MEDICAL & HEALTH QUACKERY Recognize it!! Report it!! Stop it!!

Support HealthWatcher.net If you would like to support our efforts to combat quackery, health and diet fraud we make it easy for you to donate to the cause. See What's New in our HealthWatcher Store Click here to make a donation Join NCAHF NCAHF Consumer Health Digest Search QuackWatch Naturopathy Click below if you want to restrict search WWW Quackerwatch.com

Naturopathy Quackery and News

History Tragedies Naturopathic critics Canadian resources Naturopathic links Struggle for regulation Regulation - Canada Accredited schools CCNM - Toronto Famous Canadian NDs Research Lobbyists Quack devices Search for Naturopathy Google News Quackwatch American Cancer Society PubMed

Naturopathic diploma from Progressive Universal Life Church Choose your fake diploma

Bogus schools & their grads Clayton School of Natural Health Hulda Clark Hulda Clark exposed Stephen Nugent - Mannatech Eileen Renders Canyon College Kurt Donbach Kurt Donsbach exposed Columbia Pacific University Monte Kline Barry Broughton Bernadean Bernadean exposed University of Natural Medicine Tuition and funding It's NOT a University Diploma Mills and how to spot them

Support HealthWatcher.net If you would like to support our efforts to combat quackery, health and diet fraud we make it easy for you to donate to the cause. MS TOOLKIT - The Patient's & Caregivers' Guide to Multiple Sclerosis Cary Polevoy's personal journey with MS and expert advice on how to deal with a number of important social issues is worth a read for everyone. More Multiple Sclerosis books and DVDs HealthWatcher has an extensive selection of books, videos, and CDs for you and your family. They include theatrical movies and TV coverage of multiple sclerosis as well as scientific and personal stories of others. What's New in our HealthWatcher Stores Click here to make a donation to HealthWatcher

PubMed with Filters    Search this site or the web        powered by FreeFind   This Site The Web Click below to restrict search WWW quackerywatch

Magician Prescriptions: Ontario Poised to Let Naturopaths Prescribe Skepticnorth.com - November 15, 2009 The other day, I went to a magic show. The magician manipulated energy fields, pulled toxins out of my stomach, and then gave me a remedy - but there was nothing inside. Then he pulled out a prescription pad, prescribed some Tamiflu, and sent me on my way. Seem unlikely? Well, the Ontario government is poised to give another type of magician -- the naturopath -- prescribing rights, despite the reams of evidence discrediting their approach to patient health. It's a move that legitimizes a well-meaning but baseless profession, and puts patients at significant risk. Naturopathy is a fundamentally flawed idea - and a government blessing only entrenches and magnifies the health risks to Canadians. Naturopathy's key premise is bogus: The key underlying premise of naturopathy is called vitalism: the idea that humans are possessed with a magical quality that transcends the laws of physics. Homeopathy is an elaborate placebo system without any persuasive evidence of efficacy, yet naturopaths have it as a central component of their curriculum. Advocates believe that the light reflecting off Saturn, raccoon fur, or even ultra-dilute table salt can be a homeopathic remedy. Other popular naturopathic treatments include reiki (magical energy healing), acupuncture (another placebo therapy, different invisible energy fields), even hydrotherapy (flushing the colon with water). Canada's only naturopathy school is not affiliated with any university, medical school or publicly-funded hospital. Unlike health professionals, naturopaths do not do undergraduate and postgraduate training in teaching hospitals. Patient Risk: If naturopaths want to prescribe placebo treatments like homeopathy, and wave their arms over someone to manipulate their invisible energy fields, the biggest risk to consumers is likely limited to their wallets. Wasted Health Expenses: Despite what naturopaths purport, there is no persuasive evidence that they're capable of delivering the screening, prevention and treatment required of legitimate primary care providers. The Ontario Legislature Standing Committee on Social Policy accepted a request to put naturopath prescribing into Bill 179. Third reading is expected sometime this fall. If it passes, the right for naturopaths to prescribe drugs will become entrenched in Ontario law. If you support the restriction of prescribing privileges to science-based health professionals, click here to send a email to the Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Deb Matthews (two email addresses), and the Premier of Ontario, Dalton McGuinty. (The email link will also CC the leaders of the two opposition parties). Make your opinions known before Bill 179 undergoes third reading. Healing Hype or Harm This is a collection of essays on the topic of Complementary/Alternative Medicine (CAM) written by specialists from a wide range of backgrounds. The editor has given the contributors free rein to express their views. Since they come from a wide variety of angles from extremely anti-CAM to moderately supportive, the book contains widely different perspectives ranging from virulent attacks to thoughtful analyses. At first sight this may seem strange but in practice this book represents the very best of contemporary albeit on the whole skeptical scholarship. It is highly refreshing to find a collection that does not toe a line but instead gives a wide range of pros and cons and includes some new and stimulating ideas. Naturopaths shun vaccine, says fever is good for Swine Flu October 31, 2009 - Page A9 - Hamilton Spectator - .pdf Why did Laura Margaritis, a Hamilton, Ontario naturopath tell the Hamilton Spectator that she believes that people should not let their children get the H1N1 vaccine? In addition, she blamed the death of a 13 year-old hockey player who died of the swine flu on the Tylenol that he took for the fever when he was playing hockey. Margaritis claimed that she treated her own 2 year-old son with H1N1 infection last September. She allowed his temperature to reach 106 F, "because I'm a naturopath and I know what I'm doing". John and Laura Margaritis practice together and have a web site known as NatureDoctors.ca. But, it is under construction. I wonder when their future patients will have the opportunity to learn about their practice. If the public agrees with everything that she said in the Spectator article about the flu, they might want to learn a little bit more about the practice. Ontario naturopaths are governed by the BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF DRUGLESS THERAPY - NATUROPATHY. Under legislation passed a few years ago this group is supposed to be under Ontario's Regulated Health Profession Act (RHPA). Naturopaths over the years have been given a veritable free rein as far as anti-vax propaganda is concerned. While chiropractors can be fined and lose their right to practice in Ontario if they even discuss vaccines, naturopaths can do anything they want. Naturopaths are in violation of their Standards of Practice if they treat their own family members. 2.13 Refrain from providing primary care management for any patient where the relationship with the patient (such as family member, close personal friend) would serve to interfere with the doctor’s objective judgement. Some may feel that Margaritis erred by treating her own toddler, and if they do feel strongly about this they have the right to Contact the Board to discuss this. Autism's False Profits: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure (Hardcover) Dr. Paul Offit's amazing new book about the history of the anti-vaccine movement and the international brigade of corrupt researchers, ambulance chasing lawyers, politicians and advocacy groups who helped manipulate the parents of those children who were autistic. The anti-vaccine movement has caused significant harm to public health efforts around the world. The publication of this book may signal the beginning of the end to their position. Time will tell whether or not this will stop their insanity and manipulation of science. Recent links about Naturopaths in Canada Skeptics North blog Homeopathy Harnesses the Power of Saturn - naturopaths in Ontario have been granted the privelege of practicing homeopathy despite the fact that U.K. House of Commons Science and Technology Committee recently admitted that the rules drawn up to regulate homeopathic medication are based on “no scientific evidence”. Links to Margaritis Article on the homeopathic provings of Camel's milk - In my opinion this is the kind of nonsense research that goes on day after day in the halls of naturopathic schools. Laura Margaritis uses fermented cod liver oil for endometriosis. - WANTED - PATIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN TREATED FOR CANCER BY NATUROPATHS IN CANADA Cancer patients who have a fear of standard medical treatment for their condition, or who have failed therapy with radiation, or chemotherapy may seek alternative care. That is their right to do so. However, there is a very strong caveat that you need to pay attention to. Most Canadian Provinces, and most U.S. States have absolutely no regulation over naturopathic practitioners. Even when there are laws or regulations in place, most of these clinics are unsupervised. If these were medical clinics that operated this way, they would either lose their funding, or be out of business in a hurry. Naturopathic clinics for the most part use bogus screening tests, dubious "natural medical" devices, unproved laboratory tests, and non-standard treatments for serious conditions, like cancer. The main problem is not whether people are just wasting their money on alleged preventative health care, the "natural way", the crux of the matter is that patients are regularly lured into these clinics to pursue aggressive, non-therapeutic, possibly toxic interventions that are not regulated under any laws. They are taking their lives into their hands, and may have no protection under the law. To trust any naturopathic regulatory college in Canada to review web sites for health claims, or to inspect their members' clinics is a serious mistake. Regulators have proved time and time again that they are basically either not interested in doing their job, or are damn incompetent. Laws are meant to protect the public from maltreatment, or abuse, and unless a naturopath kills or molests someone their practices are basically ignored. In those Provinces where naturopathic "associations", not "colleges", are at the top of the heap, there is no protection for the public. In an attempt to pursue this serious breech of trust, HealthWatcher.net has a pet project and we would like you to help. Following the resources below, if any of you have had cancer, and have been treated by Canadian based naturopaths (or even people who claim to be naturopaths). Please send us your confidential stories. More on Cancer Quackery on HealthWatcher.net We are interested in the following procedures, or treatments. If your naturopath, or even a medical doctor uses these methods within a naturopathic clinic, let us know. Questionable techniques and treatments Applied kinesiolgy Blood type diet BTA - Biological Terrain Assessment Chelation therapy CRT - Thermography for breast cancer EDT or EDS - (Vegatest, Interro, B.E.S.T. type of electrodermal screening) Hair analysis Iridology Saliva testing for hormones Cell Specific Cancer Therapy (CSCT) 714-X Syncrometer - Zapper (Hulda Clark inventions) Insulin Potentiation Therapy - IPT Mercury amalgam removal Whole Body Hyperthermia Colon irrigation Essiac Mistletoe - Iscador Laetrile - Amygdalin - Vitamin B-17 Hydrazine sulphate Metabolic therapy Coral Calcium Ginseng Immunocal Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst Trick or Treatment: by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst The ultimate verdict on alternative medicine. Welcome to the world of alternative medicine. Prince Charles is a staunch defender and millions of people swear by it; most UK doctors consider it to be little more than superstition and a waste of money. But how do you know which treatments really heal and which are potentially harmful? Now at last you can find out, thanks to the formidable partnership of Professor Edzard Ernst and Simon Singh. Edzard Ernst is the world's first professor of complementary medicine, based at Exeter University, where he has spent over a decade analysing meticulously the evidence for and against alternative therapies. He is supported in his findings by Simon Singh, the well-known and highly respected science writer of several international bestsellers. Together they have written the definitive book