Blind Faith: The Unholy Alliance of
Religion and Medicine

by Dr. Richard P. Sloan, PhD
Blockbuster New Book tackling the thorny issues about religion, prayer and medicine. If you've been told that you have an incurable illness, and that prayer will help --- think again.

This book will open your eyes. Dr. Sloan is a professor at the Columbia University School of Medicine and he introduces us to the major players in this new area of Christian evangelism. The studies purporting to show any health benefits from going to church or "being religious" are all so flawed as to render them useless. Using his epidemiological knowledge, Sloan carefully shows the reader how one should analyze claims from the media and claims in journals that purport to show a connection between religious behavior and improved health.

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    • Who is Adam Dreamhealer?

    One of Shakespeare's early definitions of a Quack

    From "The Puritan Widow" archived on the University of Victoria's web site: George, there's strange words enow to raise a hundred Quack-salvers, though they be ne're so poor when they begin? but here lies the fear on't, how in this false conjuration, a true Devil should pop up indeed.

    Alternative Medicine and
    some of their gurus

  • Dr. Terry Polevoy's look at Alternative Medicine - Healthwatcher.net explores some of the worst examples of complementary medicine and their exponents.
  • The Quackery Index - This is a simple method for rating potentially revolutionary contributions to medicine. So, select a theory, therapy, or product you're interested in ('they', in the sections that follow, will typically refer to the advocates, proponents, manufacturers, distributors, etc. of that theory, therapy, or product, be it one person or several). Start with zero points, and then......
  • The Alternative Fix - Frontlne - FRONTLINE examines the controversy over complementary and alternative medical treatments. Through interviews with staunch supporters, skeptical scientists, and observers on both sides of the debate, the one-hour documentary examines how these popular treatments are facing increased scrutiny as the first real studies of their effectiveness are published.
  • A Trip to Stonesville: Some Notes on Andrew Weil (1998) - Arnold S. Relman, M.D.
  • Medical charlatans: Geriatric Research Group - A brief word about complementaray and alternative medicine as well as medical charlatans:
  • Current issue of the Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine
  • Quantum Quackery - Skeptical Inquirer - Victor Stenger - Quantum physics is claimed to support the mystical notion that the mind creates reality. However, an objective reality, with no special role for consciousness, human or cosmic, is consistent with all observations. Since no convincing, reproducible evidence for psychic phenomena has been found, despite 150 years of effort, this is a flimsy basis indeed for quantum consciousness.
  • Spontaneous Profits - Forbes.com looks at the business end of Andrew Weil - Dr. Andrew Weil launched his career by quashing the cult-like community springing up around Timothy Leary, when the LSD poster boy was a professor at Harvard University. Ironically, Weil then went on to establish his own cult of personality--albeit one far more lucrative than Leary's ever would be.
  • New England Journal Editors Compare Culture of Alternative Medicine to Religious Movement - Marcia Angell and Andrew Relman criticize Andrew Weil
  • SEEKING AN ALTERNATIVE - Jim Lehrer NewsHour - More and more, hospitals are offering their patients alternative therapies in addition to the traditional treatments. Paul Solman of WGBH-Boston reports on one hospitals program. You can read the transcript and listen to the whole story. Heart surgeon Mehmet Oz is featured.
  • Deepak Chopra and Maharishi Ayurvedic Medicine - Bay Area Skeptics - Thomas J. Wheeler, Ph.D.
  • Babble about Deepak Chopra on Rabble.ca
  • The Seven Critical Questions about Deepak Chopra - a fine review of his book "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" - If Deepak Chopra could answer all seven of my questions, I would gladly commend the man for helping me understand his system. It's ironic that if Chopra could and would answer these questions, he would create the kind of book he should have written in the first place, one that is balanced, detailed, and reasonable.
  • Quantum Quackery - ScientificAmerican.com - December 24, 2004 - By Michael Shermer
    A surprise-hit film has renewed interest in applying quantum mechanics to consciousness, spirituality and human potential. Links from this site to
    Judy Z. "J.Z." Knight who claims to channel 35,000-year-old spirit "Ramtha"
    Adam Dreamhealer
    Adam Dreamhealer at University of Victoria - May 29, 2005
    ACPBC logo The Association of Complementary Physicians of British Columbia has finally gone off the deep end. Have they endorsed both medical quackery AND fraud? Or do they really believe that a teenage boy, who refuses to identify himself to the thousands who pay $99 a pop to see him in public, is a bonafide distance healer?

