one of the largest TCM pharma companies.
- All and One Medical provides healthcare solutions that combine conventional medicine with complementary and alternative therapies to promote overall wellness and preventive care.
- The John Schumacher Unity Woods Yoga Center is another that focuses on enhancing physical and mental well-being through the practice of Iyengar Yoga and offers classes and workshops.
- New Life Chiropractic aims to improve overall health and well-being by providing comprehensive chiropractic care that focuses on spinal health and preventive wellness.
- The Chicago Body Works offers a range of therapies and treatments designed to enhance physical and mental well-being, including massage and bodywork services.
- Weleda AG aims to connect people with nature by producing natural organic products that support health, beauty, and overall wellness while practicing sustainability and social responsibility.
- Quantum-Touch Inc. teaches energy healing techniques that promote physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
- Spectrum Chemical Manufacturing Corporation focuses on delivering high-quality chemicals and laboratory supplies to support scientific research and innovation across various industries, including health and wellness.
I must admit, I do like these market reports. They never fail to amuse me – for two main reasons:
- They are as reliable as reading tea leafs.
- The only reliable info they do provide is that the SCAM proponents’ often-voiced argument, “we are very different from BIG PHARMA” is pure nonsense.