on the subject. It is honest, impartial but hard-hitting, and provides a thorough examination and judgement of more than thirty of the most popular treatments, such as acupuncture, homeopathy, aromatherapy, reflexology, chiropractic and herbal medicine. In "Trick or Treatment?" the ultimate verdict on alternative medicine is delivered for the first time with clarity, scientific rigour and absolute authority. The last rites for alternative medicine? - Telegraph Note to Prince Charles: 'You're wrong' - MediaLife Magazine Complementary therapies: The big con? - The Independent BTA - Biological Terrain Assessment The bogus technique is used by many naturopaths and chiropractors. Even though practitioners in the U.S. were warned many years ago by the government to stop their claims, the practice is used widely. Here in Canada, the government has taken zero action against this fraudulent practice. The best review of the subject can be found on Dr. Stephen Barrett's web site: "The devices described in this article are used to diagnose nonexistent health problems, and/or select inappropriate treatment. The practitioners who use them are either delusional, dishonest, or both. These devices should be confiscated and the practitioners who use them should be stopped. If you encounter any such device, please report it to the state attorney general, any relevant licensing board, the FDA, the FTC, and any insurance company to which the practitioner submits claims that involve use of the device." Warning letter to manufacturer of the BTA-2000 Naturopaths who promote BTA Naturopaths are only regulated in a few Provinces in Canada. Where they are regulated, it doesn't seem to me that any of their "regulatory bodies" have done their job properly. The list below is of course not complete. We will add more naturopaths who use BTA in order to warn the public that those who promote this are using an unproved method of diagnosis, and they charge hundreds of dollars for each BTA evaluation. Dr. Hal Brown, ND, DC - British Columbia He maintains a web site that is just full of unsubstantiated claims, including that he is "board certified" in the modalities that he has listed. Some of the procedures he promotes have not met the scientific test, and some may actually be dangerous. In addition there are huge voids in some of the articles that he offers. Many are seriously outdated. Dr. Lawrence Seliski, ND - VancouverHe even offers home services, or will come to your office. And just in case if you are feeling a bit wrinkly, he can do acupuncture, and sell you products for a natural face-lift, Don't forget those nasty skin tags, his radio-wave machine just evaporates them. If you are allergic he can diagnose your allergies with the Avatar test which of course is 80% accurate accoding to Seliski. If you want, you can go right to a distributor in Nevada to learn more about these wonderful devices. Adam Prinsen - Peterborough, OntarioHe not only offers BTA, but he also does hair mineral analysis, and has posted a number of radio shows that you can listen to. Each of the shows is in mp3 format and are about 60 minutes long. Pinewood Natural Health Centre - Toronto This large naturopathic clinic offers some of the most dubious tests that I have ever seen in one place. These include BTA, Live cell microscopy, hair analysis, electrodermal screening (EDS), and thermography. While they are great money makers for the clinic, none of them are useful for diagnosing illness, or in guiding treatment, or preventing illness. Herbal therapies? Unconventional Rx. Science or Snake Oil? Making Treatment Decisions Cancer Trials - Canada Cancer Trials - U.S. Centerwatch Gateway to PDQ Cancer trials Tricare Cancer trials - U.S. Military Cancer Trials - U.K. Pediatric Oncology Group - resources Hospital for Sick Children - Toronto St. Jude's Children's Hosp. - Brain tumors Naturopathetic video from Australia Naturopathetic Medicine Watch YouTube video about Australian quacks at work - Current Affair producers sent in undercover reporters to 10 people who claimed to be naturopaths. In Australia, anyone can call themselves a naturopath, and in fact a dog can take out a business name and set up a naturopathic clinic. Did you know that you can become a naturopathic doctor in 18 months, studying from home via correspondence, and that naturopaths have an average C+ GPA in high school. They're not exactly the cream of the intellectual crop. Note to self... naturopathic doctors are not actually doctors. Naturopath recruits children after lead scare in toys Margaret Prange, ND On August 18, 2007 this advertisement appeared on page A2 of The Record in Kitchener, Ontario. In my opinion, and of those in the pediatric community in our area, this ad goes way over the top. There is absolutely zero reliability for hair analysis for lead levels in infants and toddlers. When Prange, a naturopath, placed this ad it was right after the lead scare in Mattel toys. The links below are a great resource for those who need factual information about hair analysis screening. Questions not answered in the advertisement What age can your child be tested? How are they done? Who does the tests? How much does it cost? How accurate are the test? What treatments can naturopaths perform on infants and children? How expensive are the visits and treatments? Reviews of Hair Analysis The ATSDR Hair Analysis Panel Discussion's most important parts are in chapter 6. If you want to view this in Adobe .pdf click here. Hair Analysis: Exploring the State of the Science Photon in the darkeness Blog Autism Diva Blog Commercial Hair Analysis: A Cardinal Sign of Quackery - Stephen Barrett, M.D. The Uncertainty of Hair Analysis for Trace Metals - JAMA 2001 abstract The Uncertainty of Hair Analysis for Trace Metals - JAMA 2001 full text Assessment of Commercial Laboratories Performing Hair Mineral Analysis - JAMA 2001 Wikepedia discussion of unreliability of hair testing Use of hair analysis in the diagnosis of heavy metal poisoning - three pediatric cases. Exposure to lead and mercury in children and chelation therapy - Hong Kong College of Paediatricians Hair analysis - its lack of utility in clinical decision in pediatrics Chemical hair analysis - CIGNA insurance won't cover it Naturopathic Tragedies Jeffrey Dummett charged in death of Australian man This case has been dragging on since 2002. What in the world has taken the courts in Australia so long to finish this quack's prosecution? Search Google News Search Google Web Man died in naturopath's care, court told - September 2007 A MAN with chronic kidney disease died less than a fortnight after beginning a detox program under the supervision of a Sydney naturopath, a court was told today. In his opening address in the NSW Supreme Court today, prosecutor Paul Leask told the jury that Vecko Krsteski, 37, had agreed to pay naturopath Jeffrey Dummett $3000 for a live-in detoxification program. On February 13, 2002, Mr Krsteski moved into a granny flat attached to Mr Dummett's premises at Oatley in Sydney's south. By February 23 he had lost 11kg and two days later he was found dead of a heart attack in the flat. Mr Dummett, 39, has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter. Mr Leask said Mr Dummett had been "grossly negligent" in his treatment of Mr Krsteski and breached his duty of care to him. "The crown case is the accused filled Vecko with false hope for profit," he said. John Doris, counsel for Mr Dummett, told the jury a post-mortem examination revealed Mr Krsteski had a previously unknown severe heart disease. The trial continues. Detox program led to kidney patient's death By Natasha Wallace - April 27, 2005 "The program … appears to have ignored the majority of Mr Krsteski's prescribed medical needs which assisted in managing his illness. It is also apparent that Mr Krsteski was starved/deprived of solid foodstuffs … [he] was allowed to waste away and was not provided with any professional traditional medical care," he said. Mr Dummett, who advertised on a website called Findacure.com and in alternative lifestyle magazines and at shopping centre booths, was prosecuted in 2002 for several breaches of the Fair Trading Act in relation to making false claims. He was ordered to pay $33,950 in fines and costs. John Curran fake ND and MD sentenced to 150 months It obviously doesn't take much to set up a holistic medical center in the U.S. nowadays. And it doesn't take much time or energy to find others to help you scam the public with fake certifications and membership. The funny thing about John E. Curran's practice at the Northeastern Institute for Advanced Natural Healing in Providence, Rhode Island is how in the hell he was able to procure laboratory equipment, and convince other professional suppliers that he was for real. John E Curran - fake ND and MD Curran sentenced to 150 months - August 25, 2006 PROVIDENCE -- A federal judge today sentenced an Exeter man who offered false hopes to the sick and dying by prescribing bogus treatments to more than 12 years in prison. In sentencing John E. Curran to 150 months, U.S. District Court Judge Mary M. Lisi called him "the worst of the worst" con artists for preying on people's worst fear -- their health. Curran, 41, was convicted last May of pretending to be a doctor, after a two-week trial presented evidence that Curran performed bogus diagnostic tests and frightened people into buying expensive treatments. Alternativemedicine.com web site maintained by Curran Federal agents raid 'natural healing' office - January 8, 2005 Exclusive Providence Journal coverage TV coverage of the raid by the Federal Government 372 links to Curran on Google - January 10, 2005 Association of Integrative Health Care Practitioners - but they say his "membership" expired. This group has absolutely no professional standing in North America even though they claim that they are a non-profit organization. Coupon for a former Curran clinic "Doctor who planned 'Cancer Cell Terminator' ordered to quit practice Bob Jerrolds - fake naturopath treats cancer patients - Chicago Sun-Times - July 6, 2004 A Lockport man who describes himself as a doctor and advertises on his Web sites that he offers a cure for cancer and affordable health care for all has been ordered to stop practicing medicine without a medical license. In April, the state Department of Finance and Professional Regulation wrote to Bob Jerrolds, who refers to himself as "Dr. Jerrolds," asking him to prove he shouldn't be disciplined for "holding yourself out to treat human ailments including cancer, while not being a licensed physician in the state of Illinois." Subsequently, Fernando Grillo, director of the state agency, issued an order that said, in part: "It is therefore ordered that Robert Jerrolds immediately cease and desist the practice of medicine which includes, but is not limited to, treating human ailments including cancer in the State of Illinois." Brian O'Connell sentenced in manslaughter death in Colorado Fake Doctor Gets 13 Years In Teen's Death - CBS-4 Denver - March 27, 2006 GOLDEN, Colo. An alternative medicine practitioner was sentenced to 13 years in prison Monday after a judge told him he had shown no remorse over the death of a teenage cancer victim he was treating. O'Connell practiced naturopathy, which relies on natural remedies. He asked for leniency, saying he didn't know it was illegal to call himself a doctor or to use some the invasive treatments he performed. - Watch the videos if they are still on their site. Unlicensed Naturopath accused of treating patients without a license - July 20, 2004 By Sue Lindsay, Rocky Mountain News A Wheat Ridge health practitioner accused of removing and replacing blood from patients faces two sets of charges for practicing medicine without a license in Jefferson County. Brian O'Connell, 36, was first arrested in May on charges of criminal impersonation, practicing medicine without a license, assault and theft. O'Connell is not a physician. He says he holds a doctorate in naturopathic medicine, but police say he received his training from a correspondence course. What the Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians has to say about Brian O'Connell and they've archived many article: The ongoing story of Brian O'Connell, a practitioner from Wheatridge who pleaded guilty February 2, 2006 to numerous charges, including manslaughter, is a tragic example of what can go wrong when the practice of naturopathy is unregulated. Brian O'Connell is not a naturopathic doctor Brian O'Connell is not a member of the CoANP, nor could he be Brian E.P.B. O'Connell - March 31, 2004 A holistic-medicine practitioner in Wheat Ridge was arrested Tuesday after police executed a search warrant at his office. Police say that 36-year-old Brian O'Connell was