    University of Victoria logoWhy would the University of Victoria risk their reputation by providing a forum for such rubbish? A few months ago they announced, UVIC Leads New $1 Million Centre For Science Literacy. The meeting in May is obviously not in the best interest of fostering science literacy. And this is not a question of academic freedom. UVIC by allowing this meeting and its workshops is plainly and simply just another quantum leap into quackdom. I searched high and low on the UVIC web site and found no mention of the conference at all. So, who at UVIC approved of the use of their name?

    The fact that Dr. Oscar Casiro heads the fledgling medical school program at this location where 24 students will be entertained, not educated is very worrisome indeed. Are these young brains ready to accept unscientific mumbo jumbo and flim flam of the highest order as part of their curriculum, too? In two years there will be 96 med students enrolled as part of the Island Medical Program.

    A few years ago, before the initiation of the new medical school program, forty members of the the University of Victoria faculty held an important workshop on Biomedical Research. These scientists, administrators and clinicians put their collective heads together to try to figure out why their medical research program was lacking. It was called the Health Research Initiative Workshop. In addition to some really fine statements in regards to how they could improve things, there were statements in the Canadian tradition that said that "beer and pizza nights" would improve the atmosphere and thus result in a more improved climate for the future. There was no mention by any of the participants that the potential endorsement by their University of quackery and fraud would do anything to help the situation.

    So, who was it at the University of Victoria who allowed this quack-filled event to occur in the first place. Could it be that one of the sponsors, the School of Nursing helped push this through? I couldn't find any reference to the event on their own web site, so how did their logo end up on the web site promoting the event in the first place. Don't forget, the nursing school awards PhDs that are legitimate. Could it be that they are prepared to hand out some degrees in Reiki, Quantum healing, and Distance healing, too. Perhaps Adam Dreamhealer will be given an honourary degree. School of Nursing U. of Victoria

    Here is their Mission Statement:

    "The School of Nursing is committed to generating knowledge, advancing the nursing profession, and enhancing nursing practice. The School is dedicated to excellence in providing accessible and innovative educational opportunities, research, and professional activities. Through partnerships and collaboration in research, education, and practice, we strive to influence change in order to improve societal health." And, the medical organization that endorses this program has arranged for C.M.E. credits of 8.5 hours for the doctors who attend.

    Terry Polevoy, MD
    HealthWatcher.net - Canadian Quackerywatch.

    Who really sponsored the meeting?

    The Association of Complementary Physicians of BC (ACPBC) is a registered society that is open to medical doctors with specific expertise or a general interest in complementary health care or integrative medicine. The association was formed in October 1995 when a group of physicians with special interests in complementary therapies started having monthly meetings in Victoria and Vancouver, BC. The ACPBC is affiliated with the national Canadian Complementary Medical Association, formed in July 1996.

    Why would these physicians get mixed up with someone like Adam Dreamhealer in the first place? It appears that Adam's presentation is part of three post-conference workshops, so why does the flyer above indicate that it is part of the program?

    Is it coincidental that Andrew Weil will also be on the program as the keynote speaker to discuss his book "When the Body Forgets to Heal"? And it only will cost you $19.50 Canadian to see him.

  • More about the conference
  • The program
  • Sponsors
  • Keynote speakers - include Andrew Weil, M.D. Gabor Maté,M.D. Leanna J. Standish, ND, PhD, Steven Aung, MD, PhD, Marja Verhoef, PhD

    Post conference workshops

  • Adam Dreamhealer - "Self-healing with Intentions" - $99.00 Adam will share his knowledge on the science behind self-healing. He will also discuss auras, visions and orbs and will explain and carry out a group energy treatment which will involve everyone in the group.

    Adam is a gifted distant energy healer, author of 2 best-selling books about his work. His techniques are explained in his first book, DreamHealer - His name is Adam. His newly released second book DreamHealer 2: Guide to Self-Empowerment offers specific, powerful tools to increase our own healing abilities.

    Adam explains how our minds, through intention, directly affect our immune systems, guiding us in fine-tuning our own skills in directing energy to re-establish health, as we seek to achieve a higher level of consciousness. The academic theories of quantum physics come to life with his accounts of his direct experience of the interconnectedness we all share. Adam has the ability to perceive this connectivity and influence it over any distance instantaneously, accomplishing distant healing. He explains the scientific basis of his experiences in terms of "quantum physics" and "quantum holograms".'' Endorsements for his books include Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, Dr. Effie Chow, Qigong Grandmaster; Dr. Eric Pearl; Dr. Lee Pulos; Dr. Marilyn Parkin -- and Rock & Roll legend Ronnie Hawkins, healed through Adam's intervention from terminal pancreatic cancer.

  • Stephen Aung - "Aung Medical Qi Gong Phonation " This workshop exercise progam has two basic aspects. The first involves chakras, which may be envisioned as super powerful acupoints (centres of vital energy) on the front and back midlines, which are the Conception Vessel and Governor Vessel meridians in the traditional Chinese Meridian system. These meridians serve to harmonize all the merdians (pathways of vital energy) and acupoints of the major internal organs. Phonation in conjunction with breathing, concentration and posture/movement is a vitally important tool in this endeavor. Chakra phonation balances the meridian system at the superficial level. At a deeper level, organ phonation sounds are indicated for enhancement of the internal organ system, encompassing the major Yin/Yang internal organs such as the Heart (solid -Yin) and Lung (hollow- Yang). These sounds may be produced individually or in a group setting in a classroom or in the context of retreat in a wilderness area. This sound system helps to purify us of negative energy and emotional pollution and at the same time enhance the localized energy centres for the benefit of ourselves and all sentient beings. Steven Aung's home page
  • Stephen Faulkner - "Energy Healing: Morphogenetic Fields, Talking Circle, Holotropic Breathing and the Shamanic State of Consciousness" This experiential workshop will explore the understanding and use of a range of energy healing modalities including the Talking Circle, Morphogenetic Fields, Holotropic Breathing and the Shamanic State of Consciousness. Participants should bring a sacred object or special photograph, drum or rattle, pillow and blanket and wear light clothing. Dr Stephen Faulkner has had extensive experience facilitating workshops for doctors, practitioners and men’s groups over the last fifteen years. He has 25 years experience in family practice as well as experience in anesthesia, obstetrics, ER and hospital administration. His ‘Complementary’ area of medical interest since 1988 has been in ‘Psycho-spiritual’ healing, especially the group process including ritual and community, and in the healing traditions and spirit dancing of the Coast Salish people of BC. Dr Faulkner believes that the environmental crisis and deep spiritual confusion afflicting our modern world is reflected in ever increasing chronic disease and failing health care systems in industrialized nations. He also believes the building blocks of a reorganizing consciousness where authentic change in individuals, relationships and societies can begin lie within the indigenous teachings of earth consciousness and ancestral wisdom together with the use of ceremony, healing and initiation.

  • General practice referral to complementary health practitioners - Faulkner's letter to the BC Medical Journal - April 2001

    It is well known that over half the public are using complementary health modalities and that most do not inform their family physicians for fear of disapproval.

    The Association of Complementary Physicians of BC, an organization for physicians interested in complementary and integrative medicine, have been engaged in discussions with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC over the last year regarding this matter.

    The College is concerned about the lack of communication between conventional and complementary physicians and the dangers that can ensue when one doctor does not know what the other is doing. There has developed a catch-22 situation in which the patient does not want his or her family physician to know about a complementary treatment for fear of negative judgment or even dismissal on the one hand, and the College recommendation that the complementary doctor advise the family doctor even if it is against the patient’s will.