practicing medicine without a license. A 17-year-old girl was being treated in O'Connell's office, Mountain Area Naturopathic Associates, 4964 Ward Road. Paramedics were called after she went into cardiac arrest. Police confirmed the girl had undergone a procedure in which blood was removed from her body, passed under ultraviolet light, and then restored. Another patient died in the hospital following the ultraviolet blood irradiation, also called photoluminescence. Police said they found many controlled substances at O'Connell's office. He had a DEA license to possess controlled substances that police say was fraudulently obtained and would not be valid for his work in the Wheat Ridge clinic. Brian O'Connell boasts about his training on several web sites, but fails to list the name of any of the schools that he attended. He also said that he was practicing as a registered pharmacist, but was let go by a hospital because of downsizing. I wonder about any of his claims. He hawks Ojibway Tea, too "Ojibwa Tea of Life is happy to announce the addition of our new Naturopathic Doctor and colleague, Dr. Brian E.P.B. O'Connell, ND. He is personally available for consultations for your health concerns and/or research. This will also allow Ojibwa Tea of Life to offer you additional new products, some created by Doctor O'Connell himself. We hope that this will be very helpful on your journey to wellness for you and your family." Heritage Health Products - He claims to have practiced as a pharmacist for ten years, and it gives his license number as a naturopath. But, the trouble is Colorado doesn't license naturopaths. So, where is he licensed as a naturopath? Why it's in the District of Columbia, a place where almost anyone can buy a license to practice naturopathy, even if they live outside of DC. So, where did he practice as a pharmacist. This post was dated 2001, and is in Adobe .pdf format. Short version of his biography - Adobe .pdf file Longer version of his biography He and another "doctor" promote live-cell microscopy - a totally bogus procedure Naturopath's Directory makes wild claims - search for O'Connell Dr. Brian E.P.B. O'Connell, N.M.D. "I am a Naturopath and have a wide variety of patients from Asthma to Zoster. I am specializing in cancer, neurological challenges (MS, Fibro, etc.) and ADD/ADHD, and Candida infections given the number of cases seen over the past 2 years. I use all natural products which I've developed, use other products which pass my quality standards, use muscle testing, have an herbologist who works with me, use live blood cell analysis, and work with and refer to a chosen group of chiropractors for structural adjustments." His candida questionnaire - in Adobe .pdf format Quallife.info quacks also promote live-cell Search Google for his office phone number - 303-432-2701 You can find him on the MLM Insider web site - where he is listed as a promoter for Essence International Search Google for Quallife - More MLM schemes to sell nutritional products Quallife.com - you must watch the flash presentation. Foundation for Light Therapy - Advisory Board Member until April 2, 2004 The Foundation for Light Therapy has this to say about American - "The "Manufacturers & Equipment" section is designed to allow all manufacturers to post their wares on our site with pertinent specifications and features listed. Of course most American manufacturers have declined to participate in this area, preferring to remain anonymous and out of the cross hairs of the FDA." Research and technical information Ultraviolet Blood Irradiation Therapy - (Photo-Oxidation) The Cure That Time Forgot "This simple, inexpensive, and nonspecific technique was clearly shown years ago to be a totally safe and extremely effective method of treating and curing infections; promoting oxygenation; vasodilatation; improving asthma; enhancing body physiology, circulation, and treating a variety of specific diseases. Its use in hospitals and offices could significantly reduce mortality, morbidity, and human suffering. Much more research needs to be done in determining all of the potential uses of ultraviolet blood irradiation therapy and also its correlation with other oxidative therapies." American Board of Oxidative Medicine Naturopaths targeted over bad medicine Daily Telegraph - Australia - Feb. 14, 2004 NATALIE WILLIAMS A SUPREME Court Judge has warned the state's naturopaths they will face the full weight of the law if their use of alternative medicines leads to patient tragedy. Judge Peter Newman said Fenn's actions indicated a "very serious breach of the criminal law". The Judge delivered the stern caution yesterday while sentencing Port Stephens naturopath Reginald Fenn to five years' jail after a baby in his care died when he told the parents not to allow heart surgery. The trial heard Mr Little, a patient of Fenn's for 15 years, had taken the naturopath's advice to "not let surgeons touch him (Mitchell) because he was too young and would not cope" with surgery. Search Google for Reginald Fenn guilty Reginald Fenn - NaturoWatch Gregory E. Caplinger - NaturoWatch Dr. Stephen Barrett says that Caplinger has more fake diplomas than anyone else that he has ever investigated. In July 2000, after a six-day trial, a North Carolina jury convicted him of wire fraud and money laundering related to "investments" in his phony remedy "ImmuStim." However, he did not show up to hear the verdict and remained at large for nearly a year before being captured. On October 30, 2001, he was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $1,058,000 in restitution to his victims. Caplinger operated the Blue Ridge Health Clinic in Blowing Rock while advertising in the 1987 and 1988 Yellow Pages as a "Naturopathic Physician, Registered with the Board of Naturopathic Physicians." He worked with Laurence Perry (see below) Gerhard Hanswille,- NCAHF report on the tragic case of the cabbage head kid. It's a Canadian tragedy. The quackery-related death of a 17-month-old girl sent shock waves across Canada in 1987. No one aspect of the story is unusual. The scenario is a classic combination of cultural vulnerability, modern urban mythology and quackery. Hanswille obtained a mail order doctoral degree in naturopathy from "Bernadean University" (BU) located at that time in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Victim Dead from malnutrition and pneumonia is Lorie Atikian. Eight months before her death on September 25, 1987, Lorie was a perfectly healthy baby. When she died she was nearly bald, covered with deep red rashes, and so emaciated that the paramedics thought they were being tricked by being given a doll to treat. Vera J. Allison - Phony Doctor Sentenced in Nevada A Reno, Nev., clinic owner falsely claiming to be a medical doctor was sentenced and ordered to stop practicing medicine. A cancer patient at the Global Alternative Medicine Clinic in Reno, Nev., collapsed after receiving an IV infusion of vitamin C and possibly, according to a relative of the patient, the unproven cancer drug Laetrile. The infusion was administered by clinic owner Vera J. Allison. After the patient collapsed, Allison gave him two injections--one of epinephrine, the other, an unknown substance and later died. A judge sentenced Allison to five years' probation and ordered her to stop practicing medicine and naturopathy. Scot Olson - Alberta, Canada - 1983. This article is from a 1989 article from the NCAHF. Olson was a registered naturopath who inserted a balloon up the nose of a 20-month-old girl to treat an abnormally small skull. The infant strangled when the balloon slipped and lodged in its throat. The naturopath was found guilty of criminal negligence. Justice John Waite characterized the treatment procedure as "outright quackery" and sentenced Olson to one day in jail and a $1,000 fine! (Apparently, that is the value of a child's life in Alberta!) As a result of this tragedy naturopathy was investigated and found wanting in its ability to regulate its practitioners. In 1986, Alberta rescinded its Naturopathic Act. Calgary naturopath Ross Skaken said that he as his colleagues (there are ten naturopaths in Alberta) have been pressuring the government to re-establish a naturopathic licensing act. He says that this would prevent people from coming there calling themselves naturopaths. Thus, the killing of another Alberta man named Henninger in 1988 by an unlicensed naturopath is now offered as a good reason to re-establish licensure overlooking the fact that naturopathy lost its legal standing due to its failure to regulate itself in the death of the child killed in 1983. What is frightening is that Alberta legal thinking just might go along with such reasoning based upon its recent performance! Officials in the Canadian province of Alberta have their priorities badly twisted--they are supposed to protect their citizenry from quackery, not protect quacks from legal penalties. Marijah McCain - NaturoWatch This fake naturopath really has the nerve. After the State of Arkansas reached a settlement with her about her fake claims and fake school, she continued to do whatever she wanted. Her web site is a prime example of what is wrong today with the naturopathic community. They can't stop the quacks from doing whatever they want. Gary Young A Critical Look - Young Living Essential Oils, and Raindrop Therapy Stephen Barrett, M.D. This article describes the background and activities of self-styled naturopath Donald Gary Young, his multi-level marketing company Young Living Essential Oils, his Young Life Research Clinic Institute of Natural Medicine, and his special technique called Raindrop Therapy. Even though he had no training in obstetrics or midwifery, he decided to deliver his wife's baby underwater in a whirlpool bath at his health club. He left the baby under water for almost an hour, causing the death of an apparently healthy infant in 1982. He is a man with no scientific medical training, with inflated credentials and a history of arrests for health fraud. Laurence Perry Search Google Quackwatch's opinion Canadian naturopathic resources Canadian Council of Naturopathic Examiners is the nation's oldest and largest Canadien Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Founded in 1991, CCNE is a nonprofit, scientific, educational, organization, dedicated to exploring new frontiers of mind, body, medicine and health. CCNE has a nondiscriminatory policy, with certification open to individuals with a Doctor of Naturopathy (N.D.) or Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (N.M.D.). All of our members have a strong commitment to the philosophy, art and science, of natural therapeutics. They subscribe to the motto "Doctor do no harm" Canadian Union of Professional Naturopaths The Mission of the Canadian Union of Professional Naturopaths is to help Canadians live a drug-free healthier lives. Informing the public about the benefits of Naturopathic Medicine care. Promoting the integration of drug free practice such as Naturoopathic Medicine into the health care system; Facilitating Naturopathic Medicine research. Promote, inform, educate and help network of Naturopathic Medicine by answering the needs of the practitioners and well-being market across Canada. We also offer many services and resources tailored for the general public and the health conscious consumer . Truth, Integrity and Confidence guide us in our decisions and help us build strong relationships. Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors lists the Provinces and status of naturopaths across Canada. Unfortunately, the CAND web site provides you with a naturopaths in Provinces where they are not regulated. Just click on their search engine and pick a Province or city where you live. Alberta - NOT REGULATED. We are particularly interested in those clinics in the Calgary area where there may be medical doctors, and dentists who share facilities. Naturopaths are NOT recognized under Provincial legislation, and therefore you really need to know that their screening tests, laboratory procedures, and treatment methods may not be officially approved or in fact safe for use in Canada. In our search we were advised by one of them how we could obtain Laetrile from Mexico, via the U.S. I guess they wanted to insure that there were no ties between their clinic and this ill-advised adventure. British Columbia College of Naturopathic Physicians - REGULATED . We would like to hear from people who have attended clinics operated by members of the Board of the CNPBC, and those in Kelowna and Vancouver area. Also, we'd like to hear from anyone who has ever complained to the College of Naturopathic Physicians in British Columbia. Manitoba Naturopathic Association - REGULATED New Brunswick - NOT REGULATED Newfoundland and Labrador - NOT REGULATED Nova Scotia - NOT REGULATED Ontario - Board of Directors of Drugless Practitioners - Naturopathy - BDDT-N 112 Adelaide Street East Toronto, Ontario M5C 1K9 TEL: 416 866 8383 FAX: 416 866 2175 Toll-free: 1-877-361-1925 (in Ontario) In reality this group is not regulated under Ontario's present RHPA (Regulated Health Professions Act). In addition they are not part of HPRAC (Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council). Instead their profession is regulated under their own Bloodless Practitioners Act - Naturopathy. This basically insulates the naturopaths who claim to be registered from any and all actions, or sanctions that could be imposed on any of their members by HPRAC or the RHPA. That allows them to do almost anything, say almost anything, and hide behind the BDDT-N. The Board's web site had this to say about the potential to bring them under the RHPA prior to the last election. The BDDT-N has applied for a number of changes to Regulation 278 some of which would enable the Board to deal more effectively with complaints and discipline matters. Another would allow for an increase in Registration Fees. This increase is necessary to address increased budgetary needs in the areas of administration and costs related to the investigation of complaints and disciplinary hearings. The legislation that enabled naturopaths to claim official status, outside of the regulated health professions came from the early part of the 20th Century. Many of those who officially call themselves naturopathic doctors in Ontario have demonstrated a lack of concern about how they practice. They use bogus methods of diagnosis, treat patients with unproved invasive techniques, and make false claims for their treatments. Because of the real lack of effective regulation and oversite by the former BDDT-N many in the government of Ontario felt that is was imperative to call for a complete overhaul of the old system. The result was the introduction of Bill 171, Health System Improvements Act, 2007. Complete Bill in Adobe .pdf format: Go to page 13 to see the naturopathy section. The Board of Naturopathic Medicine, the name that they now want to known as, lauded this Act in a press release on June 5, 2007. In the submissions made to the legislature even the CPSO (College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario) supported it with some caveats. The OAND (Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors) issued this press release. Some naturopathic doctors have what they call in Ontario "dual designation". What that means is that naturopaths can also be registered as chiropractors, dentists, why even medical doctors should they choose to finish their education in a recognized health profession. What generally happens in Ontario is that chiropractors who seem to be unhappy with their chosen profession decide to attend a naturopathic school and then sit for their exams. They utilize chiropractic techniques when they choose, and just put on another hat when they use naturopathic techniques. Some or these naturopathic techniques include invasive and unproved medical procedures like intravenous chelation therapy. The Ontario Board states that certain invasive procedures are not approved, and these include chelation therapy using EDTA, DMSO or DMPS, hydrogen peroxide, ultra violet or neural therapy. The problem is that this ban which has been in effect since December 2003 does not appear to be working. It is easy to locate naturopaths who have set up holistic clinics to treat seriously ill patients who use one or more of these procedures on the internet. In other Provinces it is even a worse situation. In the matter of "dual designation", the big confusion is that whenever a patient or their family decides to file a complaint against a particular naturopath who is also a chiropractor, the CCO usually says that the chiropractor is really a naturopath, and begs off any complaint. The BDDT-N generally ignores most complaints about any naturopath of course when it comes to unapproved therapies, even though it would be clearly be a violation of their policies. This leaves the grieving relatives or the injured party without any effective recourse. It would then be up to a malpractice lawyer, assuming that the naturopath has obtained coverage from some company that would defend them in court. The naturopathic situation in Ontario, as if it isn't bad enough, is particularly confusing because there are a significant number of fake naturopaths who have set up shop around the Province. Some of them go by the name "natural medicine doctor", or even use the designation ND which of course they have earned from an on-line diploma mill. These people are not only quacks, they are probably criminals, too. The BDDT-N has a vested interest to promote their own, and when reports have been filed that there are fake naturopaths, they are basically powerless, or have no resources to clear this up. Prince Edward Island - NOT REGULATED Quebec - NOT REGULATED - But, there is an association known as the Quebec Union of professional naturopaths. "..in spite of the absence of legislation, the naturopathy is not illegal. It is simply a profession not yet legally recognized by the Office of the professions of Quebec." Over the years the naturopaths in Quebec have demonstrated some serious problems. In fact it is so bad that it spills over to Ontario, where renegade naturopaths enter the Province and treat cancer patients. They have NO right to do that. Saskatchewan - Regulated Struggle for Regulation - U.S. and Canada Only thirteen U.S. States and four Canadian Provinces regulate naturopaths. There are only three naturopathic colleges in the U.S., and one University that grants degrees in naturopathy. Canada only has one school that trains naturopaths. Some States and Provinces don't care who practices naturopathy, while some have hotly debated the subject for years without taking any action. In January 2004 a recent Florida proposal to grant licenses to naturopaths was turned down after careful consideration. Search Google for debate licensing naturopaths California Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine California Naturopathic Doctors Association Florida Sunrise Report - January 2004 - - 51 page report in Adobe .pdf format. Same report in .html format. Thanks to Dr. Stephen Barrett Despite the fact that the State of Florida has universities that would train naturopaths, they will not be able to be licensed in their own State. Here are some of their conclusions The proponents of regulation did not provide evidence that there is substantial harm or that the public is endangered from the unregulated practice of the profession; The department and other sources indicate there is a risk of harm to the public from licensing naturopathic physicians with an expanded scope of practice; Licensure of naturopathic physcians would negatively impact practitioners of traditional alternative health healing techniques that currently do not have to be licensed; and The broad scope of practice of naturopathic physcians will overlap and compete with related licensed health professionals, including chiropractic physicians, acupuncturists, massage therapists, and midwives; It also would not be cost-effective if naturopaths were regulated with an expanded scope of practice. Colorado Sunrise Review of Naturopathic Physicians - 1998 Colorado Association of Naturopathic Physicians - WARNING!!! - There is no regulation in Colorado and you may be in danger of being shut down. Licensure of Naturopathic Physicians - Arnold S. Relman, M.D. March 13, 2001 A Statement Approved by the Board of Registration in Medicine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts "The Board of Medicine does not believe that NDs are qualified to be independent primary care physicians. Licensing them as such -- even within a defined scope of practice -- will add nothing of value to our existing health care system. It would instead lower the standards of health care and needlessly expose the public to the inevitable risks of inferior medical service." Credentialing Complementary and Alternative Medical Providers Annals of Internal Medicine - Dec. 2002. (some of the article is slightly outdated, but at the time of publication there were only 11 States that regulated naturopathy. Today, March 2004, there are 13 States. The original article has charts and tables for reference. Naturopathy, although practiced in the United States for more than a century, is licensed by only 11 states). The 1400 licensed naturopaths in the United States have trained at one of four naturopathic colleges accredited by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP). Although the AANP has developed a national certification examination, the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examination (NPLEX), passing is not required for licensure in all states. As with chiropractic and acupuncture, the scope of practice for naturopathy varies widely by state. For example, naturopaths with appropriate specialty training can assist in childbirth in Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Utah in some states, they can practice acupuncture. Intraprofessional disputes include objections to licensure requirements by individuals who use the title of naturopath but who have little (or no) training, particularly in states lacking naturopathic licensure, and whether to actively recommend standard immunization procedures Although naturopaths are not required to obtain postgraduate (that is, residency) training or supervision, they are described as primary caregivers in some of their licensing statutes and are seen as health care providers of first contact by many patients. Naturopathic History & Reviews Naturopathy: A Critical Appraisal - Medscape Review - December 30, 2003 Kimball C. Atwood IV, MD "Naturopathic medicine" is a recent manifestation of the field of naturopathy, a 19th-century health movement espousing "the healing power of nature." "Naturopathic physicians" now claim to be primary care physicians proficient in the practice of both "conventional" and "natural" medicine. Their training, however, amounts to a small fraction of that of medical doctors who practice primary care. An examination of their literature, moreover, reveals that it is replete with pseudoscientific, ineffective, unethical, and potentially dangerous practices. Despite this, naturopaths have achieved legal and political recognition, including licensure in 13 states and appointments to the US Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee. This dichotomy can be explained in part by erroneous representations of naturopathy offered by academic medical centers and popular medical Web sites. Conclusion This is the first article in a mainstream medical journal that critically summarizes the field of "naturopathic medicine." If physicians continue to consider naturopaths and other "alternative" practitioners as inconsequential -- or, if the only articles on CAM that most physicians read are uncritical -- pseudoscience will continue to make inroads into patient care and health policy. The information presented herein illustrates why official sanctioning of naturopaths as health care providers, including their appointments to the MCAC, should be considered unwise. Naturopathy - A Critical Appraisal - Dr. Barry Beyerstein, PhD and Susan Downie Naturopaths attract people who, for one reason or another, have been dissatisfied with their contacts with biomedicine. They appeal to people with illnesses with a strong psychosomatic component and those who have chronic conditions for which biomedicine, at present, can offer little. Naturopaths' elaborate history-taking and prolonged "hands-on" interactions provide the human contact and social support that, perhaps unknowingly, many of the so-called worried well are really seeking. They also cater to those with exaggerated fears of side effects of standard medical treatments. Their means of achieving these ideals leave much to be desired while fostering scientific illiteracy in the process. Like most pseudoscientific systems, naturopathy offers comfort to its adherents. But comfort afforded is not truth implied. A Close Look at Naturopathy - Stephen Barrett, MD Naturopathy, sometimes referred to as "natural medicine," is a largely pseudoscientific approach said to "assist nature", "support the body's own innate capacity to achieve optimal health", and "facilitate the body's inherent healing mechanisms". Naturopaths assert that diseases are the body's effort to purify itself, and that cures result from increasing the patient's "vital force." They claim to stimulate the body's natural healing processes by ridding it of waste products and "toxins." At first glance, this approach may appear