    One obvious solution is for doctors to become more open minded and informed about complementary modalities and not to pour scorn and doubt on areas in which they have had no training. There are many instances where we do not understand the rationale behind a particular modality of treatment, even in conventional medicine, but this does not preclude its use so long as it is safe and is not unduly expensive.

    Open communication between conventional and complementary physicians leads to a win-win situation and enhancement of the therapeutic relationship between patient and doctor. There is often a synergy between the conventional and complementary treatment. Openly dismissing that which we do not understand is demeaning not only for our patients but for our profession as well. We must learn to cooperate and communicate with complementary practitioners as we move into an expanding world with many more health options.

    • What do the patients gain in all of this? If the complementary doctor practices quackery and talks mumbo jumbo to his patients, our patients are the ultimate losers.

    The Cure, the Score or the Scam?

    What does an old and nearly broke and fading rockabilly star have to gain by telling the world that he has a cancerous and inoperable tumour? How believable is his story? Why did Paul Anka, David Foster, Kris Kristofferson, Bill Clinton, former moon landing astronaut Edgar Mitchell, members of the press and media, plus thousands of others fail to ask basic questions?

    Was it their personal friendship and support that helped "cure" Hawkins? Or was it a teenaged boy named Adam from suburban Vancouver, British Columbia who resurrected his career and his life? What about the facts?

    I personally don't think that The Hawk had cancer in the head of his pancreas. It was never proved. I do know that he believed that he did because he was apparently told that he only had a few months to live by several reputable doctors. Some of these physicians also had personal links to Hawkins and his family.

    A series of farewell concerts was organized in late 2002, and when Hawkins didn't die, the public's keen interest in the story spawned a flurry of articles in the press. First were the two articles in the Globe and Mail back in May 2003 about Hawkins and the alleged remote healer called Adam. This was followed by a feature story "The Boy With the Magic Touch", by Charles M. Young, that appeared in Rolling Stone and even launched a rather interesting documentary that CTV aired on August 20, 2004.

    Hawkins relished the publicity after many years of squandering his fortunes and drinking and smoking through bypass surgery a few years ago, he didn't change his habits. He was even given his own star on Canada's Walk of Fame back in 2002.

    The Documentary - yeah right!
    How about a self-promotional - not-for-cable-viewers only - vulgar funfest !

    Still Alive and Kickin' - August 20, 2004 - This hour plus CTV documentary included cameos and interviews in the film included Paul Anka, Robbie Robertson, Kris Kristofferson, President Bill Clinton, David Foster and a whole bunch of other personalities. The 18 month journey was documented by a film producer named Anne Pick. A few of her other films are profiled on this CBC site:
  • www.cbc.ca/passionateeyesunday/helenswar/filmmakers.html

  • A full description of Reel to Reel, her production company

    I never saw so much smoking and profanity ever broadcast on any TV network. This is not CABLE TV folks. CTV broadcasts over the airwaves. If the intent of Anne Pick was to present the raw side of Ronnie Hawkins and his friends and family, she certainly didn't censor this in any way.

    What she didn't do was to allow any criticism at all of the "remote healer" from Vancouver. He supposedly claims to have "healed" Hawkins through the use of Quantum Holography. In other words, he looked at a picture of The Hawk, waved his magic wand, and presto-chango, and at a distance of several thousand kilometres, his deed was done. What an amazing story!

    His own collection of medical specialists then gave Ronnie a clean bill of health and that allowed him to restart his recording and concert career and recover from his rather poor economic position.

    I was quite upset not just at the implied miracle that sprung from Adam the remote healer, but at the content and language of Pick's documentary itself. So I filed an official complaint to the CRTC and the CBSC. The Adam's family is another story indeed. That complaint will be filed with those who monitor the internet for fraud.

    A few years ago the Feds in the U.S. shut down one of the most notorious telephone scams of modern times because people got ripped off by the fake psychics. Why is this group of faith healers any different? Dozens of TV evangelicals are on the air every day providing testimonials and fake cures to millions. So why is Adam any different?

    Adam's web site and the income he and his family has earned would really be in that same category as far as I am concerned. It's really nothing more than a publicity stunt to increase their exposure so he can advance his career. But, how likely is it that the government, either here or in the U.S. will step in to stop this scheme?

    Telling people what their condition is over the telephone and then falsly claim that you have the power to help is basically nothing more than consumer health fraud. This is not just some psychic scam, this is health fraud. At $75 a pop for a few minutes of their time, that can add up to quite a pile of money. Does Adam's parents charge GST? Do they pay income tax on their combined income? What is their corporate status, if any? What is their tax ID number that they file under?

    CTV's warnings before each segment were certainly not adequate. The abusive language used by Hawkins, and especially the comments he made about his genitalia, and his sex life were not necessary to tell the story of his life. I'm sure that if Pick was doing a story about Mickey Mantle, she wouldn't have used the footage if "The Mick" had said a few bad words, or had a glass of brandy in his hand.

    The movie was vulgar, full of smoking, with no regard for the abuse that this man brought on himself through years and years of self-abuse. Did anyone think to mention in the movie that Hawkins had had bypass surgery a few years before, and yet continued to drink and smoke like a chimney? No, Anne Pick would never have put that in the film.

    Was Hawkins grateful to Adam for "curing" him? According to one press account, he gave him something very special..... a T-Shirt.

    The bottom line, and in my opinion, is that there was no miracle here. Ronnie Hawkins and his group of supporters knew that his goose was cooked way before his alleged pancreatic cancer hit the newspapers. He needed something to get out of the deep hole he had dug himself into. The film and the promotion surrounding the release of the film was just good timing.

    Contact the Media with your concerns:

    CTV Television Network
    P.O. Box 9, Station 'O,' Scarborough
    Ontario, Canada M4A 2M9

    Courier Address:
    9 Channel Nine Court,
    Scarborough, Ontario, Canada M1S4B5
    Telephone: (416) 332-5000
    entertain@ctv.ca - Entertainment department health@ctv.ca - Medical reporter

    To complain about Canadian broadcasting here are some links:

  • CRTC - Canadian Radio Television Commission Contact page for full details

  • CAB - Canadian Association of Broadcasters
  • Codes of Ethics
  • Sex Role Portrayal Code for Television and Radio Programming
  • Contact the CAB:

    Mailing Address:
    P.O. Box 627, Stn. B
    Ottawa, ON
    K1P 5S2

    Street Address: 350 Sparks St., Suite 306
    Ottawa, Ontario
    K1R 7S8
    Telephone:
    Fax: 613-233-4035
    613-233-6961


    • To complain to the producer's company: Real to Reel Productions Incorporated
    3023 Dundas St. West
    Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
    M6P 1Z4
    TEL 416.763.0001
    FAX 416.763.1496
    Email Inquiries: info@R2R.ca

    Health on the Line - Discovery Health Canada

    Avery Haines interviews Ronnie Hawkins, Adam Dreamhealer, Liz (Adam's mother), Effie Chow - Grand Master of Qigong, Deepak Chopra, and two patients who have been treated by Adam. Also, a return performance by Dr. Bryce Taylor the ace cancer surgeon who said that he "held it" in his hand.

    Book Review

  • Book Reviews of DreamHealer - self published book by Adam - Check the third one on the list for an honest appraisal. Another Fake... With a New Twist
    Adam, if that's his real name is supposed to be around 17 years old and wants privacy, but conducts interviews and has workshops. He now no longer meets people in person, but has the client send a color photo and "money" along with a signed iron clad disclaimer which is good for life! The "healing" is done from a distance (non-local), and sounds like a retake of Edgar Cayce except with a scientific (theory) explanation of what is taking place and how it is done.