sensible. However, a close look will show that naturopathy's philosophy is simplistic and that its practices are riddled with quackery. Dr. Barrett adds, "I believe that the average naturopath is a muddlehead who combines commonsense health and nutrition measures and rational use of a few herbs with a huge variety of unscientific practices and anti-medical double-talk." Quacks and Flacks - Reasononline - June 2003 - Chris Mooney The pitfalls of seeking a scientific foundation for alternative medicine. - This review has a section on naturopathy and Chris Mooney focuses on Arnold Relman's review of the Textbook of Natural Medicine, and the anti-vaccine naturopathic brigade. Naturopathy: Report of the Australian Committee of Inquiry (1977) The Committee does not recommend licensing of naturopaths as a vocational group as it considers that such licensing may give a form of official imprimatur to practices which the Committee considers to be unscientific and, at the best, of marginal efficacy. It appreciates that some control is desirable over persons practising naturopathy for fee or reward to protect the general public and it considers that vigilance should be exercised over this group by competent authorities to define the standards of premises from which practice is carried out, to control advertising, to police existing legislation prohibiting the treatment of certaindiseases by other than medical practitioners and to restrict the prescribing of dietary advice. The real history? - according to www.naturalhealing.com"Naturopathy: a distinct system of non-invasive healthcare and health assessment in which neither surgery nor drugs are used, dependence being placed only on education, counseling, naturopathic modalities and natural substances, including without limitation, the use of foods, food extracts,vitamins, minerals, enzymes, digestive aids, botanical substances, topical natural substances,homeopathic preparations, air, water, heat, cold, sound, light, the physical modalities of magnetictherapy, naturopathic non-manipulative bodywork and exercise to help stimulate and maintain theindividual's intrinsic self-healing processes." Report of the Australian Committee of Inquiry on Naturopathy - 1977 This report, now over two decades old, is perhaps one of the most significant looks into the quack-filled roots of naturopathy in Australia. You must download this, and please put it in perspective with what has happened since the report was first issued. Naturopathy on Quackwatch Naturopathy, sometimes referred to as "natural medicine," is a largely pseudoscientific approach said to "assist nature" [1], "support the body's own innate capacity to achieve optimal health" [2], and "facilitate the body's inherent healing mechanisms." [3] Naturopaths assert that diseases are the body's effort to purify itself, and that cures result from increasing the patient's "vital force." They claim to stimulate the body's natural healing processes by ridding it of waste products and "toxins." At first glance, this approach may appear sensible. However, a close look will show that naturopathy's philosophy is simplistic and that its practices are riddled with quackery. Naturopathic Misrepresentations - Quackwatch Naturopathic council loses accreditation - The Council for Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) has been removed as an accrediting body for naturopathy in the U.S. Council on Naturopathic Registration and AccreditationU.S. Naturopathic doctors (N.D.s) are conventionally trained in subjects such as anatomy, physiology, counseling, dietary evaluations, nutrition, herbology, acupressure, muscle relaxation and structural normalization, homeopathy, iridology, exercise therapy,hydrotherapy, oxygen therapy and thermal therapy. Some practitioners are also trained in additional specialties such as acupuncture or natural childbirth. Naturopathy is based upon a belief in the body's innate God-given natural ability to heal itself when given an appropriate internal and externalhealing environment. Naturopaths are not involved in the practice of medicine and do not use drugs or pharmaceuticals, nor do they perform abortions or surgery (other than minor first aid). They have traditionally been referred to as "drugless doctors." In reality, naturopathy deals with wellness and relief from conditions which are the result of stress whether from mental, nutritional, environmental or physical factors. Naturopathy and their opposition to immunization - Kimball C. Atwood IV, M.D. and Stephen Barrett, M.D. One reason naturopaths (NDs) are held in low regard is their historical opposition to immunization. Some naturopaths now claim that this opposition "does not reflect the current view of NDs trained in accredited schools." [1] However, a close look indicates that opposition is still widespread. Review of THE TEXBOOK OF NATURAL MEDICINE Dr. Arnold Relman tears the only major textbook on Naturopathy to shreds. The anti-pharmaceutical bias of naturopathic education (as illustrated in the Textbook) therefore poses real risks for patients who rely on naturopaths for the management of their illnesses. Without prompt and appropriate drug therapy many patients with serious diseases will die. Judging by the standards of practice presented in the Textbook, it seems clear that the risks to many sick patients seeking care from the average naturopathic practitioner would far outweigh any possible benefits. The Blood Type Diet: Latest Diet Scam In their opinion opinion, the Peter D'Adamo's blood type diet theory of diet doesn't have a leg to stand on. They also criticize the fact that Bastyr University is now teaching this theory, which promotes meat eating. Eat Right For Your Type - Book Review by Declan Twohig The blood type diet theory is based on some pretty weird science which neither Dr D'Adamo nor anybody else has been able to demonstrate as a clinical reality. His work is also offensive because he has the historical ability of a village idiot, and an eye for a great opportunity to bring in a bit of mystical symbolism to cover his lousy scholarship, writing. This is garbage and outdated twaddle. So, D'Adamo's Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Blood Type Diet is bad science, bad history, and tacky nutrition as well. And it's not even a good read. Naturopathic links Ontario Patients' Bill of Rights CCNM - Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Canadian Naturopathic Association What they say about the flu vaccine AMNA - American Naturopathic Medicine Association Canadian Naturopathy - Who regulates Naturopathic education in Canada? Canadian Naturopathic Foundation -- there is not a single link to any Provincial regulatory body OAND - Ontario Association of Naturopathic Doctors HPRAC - Ontario reaches out for Naturopathic regulation Report to Ontario Minister of Health by HPRAC on Naturopathy - Jan 2001 Drugless Practitioner Act -- Ontario Ontario regulated health professionals and Drugless practitioner links British Columbia Naturopaths Act preliminary report Sanoviv - Myron Wentz's Mexican retreat "New kind of doctor" seeks wider roles - AMA - Feb. 1999The battle lines have been drawn in at least six states, where naturopaths are battling naturopaths over bills that would require the alternative medicine practitioners to become licensed or face prosecution. CSA - AMA report on Alternative Medicine - Full Text Famous Canadian Naturopaths Michael Prytula uses many unproved techniques and he is a licensed naturopath in St. Catherines, Ontario. Who in the world works with him? Who starts the intravenous treatments? As far as I know, naturopaths do not have the right to do this in Ontario. Why is the Ministry of Health and the Solicitor General of Ontario ignoring this? On January 22, 2008 the Complaints Review Committee of the Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy - Naturopathy of Ontario sent me a letter in regards to disciplinary proceedings that will be taken against Prytula. The funny thing about this is that the actions actually place June 5, 2007. That's over six months ago. So why did they finally decided to proceed against Michael Prytula for his use of, promotion of, and making false or unproved claims about the use of EDTA for chelation therapy. Since there had been other complaints on file about his use of unapproved substances the Board will this will be added to the disciplinary process that was already underway. In addition, his use of testimonials on his web site is not allowed and the Board will issue a written caution to him. They decided that the Christian content on his web site where he warns people not to adopt alternate religious or spiritual practices is not an item that they can deal with. They claim that he has the right to say whatever he wants because it is guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom to have a Christian content on his web site. [Nowhere in this Act does it state that, but they didn't want to go there.] The Board however, decided to issue a warning to him and the stated: "..Registrants should be aware of the risks of promoting their own religious or spiritual beliefs to the exclusion of all others and should refrain from criticizing others' religious beliefs and practices." Prytula's tests AcuBase Testing Applied Kinesiology Bee Venom Therapy Biological Terrain Assessment Chelation Chinese Herbal Medicine Chinese Tongue and Pulse Analysis Conventional Blood and Urine Analysis Cosmetic Bio-Resonant Waveform Therapy Darkfield Microscopy Fasting Hydrotherapy Homeopathy Iridology Intravenous Supplementation Intravenous Therapies--Bio-Oxidants Magnetic Field Therapy Mora Therapy Neural Therapy Ozone (Oxygen Therapies) Prolotherapy Qi Gong Vitamin and Mineral Supplementation Western Botanical Medicine If Prytula is a major donor to CCNM, does his support of his alma mater indicate that CCNM supports his clinic in any way? CCNM gratefully acknowledges the generosity and vision of the donors who have helped to make our new campus a reality. These generous people and companies have embraced a vision to bring naturopathic medicine into the lives of Canadians everywhere ... to help people to be their healthiest and happiest. Building a strong, sustainable national college of naturopathic medicine to train the best doctors in Canada makes that vision possible." NaturoMedic.com At NaturoMedic.com we use a number of natural treatment therapies in a unique way. We believe that your body has its own inherent healing mechanisms that function very effectively when properly supported. Our major focus is to isolate factors that inhibit these healing mechanisms. Factors needing to be isolated include: stress, diet, hormones, emotions, inadequate internal organ functioning, structural damage, weather, viruses, bacteria and other micro-organisms, chemicals, allergens (food & environmental), vitamin & mineral deficiencies, geopathic stress, enzyme deficiency & lifestyle. In order to isolate these factors we utilize naturopathic medication (Homeopathic, Chinese and Western Botanical) and prescribe various therapies from dietary cleansing to fasting, bio-oxidative therapy, IV therapies* (including ozone, hydrogen peroxide, vitamin/mineral, and chelation), stress management, acupressure, NAET, NET and lifestyle management. * only available to members of The Naturopathic Healing Therapies Association (NHTA)- www.NaturoMedic.com Millenium Health Centre - Cornwall - Why would an apparently prosperous practice which was established over 6 years ago be up for sale? Apparently Dr. Stephen F. Jones is looking for greener pastures. Is his chelation business not doing as well as expected? He seems to be particularly irked at Dr. Terry Polevoy who has an eye for naturopaths, or anyone else for that matter, who sell promises to parents that autism can be successfully treated at their clinics using a variety of treatments that may include chelation therapy. Recently, Jones sent a personal e-mail to Polevoy criticizing him for having banners on his web site (which one we don't know). Claims made for chelation therapy on his web site Who Can Benefit From Chelation? Chelation has been used in the treatment of the following; Atherosclerosis (blocked blood vessels) Cardiovascular disease Coronary artery disease (blocked arteries in the heart) Stroke Senile dementia and Alzheimer's Autism Autistic Spectrum Disorders Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Early gangrene Essential hypertension (high blood pressure) Peripheral vascular occlusive disease (decrease blood circulation in the extremities - especially the legs, as with diabetic patients) Osteoarthritis Fibromyalgia Multiple sclerosis Diabetes Some cases of Parkinson's disease Jimmy C. Chan, BSc ND - Vancouver Balneotherapy Center If you tried to find a web site with so many quack procedures and tests in Canada, you probably couldn't. Chan provides a long list with prices right on his home page. These outrageous charges, in my humble opinion, are grounds for a complaint to the B.C. Minister of Consumer Affairs. Most of the tests that can be ordered by a licensed MD (real medical doctor) are covered under the Provincial health plan. Some of the others are bogus, or in fact fraudulent. Complementary Cancer Care - (Alive Magazine June 2003) He's treated 5,000 cancer patients using such unproved techniques such as "far infrared heat therapy". He says this about it: "...far infrared therapy has the ability to break up the protective rings around harmful molecules in the body so they’re no longer cancer causing. It also weakens the bonds between toxins and human tissues; so stored toxins can be flushed out of the system faster and in greater quantities through the skin (via sweating), liver and bowels." He obviously endorsed Careseng (ginsenosides) for treating cancer. - .pdf format Original Power Point presentation on panax ginseng preparations - by Dr. William Jia of UBC. One of the versions was pulled from the web in February 2004. This version was from the www.apothecure.com web site. It too, is down. You can find archives of their web site here. They are from Dallas, Texas. I wonder why that site was removed. (Almost the entire English language Careseng.com web site was recently taken down in late February 2004. This included a photo of the front of a building that they claim was the Careseng Cancer Centre and Institute in Richmond, B.C. We think that they removed it, not for "reconstruction", but because they got wind that there was an investigation into the promotion and claims made for the product in Canada. Some archives are available from their site. Click here for more of the story. Watch his slide show FDA embargoes Careseng shipped to U.S. from Pegasus Pharmaceuticals of Richmond, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CA V6X3Z3 and says that it is dangerous to health when used in the dosage or manner, or with the frequency or duration, prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the labeling thereof. Search of Health Canada's DPD database comes up blank when searching for Careseng He approves of Essiac for cancer - Vancouver Sun - 1992 The main ingredients in essiac are: burdock root, sheep sorrel herb, turkey rhubarb root and slippery elm bark, all of which grow abundantly in Ontario. Dr. Jim Chan, a Vancouver naturopathic physician, who also teaches at Bastyr College in Seattle, says burdock root contains inulin, a very powerful immune modulator. "It hooks on to the surface of white blood cells and makes them work better", he says. PolyMVA - lists Chan on their web site and if you believe in miracles click here Bogus and unsupported claims for this product. Get a load of their web site that describes animal testimonials. Where is Dr. Doolittle when you need him? The tests and/or procedures in RED below are either questionable, or are a fine example of consumer health fraud. Those that are in GREEN are overpriced. Those that are in BLUE are not specified. Testing Procedures: Somatid Analysis - Initial $35.00 Subsequent $20.30 Infrared - Full Body Scan $200.00 -Local Scan $75.00 EVA (Vega Testing) Measurement of Meridian Energy $25.00 FEV (Spirometry) $10.00 Urinalysis $5.00 EKG (Electrocardiogram) $25.00 Vascular Study $200.00 Hair Analysis $65.00 96 Food Allergy Panel (Antigen Specific IgE/Igg4 Assay) $300.00 Computerized Weight Management/Diet Plan $75.00 Computerized Response Thermography $75.00 Bone Density $50.00 MSA (Meridian Stress Assessment $150.00 Blood Tests: Tumor Marker Panel I (CEA, CA19.9 & AFP) $100.00 Tumor Marker Panel II (CEA, CA19.9, AFP, CA125 & CA15.3) $150.00 CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) $35.00 CA19.9 (Cancer Antigen) $35.00 AFP (Alpha-Fetoprotein) $35.00 CA125 (Cancer Antigen) $35.00 CA15.3 (Cancer Antigen) $35.00 Total PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) $35.00 Free PSA ( Prostate Specific Antigen) $50.00 TSH (Thyroid) $35.00 PSH (Folicle Stimulating Hormone) $50.00 Estradiol $50.00 Ferritin $50.00 B12 $50.00 GHb (Glycated Hemoglobin) $50.00 Folate $50.00 Homocysteine $50.00 Total IgE (Allergy Immunoglobulin Type E) $50.00 AMAS (Autimalignin Antibody in Serum) $300.00 CIA (Chemiluminescence Analysis) $50.00 QBC (Complete Blood Count) $25.00 ESR (Erythocyte Sedimentation Rate) $7.50 Blood Chemistry (each) $9.00 Blood Typing $10.00 X-ray $30.00 BTA (Biological Terrain Assessment) - Initial $75.00 Subsequent $40.00 NES - Initial $40.00 Subsequent $5.00 Treatments: Acupuncture $35.00 Ozone Therapy (rectal) $35.00 Multiwave Oscillator $5.00 Intravenous Hydrogen Peroxide $50.00 Chelation $100.00 Intravenous Therapy $100.00 Photophoresis $100.00 Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (60 minutes) $75.00 Syncardon (Passive Cardiac Conditioning) $15.00 Thermal $5.00 TDP $5.00 Colonic $60.00 Tannis McLaren and Bonnie McLachlan- Flare Magazine's gurus of misinformation. One of these folks is a licensed naturopath, the other is in training at the CCNM. Both, in my humble opinin are seriously misinformed about many things. In particular they are wrong on Vitamin-C and the common cold. Their suggestion that you should megadose when you get a cold is preposterous. They are totally irresponsible, especially their links to two anti-vaccine web sites and books. Rogers Media and its publisher needs a shot in the arm, and they should should issue a public apology. The next best thing would be for readers to contact the Board of Directors of Bloodless Therapy - Naturopathy and file a complaint below. The flu epidemic was averted last year because of the Ontario government's free flu shot campaign. That saved the government hundreds of millions of dollars. If McLaren's column had appeared then, what would it have cost us all? David Wikenheiser is a star of radio, and a traveling road show for Flora, one of the world's largest manufacturers of herbal elixirs, and tinctures. He's been on the talk show circuit for years and has in the past joined dozens of other CAM proponents at the Whole Life Expo in Toronto to sell Canadians on the idea that we are all somehow deficient in herbal capsules, and tinctures. A recent advertising blitz in Canadian newspapers actually solicited patients for his practice, and made unsubstantiated claims for an "anti-flu" and anti-viral" elixir made from Vitamin-C, echinacea, and elderberry. Wikenheiser joined other headliners and vendors, some of whom support the wild ideas flogged by Hulda Clark, vendors of radionics machines, anti-amalgam folks, and doctors who have had their medical license stripped by the Province of Ontario. Is naturopathy's attempt to join the mainstream really helped by this three ringed circus? This is a description of David's c.v. that appeared on a AIMS web site. David Wikenheiser, B.Sc., N.D., is a naturopathic physician with a general family practice in Vancouver, BC. He completed his bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) with a double major in biology and psychology through the University of the State of New York. He completed his doctorate of naturopathic medicine (ND) with an "Honours in Research" through the National College of Naturopathic medicine in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Wikenheiser is also board certified in ozone therapy and acupuncture. He is a member of the Canadian Naturopathic Association and the Association of Naturopathic Physicians of BC, a board member of the BC Naturopathic Association and a member of the Canadian Academy of Medical Dental Arts and Sciences. Dr Wikenheiser is a resident ND on Vancouver’s 1410 CFUN Natural Facts radio show with JJ Richards each Saturday morning. He is also a frequent guest on the Toronto Talk 640 radio station, hosted by Christine McPhee. Dr. Wikenheiser has lectured across Canada and in the United States. He has also appeared on numerous radio and television shows. However, on Kitchener, Ontario's CKGL AM-570 broadcast on August 10, 2000, he shook the very foundations of science by either omitting facts, or bending the very essence of knowledge when asked basic questions by the host and by callers: Supported Peter D'Adamo's Blood type diet - a.k.a. Recommended "glacial water" for health His suggested that a special formula of a proprietary herbal mixture might reverse the aging process. He even went so far as to compare important genetic research done by John Phillips at the University of Guelph on fruit flies as being relevant to his special herbal concoction that he said might help delay the aging process in humans. He then provided a toll free number 888-436-6697, for people to call for information about some products or tests. He claimed that he was "board certified" in ozone therapy. He never said what that really meant, or who approves of any certification in naturopathic specialities, if they exist at all. He failed to present any evidence that ozone therapy was recognized as a valid therapy for treatment of any disease in Canada. Christine McPhee is off the air now, so he won't be on her show again, unless she finds another network willing to have her Touch of Health show broadcast. Didn't mentions that his alma mater is being sued because it misrepresented itself to its students. He didn't mention that he is one of the speakers who is hawked on the TalkInternational web site in Toronto. That web site has recently come under fire because it has contributed to the spread of propaganda, and misinformation about allopathic medical doctors. TalkInternatioal.com says that they represents David Icke, a notorious anti-semitic crackpot, and also Len Horowitz, a conspiracy buff who wants to see all children run around the world without their immunizations. The rest of their posse of renegade fundamentalist quacks and politically right-wing folk reads like a Who's Who. Some of them don't want the government in anyone's face, even if that might mean violence and civil disobedience. This is hardly a group that would lend itself to support science, or even naturopathy. I can assume that none of them are "board certified" in anything, except of course Horowitz. But, on talk radio in Canada they are welcome with open arms and applause. Sat Dharam Kaur - She's got a natural treatment to assist in preventing breast cancer. She claims that it works with the allopathic treatment.They "provide a naturopathic protocol for preventing and treating breast cancer to be used in combination with allopathic diagnostic and treatment options. The program is designed to educate and provide support to women interested in maintaining or improving the health of their breasts." She lives in Owen Sound, Ontario, in the Bruce-Grey county area. You might remember the Walkerton E. coli epidemic in May 2000. She's not far from there. I am so glad to see that she mentions parasites in her discussion. I wonder what kind of parasite she feels causes breast cancer? And then, why would anyone want to get rid of imaginary parasites in the colon in the first place. By the way, she is a lecturer at the CCNM in Toronto. They have a collection of botanicals paid for by the Essiac company that markets quack herbal cancer cures by the ton. She has plenty of testimonials to go around - the trouble is, most of them are from students from CCNM. Her Immune Power formula contains pau d'arco a potentially toxic herb. Here is a quote from the book "Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines" by Fetrow and Avila. I consider this the best book on herbal medicine dangers. "There are no clinical data to support the use of this herb for any medical condition. Besides lapachol and xyloidone, other chemical components of pau d'arco have not been studied. Because hyrdoquinone compounds are known to possess toxic effects, pau d'arco should be considered potentially toxic. Therefore, its use cannot be recommended." Lisa M. Doran - she doesn't like anyone to give her 5 year old shots for school, and tells us about it in the Toronto Star. Ross Andersen - Peterborough naturopath and chiropractor who has a penchant for colons, parasites, MLM, and video tapes. John Bender - Waterloo, Ontario naturopath who can look you straight in the eye and tell you what's wrong with you.....REALLY The Bonter's Natural Health Clinic - Oakville These folks do it all. They say that they can evaluate an 18 month old baby for allergies by using a totally bogus device, a sort of professional version of a galvanometer. Similar devices are used by Scientologists, Hulda Clark, and others to hoodwink the public. What is even more interesting is that their fee schedule includes injections of vitamin B-12, and blood typing, etc. This