    A paper was done on Quantum Hologram by Edgar Mitchell and Adam and his parents (if they are his parents) use this word to explain how Adam heals through perception, telepathy, and intuition. The Quantum Theory talk reminds me of Transcendental Meditation and of Deepak Chopra's theories on healing through quantum physics. At the end of Mitchell's paper he states, "The existence of quantum holography provides an adequate informational structure to permit a theory for the observed results. The case is a classic case in phenomenology, where results are repeatedly observed over time that fall outside the prevailing paradigm, and must await new developments in science before an explanation is forthcoming." He goes on to say, "These results apply directly to healing prayer as well." He concludes, "The case for mind/mind and mind/matter interactions is impressively well documented over many decades as studies in phenomenology, with staggering probabilities against chance having produced the results."

    However, with all of this being said we still don't know if "Adam" fits into these finding since there is no proof that he has actually healed anyone. His disclaimer gives him the credit if there is a healing at anytime, but also gives Adam an out if there is no healing. But, there is no refund as well! I find it interesting that Adam and his parents also sought out Ronnie Hawkins (an older Rock musician) for a healing. Hawkins went through the WHIPPLE Operation for his pancreatic tumor, and used shaman remedies, "pot" and many other methods in addition to Adam's healing. Adam takes credit for Hawkins's recovery, but Hawkin's doesn't give Adam that honor. Many other interventions could have done the job for Ronnie. Hawkin's gives credit to his doctors as well, but especially gives credit to the "Big Rocker up there."

    My conclusion is that much of what Adam has to share in his book is recycled info with a scientific, quantum hologram, perception, telepathy, nonlocal, intuition type spin. I think that Adam and his parents could be "Irish Travellers" (crooks) who simply have a new twist in scamming people. There is no history, no information, and a guise to remain private in order to lead a "normal" life for the kid... if he is even a kid of seventeen! Why did they have an interview, do workshops, and seek out Hawkins if they want privacy, unless, it is to build a large client base and are establishing non-interference and a no questions asked air of legitimacy.

    Another question that comes to mind is how does KARMA fit into this energy healing or whatever term we call it? Isn't Adam taking on karma? To what degree should we interfere with the Divine Plan? Or, is learning how to heal ourselves part of our journey towards Self-Mastery? Jesus, it is said, did healings (of course these people eventually died... right?), and was reported to say that all of us could do this and more! Perhaps Adam is a fake because people fear death, but even if he is a fraud maybe it is also a spiritual wake-up call for us to become our own Masters and our own Healers. I am very wary of those whose vainly share with the world that they are great souls. If you have to announce it... then you aren't.

    I suggest that people use discrimination and check these people (Adam) out more. In looking at all sides of this "Adam" with limited information on his part and the disclaimer he has people sign and the non-contact aspect it sounds like an ingenious scam! Also, isn't this book listed as Science Fiction?

    The Hype, The Hope, and the Truth

    The Hype

    • The Disappearing Writing Guru, Sweetwater, and Chicken McNugget
      Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One Before
      Skeptical Briefs - March 2004 by
      Barry Beyerstein, PhD, Simon Fraser University - Vancouver, B.C.
    • Rational Enquirer version - original version from December 2002 - .pdf version
      •  As every conscientious skeptic knows, we are obliged to let all but the most patently absurd claimants have their day in court. If we hope to gain the respect of fair-minded occupants of the middle ground in such debates, we must be willing occasionally to conduct tedious and time-consuming tests on some pretty unpromising candidates. Unfortunately, there are some who will cynically take advantage of this willingness to keep an open mind. The bane of the worthy skeptic’s existence is the occult or pseudoscientific entrepreneur who pesters and cajoles his critics into designing and setting up a test, takes credit in the media for being willing to submit to such a grilling, and then bugs out at the last minute, citing some affront, the threadbare “shyness” dodge, or some other lame excuse.

      One day last year I received a phone call at my office. A Mr. Frank McL. (we’ll call him “Big Mac” for short—I promised him anonymity) wanted to tell me about the miraculous diagnostic abilities of his psychic teenaged son (we’ll call him “McNugget”). Apparently, several local physicians (none of whom had agreed to be quoted or contacted, of course) had been impressed with McNugget’s astounding ability to diagnose illnesses, not only from a brief visual inspection of a fully-clothed patient, but even from a photo of said sufferer!

      So, after hectoring me for months, demanding my participation, the MacFamily backed out, claiming they are the open-minded ones and I am the one who refuses to challenge his entrenched beliefs.

    • Cancer-free, he's rompin' again - Globe and Mail
      May 3, 2003 - page R3
      By Sarah Hampson Let the good times roll, the Hawk is back from death's door. The veteran rocker credits a host of alternative therapies, but most of all The Big Rocker in the sky.

    • All about Adam - Globe and Mail - May 2, 2003
      By Alexandra Gill He's a 16-year-old kid from B.C. who offers distant-healing treatments through his Web site -- and counts rocker Ronnie Hawkins among his patients. "The most important thing for us is to protect his anonymity so he can enjoy life as a normal teenager," Adam's mom says when I meet him and his parents this week at a secret location in the suburbs of Vancouver.

      He says he has healed more than 300 people from ailments that range from breast cancer to genital herpes during the past two years. He charges $75 per treatment, but he says he has never turned anyone away because of an inability to pay.

      "I wish I could treat everyone, but I am only one person," says Adam, who is currently offering help to four cancer patients, and has a waiting list of 10.

      Hot off the press this week, DreamHealer was self-published with the revenues that Adam has earned from his treatments.

    • The Boy With the Magic Touch - Rolling Stone - November 2003
      These were obviously scanned into the web site known as www.dreamhealer.com. I don't see any copyright notice on their site.

    • CTV showcases cancer survivor The Hawk back in form Calgary Sun - August 20, 2004 Hawkins claims a young healer out west named Adam helped him survive what doctors said was terminal cancer. They never met but spoke twice on the phone.

      "He's some kind of a healer," says Hawkins, who went to several others. "It was like the old girl who got pregnant. When you sit on a hornet's nest, you don't know which one stung ya. I don't know which healer healed me!"

    • The Qigong Kid - East Bay Express - January 28, 2004
      By Justin Berton
      He was invited to a Qigong conference in San Francisco and ran workshops. Adam says he can cure cancer just by looking at a photo. Who are local qigong masters to argue? Adam claims he has the ability to visualize any human's interior, find the pained areas, and use his own mindful energy to remove the pain, which he calls "energy blockage."

      In his book, DreamHealer, he writes of having always been able to see and feel auras, rainbow-colored energy fields that he says surround each person. He likes to joke that he never understood the allure of hide-and-seek because he could always spot his prey's aura "bulging" from behind the tree where he or she was hiding.

      From an early age, Adam claims, his energetic flow was so untamed that it surged beyond his own body. At the grocery store, cans of soup allegedly dropped from shelves as he passed by. In classrooms, pens flew from his hand and clacked against the blackboard. His bicycle spun unexpectedly in 360-degree flips along the sidewalk.

      Adam says he saw beneath the auras and into the organs and muscles of a body. It was then he decided to harness his energy and focus it on wiping out disease. According to his book, Adam projects holograms of a patient's body in front of him, then concentrates his way beneath the skin. When he "sees" energy blockages inside, or something such as a tumor wrapped around an artery, he visualizes himself breaking apart the obstacle.

    • Ronnie Hawkins: Still Alive And Kickin' - CTV Documentary Special - August 20, 2004 To his friends, he's Mr. Dynamo. To his doctors, he's a miracle. In this special, director Anne Pick spends a roller coaster year and a half with The Hawk, following the story from his original diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer in 2002 through to his mysterious recovery. In between, the cameras capture the highs and lows, the frustration, fears and the tears and love during this emotional time in Hawkins' life. From the family who worship him, to strangers on the street, to friends like Bill Clinton, Robbie Robertson and Kris Kristofferson, everybody is pulled into this truly unbelievable time in the life of a living legend.

    • The Hawk's 'miracle' cure - Toronto Star - August 20, 2004 Two years ago, Ronnie Hawkins thought he was dying from pancreatic cancer. Now he's cured. Rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins says "the Big Rocker in the sky" cured him of terminal pancreatic cancer. An outpouring of love cured the man, some people say. His own party attitude healed him, others say. One comes from a top surgeon, who says the singer might never have had cancer in the first place. The other comes from a teenage healer in Vancouver, who says Hawkins did have cancer and recovered through a telepathic process explained by quantum physics.