means that somehow they are giving shots and taking blood. What are they doing that for? Are they using this to render a diagnosis for a medical condition? David Bonter uses these initials after his name - C.N.E. and he says he is an Allergy Specialist. Well David, why don't you go down to College St. and strut your stuff a the offices of the College of Physicians and Surgeons. I am sure that they might have a position for you. You are not a doctor, you don't seem to be a naturopath, at least not on your web site. The electodermal method of treating anyone of any age is totally and complete bogus, fraudulent, and to top it all off, you treat and diagnose disease, all without a license. How and why do insurance companies cover your services? Natalie Bonter says that she is a naturopath and uses the designation N.D. We don't know if she graduated from CCNM in Toronto. We somehow can't find it anywhere on her site, even on her own biographical site. The fees for a pediatric visit rival the amount that OHIP would pay a FRCP(C) pediatric visit, or about four times the amount one would bill for a routine well-baby visit to your family doctor. Mind you, that a certified pediatrician has 8 years of school before they even become eligible to actually call themselves a real doctor. Then they would have to go through four or more years to call themselves a pediatrician. It would seem that the naturopathic professiona skips over most of that, but still charges more than an M.D. If you really want to grab on to your wallet, just imagine having to take out a cool $22 every time junior has a hiccup, and you have to report in to the office for a phone consult. And, don't forget, they can check your little rug rat out by using an unproved and unregulated device and they only charge you from $50-$150 for that privelege. Plus, don't pass up that Vitamin B-12 shot for your infant or toddler. The bottom line would appear to be that the fee schedule is based on your ability to pay. The more neurotic you are, the more you will pay. There is no science in the use of EAV metres, there no indication for a B-12 shot in infancy or childhood, there is no reason to have a blood type done. Why does this type of clinic thrive? Because the public doesn't know what it's all about. The government doesn't care, the regulators don't care. What we have here folks is a gold mine. They test for non-existent allergies or sensitivites with electrodermal testing devices, then they sell you the stuff to "cure" your deficiency, or to purge your system of some mysterious toxin or maybe even a yet to be discovered parasite. All of this they say may be billable under your supplemental insurance. Well, what if YOUR insurance company knew that unnecessary procedures were being done and billed as if a licensed naturopath were doing them. And what, by the way would the billing code actually read? Would you like to pay hundreds of dollars to any office that operates in this manner? Certainly if this was medical office, there would be guidelines that they would have to follow. Do Naturopaths have codes of ethics? Do they have restrictions on their licenses? Ask them, why don't you. Mark Percival -- He's a chiropractor and a naturopath who will take your blood before he sees you and without one shred of unbiased scientific evidence will offer to prepare a special diet and preventive health program based on your blood type. Of course he has to have your permission. Would you be surprised if your insurance plan would pay for the following unproven diagnostic tests?: hair analysis, live cell microscopy ear candling? Here's what the Health Coach says: "Are you tired of being bombarded by gimmicks, unqualified advice, and endless information and pills that promise health, happiness, and eternal youth? We were too! That's why we foundedHealth Coach. We have developed a group ofhighly trained doctors and staff memberscommitted to providing simple, effective, clinicallyproven on-line programs to help you achieve thebody and health you want." (Ask Mark Percival what he means by doctors. Who regulates his employees, who trains them, and why should you go to their clinic, especially if you belong to the Type-A blood group?) Want to spend $249.95 to learn about your digestive system? "70% or more of your immune system is focused on your digestive and elimination system...areyou ready to lend it a helping hand? Even subtle intestinal dysfunction and hidden food" If that's not quite what you expected from your chiropractor or naturopath, you can spend hundreds of dollars on supplements, books, tapes per month until you feel better. Then again you could to to Pizza Hut and order the 6 cheese special and live just as long, couldn't you? Maybe it's safer than getting your neck manipulated, then again, maybe not? Millenium Health Care delivers chelation misinformation. - Cornwall clinic believes that chelation therapy can cure or alleviate conditions that have never been proved. In fact a major Canadian study totally disproved that chelation therapy has any use for coronary artery disease. These folks need to wake up and tell the truth to their customers. It's certain that the Board of Drugless Practioners will not stop them. Healthy You - a Chatham-Kent Ontario web page - not one warning or disclaimer on this page that links to dozens of unregulated alt. med. sites. Greg Prytula, BASc., N.D. - a licensed naturopath practices iridology. I wonder how iridology helps to make a diagnosis of teenagers who are wasting away with Crohn's disease? How much do naturopaths profit from the sales of useless herbs, vitamins and mineral supplements, when there are no indications for them in the first place? Naturopathic University in Hamilton? What happened to the battle for a complementary medicine university in Hamilton? - a few years ago Member of Parliament for Hamilton, Ontario suggested that a naturopathic university should be established in that city's downtown core. Dr. Terry Polevoy did an op-ed piece that was published in the Hamilton Spectator. Little or no regulation What do Provincial governments intend to do with quacks and charlatans who also happen to hold a license in a regulated profession? The government of Ontario has regulated the practice of naturopathy since 1925, when the legislature enabled the passage of Ontario the Drugless Practitioners Act. It wasn't until the later part of this century that there have been any substantial changes in the Act. The Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1990 Chapter D.18 is the present Act today. The Ontario Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) actually sent a report to the Minister of Health in August 1996, and there it sits today, with not a single bit of legislation underway, or even being considered to update the Act. It seems that Elizabeth Witmer has more important things to consider, than to address the alternative health care situation in Ontario. Naturopaths are indeed supposed to be regulated by their own body, separate from the other regulated health professionals. They may be reached at: Board of Directors of Drugless Therapy - Naturopathy President - Angela Moore, ND 112 Adelaide St. E., Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1K9 Tel: 416-866-8383 Fax: 416-866-2175 E-mail: ndboard@passport.ca British Columbia, one of the few Provinces that regulates naturopaths, presented a detailed Legislative Review in February 1998 that made the following recommendations: The Health Professions Council recommends to the Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors that the Naturopaths Act be repealed and the profession of naturopathy be designated under the Health Professions Act. Residents of British Columbia are protected from errant naturopaths by the The College of Naturopathic Physicians of B.C. The College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia is committed to providing safe and ethical standards of professional practice amongst Naturopathic Physicians of B.C. The CNPBC acts in the public interest to ensure the highest quality of naturopathic care.The B.C. Naturopathic Association The BCNA is the professional association for Naturopathic Physicians in British Columbia. The BCNA offers patients referrals to a doctor anywhere in the province. Student information is also available to persons interested in pursuing a career as a Naturopathic Physician. Unfortunately, it's very difficult to find the name and phone number of the regulators on their site. I had to e-mail them to get them to put it on their site. Naturopathic schools Naturopathic Accreditation Agency Loses Federal Recognition The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) is no longer recognized as the accrediting agency for naturopathic schools. Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine - Peterson's Guide lists the following:For doctorate, 1 year of course work in general biology, general chemistry, general psychology; 1 semester of course work in organic chemistry and biochemistry. 367 full-time (301 women). Average age 21. 200 applicants, 45% accepted. In 1998, 42 degrees awarded. Here is what the advertisement in the May 3, 2000 issue of the Toronto Star has to say about the requirements for entry. It's almost impossible to get through to their web site to see what they have to say.3 years of accredited undergraduate study (15 full-year credits) including: general biology general chemistry biochemistry organic chemistry psychology Bastyr University - Washington State3 years of College work, 6 courses of chemistry, 2 courses of biology, 1 course of physics, 2 courses of psychology, 2 courses of English and 2 courses of Humanities Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences - Bachelors degree required, and a 2.5 GPA Eckerd College - Bachelors degree required, and a 2.5 GPA Naturopathic lawsuits Oregon National College of Naturopathic Medicine Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) Graduates Carolyn Dean - MD, ND - Her medical training was in Halifax, Nova Scotia and she came to Ontario and did a one-year internship with no record of having any further post-graduate training in any Canadian medical program. She apparently went to the CCNM (the new name for the Ontario College of Naturopathic Medicine), and obtained her ND in 1981, but it wasn't "conferred" on her until 1997. C.V. from her own web site reveals in great detail her claims and accomplishments. She fails to mention the fact that she can no longer practice in Ontario. Dean claims to have served on the Board Governors of the CCNM for six years, beginning in 2000. For years she has lived in New York, and actually obtained a license to practice medicine in California in 1993. When she had her registration as an MD in Ontario revoked permanently in 1995, California still allowed her to maintain a license in that State. However, in 2000 they placed her on probation for three years. Her license is still active. In Ontario, she never showed up to defend herself, nor did she file an appeal. Dean has written a number of controversial books about medicine and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows over the years. She maintains a service where she provides telephone consults for what must be a profitable fee. As far as her qualifications in the New York State is concerned, she can call herself anything she wants because naturopathy is not licensed in that State. In other words that unless the State of New York decides that what she is doing is against the law, she is untouchable. AUTISM CAN BE TREATED - A particularly innacurate article penned by Dean about autism. The bottom line is this, why would the State of California maintain her license if she doesn't have any other valid license to practice medicine anywhere else, and why did the CCNM select her to be on their Board of Governors in the first place? Kathleen Morton - she ran for Parliament for the Green Party - It's too bad that her anti-vaccine views , support of homeopathy, and Vega testing on Rogers Cable-20 went unanswered. Adam Prinsen - Peterborough His radio shows are available in mp3 format. Unfortunately, there are no dates available. One of the most ridiculous shows was on vaccines. His early promotion of Randall Neustaedter's book about the dangers of vaccines left me speechless. This guy's web site is called called Cure Guide. He's not a medical doctor and has no right to call himself a pediatrician. Prinsen's lies about vaccines are dangerous to public health. When you click on the vaccine show's link above listen to the part about homeopathy at about the 49:50 mark into the show. One of the worst and often repeated lies in the show is about the Pertussis vaccine which he states quite clearly causes autism (55:45). He claims to have seen a case of colitis in his own practice that he blames on the measles vaccine (56:04). His naturopathic regulatory board members need to listen to the following absurd statements about homeopathic vaccine nosodes that he recommends instead of regular vaccines for childhood illnesses.: Homeopathy can actually be use and has been shown effective to be used in lieu of vaccinations. There's a significant amount of research to show that there's a lot of value in using these remedies. His show on cancer is really amazing. Prinsen offers something called BTA (Biological Terrain Assessment) that we also covered here on our site. One of the most controversial tests that he performs is "hair mineral analysis". He posted the following ridiculous statement about this test: "Hair mineral analysis can tell you if your problem losing weight is because your adrenal glands are exhausted or your thyroid is slowing down, or that your bone loss is because your body is too acidic. Depression, anxiety and ADHD often have keys in Hair mineral analysis, for example excess copper can lead to severe depressions. Elevated calcium and a reduced potassium level in the hair have been associated with antisocial personality patterns. Hair mineral patterns are excellent for assessing unexplained fatigue." Anca Martalog, B.Sc., N.D. - this web site has not been updated since 1998. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in physiology and biochemistry before studying naturopathy. In my opinion many of the tests used by this naturopath are not valid. Among them are: Omega Acubase - electrodermal device - there is no evidence that this does anything Adrenal stress (Koenisburg test) BTW - it's really Koenigsburg, but hey, maybe the spelling checker wasn't working either.: She claims that it analyzes adaptation to stress, levels of urinary chlorides. There are no references on Medline, there is no reference in major medical search engines. There is nothing there. Vitamin C deficiency (lingual ascorbic acid test). She claims that it measures tissue levels of vitamin C - there is no validity to this test Zinc deficiency - indicates states of deficiency. How does she diagnose this? Calcium excretion (Sulkowitch test) - measures serum Calcium levels by precipitating Calcium in urine. I'm sorry, but this is not what it does. We all did this test in Freshmen Chemistry 101. Real doctors measure real calcium, even ionized calcium. So what do naturopath's do? Bowel toxicity (Urinary indican test) - tests intestinal putrefaction by measuring levels of indoxyl sulfate. Unfortunately, the test is non-specific. It might also mean that the patient has Inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, hypochlorhydria, gastric ulcer, biliary or intestinal obstruction, diverticulosis, scleroderma, Hartnup's disease, pancreatic insufficiency, decreased peristalsis, and blue diaper syndrome. Now, tell me how a naturopath is going to diagnose those diseases? What does that tell you about the test? Hair Analysis - She said that it "measures levels of nutritional and toxic minerals, thus providing early assessment of metabolic trends". There is absolutely no evidence anywhere that except for toxic minerals that any hair analysis test tells you anything. Chemstrip 10 Urinary test - She says that this is indicated in disorders of renal/hepatic/pancreatic/gastro-intestinal/cardiovascular origin. I give up, can she name a specific pancreatic or cardiovascular disease that this test will help her make a diagnosis, or design treatment for? I thought that the naturopath didn't need fancy tests and that the body had an innate intelligence to take care of things without all this intervention. Naturopathic Research Canadian naturopathic practitioners: holistic and scientific world views. - H. Boon of the University of Toronto studied what goes on in a naturopath's office. The study describes naturopathic practitioners with 2 distinct world views - holistic and scientific and explores the relationship of practitioners' socialisation experiences and practice patterns within these two world views. What is has to say about the science of naturopathy is zero. (It's the last study reviewed on this page. Just search for CCNM and you will find it. Naturopathic lobbying groups Alliance for regulation of U.S. naturopaths Naturopathic critics Health Care Reality Check "Naturopaths denigrate the use of medication by practitioners of medical science, preferring instead to use herbal remedies of various kinds. N.D. Joe Pizzorno, president of the John Bastyr school, for example, says that strep throat is caused by a breakdown of the body's defenses since "if you do routine cultures of the population, 90% have strep in their throat, but it doesn't cause infection. For other than their general preference for "natural" methods, N.D.'s may make use of just about any "alternative" medical approaches. These include colored light therapy, homeopathy, iridology, "zone pressure" (pressing with a finger, hand, or toe near the area of concern), acupuncture, massage therapy, and colonic irrigation (enema therapy). If the 4-year colleges teach any science, it doesn't seem to have an effect. Many naturopaths are little more than jacks of all quackeries. ANMA criticizes naturopathic education - Lets examine the misguided rhetoric written about accredited four year resident Naturopathic Medical schools teaching surgery, drugs and pretending to produce primary care physicians. Even though the rhetoric states that Naturopathy has a forty to eighty year record of high standards, the facts always remain the same. High standards are hard to find. College of Dieticians of OntarioResponse to the submission of the Naturopathic Board by the CDO to Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC). The CCNM (Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine), does not show a single faculty member who has published in any reputable clinical nutrition journal. There is little evidence of controlled large scale projects studying the usefulness of naturopathic therapies.Compared to that offered by the CCNM, a typical accredited undergraduate nutrition/dietetics program at Canadian universities provides almost four times the course hours in selected research topics and methods. It is essential that the extent and nature of naturopathic therapy be clearly defined and limited. Those limits must be consistent with the education and training that the naturopaths receive. The CCNM's limited curriculum and lack of expertise on its faculty in other regulated health disciplines set the limits of the education and training available. It would be misleading to include dietetics and clinical nutrition in the naturopaths' treatment modalities and to allow naturopaths to use the title "doctor". Naturopaths should be limited in the one controlled act of "administering a substance by injection and inhalation". Natural aids BY MIA RABSON Do you know that there is a naturopathic AIDS clinic in Toronto? Read this, especially if you want another view. I like this quote from a medical doctor who remains skeptical: "Kovacs does not personally refer his patients to naturopaths. "I just don't think there is scientific justification as of yet, for me to say it's okay to tell them to take vitamin B12 injections or echinacea, or to spin three times, wear a yellow hat and a purple dress and sing a show tune." He adds if naturopaths want their treatments acknowledged by the medical community, they must provide scientific research proving they are effective. Health Canada leaves treatment options up to the patients and their doctors. As long as the drugs being used, whether they are natural or pharmaceutical, meet Health Canada's regulation requirements, any treatment is fine." What is organized medicine doing about it? Don't hold your breath! Alternative Medicine special committee to examine "ALTERNATIVES" - CPSO - May 1996 The new Ontario Regulated Health Professions Act - 1994 - It's funny but there are no homeopaths, or naturopathic practitioners listed here. Who regulates them? CPSO committee says "THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE TO GOOD MEDICINE" - Sept. 1997. An ad hoc committee on "alternative" medicine has presented its report to the Council of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, (CPSO). "Physicians who practice medicine that is both safe and honest have nothing to fear from the College." "There are not and should not be any exemptions from accountability" "There is art in medicine, sometimes called "magic": magic in the faith of those who suffer, in the diagnostic skills of healers, in remedies and treatments, and in the comfort of healing. This art must not, need not, and should not be unduly limited by scientific reductionism." CMA Canadian Medical Association CODE OF ETHICS Fraudulent Medical Practices - Watch and Be Wary! - Complete tape from the 1996 meeting of the Federation of State Medical Boards of the United States. John Renner was a key speaker at this meeting. Our first session this morning is entitled: "Fraudulent Medical Practices: Watch and Be Wary." This topic is particularly timely because of the increased attacks on medical practice acts around the country by a number of proponents and practitioners of alternative medicine. And I think we can agree that some of the unconventional medical treatments DO have merit and at times may be truly medically indicated. But the real problem is how do you differentiate between these types of treatments and the treatments that are harmful, dangerous, or simply worthless. That's the question that we ask our presenters to discuss today. The committee identified and discussed three categories of harm resulting from questionable health care practices: economic harm which results in monetary loss but represents no health hazard; indirect harm which results in a delay of appropriate treatments, and direct harm which results in adverse patient outcome. John Renner: "One of the things I've done for the past twelve years is to formally study quackery. Hunting quackery is not like a snipe hunt folks - these rascals are really out there. You can find them in every city, I can guarantee you they're on Chicago radio stations because I have transcripts from them. I can tell you they're not just in Southern California but indeed in the states of New Hampshire and Vermont and all parts of the United States and for that matter, the world.. And we're starting to import quackery in this country." Comments about Donsbach (now the proprietor of a quack clinic in Mexico): "Donsbach had a naturopathic degree for a while until the Arizona Naturopathic Board found out his diploma was created on a copying machine that didn't exist for seven years after the date. So they lifted his naturopathic degree. He has run an institution known as Donsbach University and given out phoney degrees of all kinds - Ph.D. degrees. The medical Director of HerbaLife was a graduate of Donsbach Univ. and when CNN reporter asked him whether he had to write a thesis for his Ph.D. degree, this Dr. Marconi said 'Yes'. What was the title of your Ph.D. degree. Marconi said 'I can't remember'. " I can only today in this small time give you a small sample of the kinds of activity - but I want to tell you, quackery activity teaches doctors how to throw down their scientific background. How to become professional marketers. It's unreal what's going on. The media feeds this. All I have to do is mention the Sixty Minutes program on shark cartilage. Shark Cartilage is one of the biggest selling items in the country - not just to terminal cancer patients. We have people with AIDS taking it. We have people who don't want to get cancer taking it. It's not just for those few patients who are desperately ill. People start to use it for all kinds of reasons. There are a lot more controls on hairdressers than there are on naturopaths. If you wear a white coat and talk with authority, she will think it's all part of the treatment. With no training at all, you can do pretty much whatever you want, even to children, without fear of prosecution. There can be no greater child abuse than to let helpless babies die from neglect. For many years, neo-alternative medicine has told us that immunisation is not necessary, not natural, and just a plot to make the drug companies rich. If an iridologist can diagnose testicular cancer by looking in the eye, does that mean that there are male and female irises? To be a naturopath in Australia, you do the same as you would if you wanted to be a part-time window cleaner...just put an ad in the paper and you are in business. Have you been scammed? If you have a story to tell about a quack doctor or therapist in your area, please let us know. E-mail to: HealthWatcher Alert Return to QuackeryWatch.com