    • Adam the Healer - Maclean's Magazine - April 12, 2004 To his friends he's just Adam. But in the world of alternative healing, he's the 17-year-old "energy healer" who cured rock 'n' roll legend Ronnie Hawkins of terminal pancreatic cancer. Hundreds of sick people now flock to the Vancouver teen's group healings. Many others contact him through his Web site (www. dreamhealer.com), seeking treatment from afar -- all he needs is their picture. A U.S. production company is negotiating with his parents to do a TV series about him. And Adam? When freelance writer Catharine Tamas recently sat down with him, she found a regular kid eager to learn more about his gift.

    The Hope - Workshops and Cancer Charities

    Adam's consortium of healers came to Toronto several times in the last year or so to give workshops at one of the most expensive hotels in the city. Each attendee paid $99 plus tax for the privilege of having their cancer cured, their MS controlled, or whatever terrible disease they had. One person went because he thought that Adam could use his powers to reverse the aging process.

  • www.dreamhealer.com/toronto.html - Here is one quote that says it all: "I'd say there were probably 300-400 people there. It was about 4 hours in length. I found Adam's visualizations and the group healing interesting. I'm personally not sure how much they actually helped me though. I'm sure others probably got more out of it."

  • A prime beneficiary of these workshops was Glida's Club Toronto Chapter. This link was removed from their web site. It's note even available in their cache, or on the archives. It has been completely removed. We preserved it for you to read. We sent them requests to explain whether they really accepted donations from Adam and/or his family, but they haven't officially replied yet. So, we don't know if this will ever be revealed. Since they are a charitable organization, all of their donations should be available to the public, unless they were made anonymously. We won't hold our breaths. Here is what they had to say on their own web site prior to the removal sometime in September 2004: Dream Healer

    "Thank you very much to Adam at Dream Healer for donating part of the proceeds from his workshops in Toronto on March 6 and 7, April 30 and May 2, and July 25, 2004. Adam has the unique ability to connect and influence another person's health at a distance. His workshops focus on self-healing and self-empowerment. The 17-year-old Vancouver native has recently written a book called DreamHealer and plans to attend university in September."

    [According to the Dreamhealer web site, 10% of the proceeds of his workshops were being given to Gilda's Club Toronto Chapter. Why would Gilda's Club accept any money from Adam and his organization? Who decided that they would accept any donation from someone who fails the acid test?]

  • Check the Dreamhealer Workshop Forum about the Toronto events
  • Message left by a former psychiatrist

  • Ronnie Hawkins Forum - Here's just an unbelievable quote: "I saw the Ronnie Hawkins doc. while I was in Canada. I guess I should have been prepared for the fact that the "dots" weren't truly connected, that Adam was just thanked as one "possibility" for Ronnie's "miraculous" turn around. I guess even when some people's stomach "jumps" from the treatment, they aren't ready to give credit where credit is due. I guess some people are slow coming around to the truth in all this. That's why I like that science is involved in Adam's expression of what he can do. Can't argue with science when cause and effect are linked, understood and therefore repeatable!"

    So, how old was Adam, if that is his real name, on June 8, 2000? Was he really 13 years old? How much of any of this is true?

    Who is running the show people? How in the world can a 13 yr. old teenager be in control of all of this. Just check out his testimonial page:

  • www.dreamhealer.com/ws_testimonials5.html

    Adam's endorsements include former astronaut Edgar Mitchell and of course Ronnie Hawkins. Plus you can order his book, too:

  • www.dreamhealer.com/endorsements.html

    There are links to the late psychiatrist, Elisabeth Targ, and others of equally questionable reputation. Check out a wonderful article about Targ here:

  • www.csicop.org/si/2001-03/fringe-watcher.html

    The Girl With The X-Ray Eyes Hoax
    If you thought that Adam Dreamhealer who appears in the meeting above is a hoax or a fraud, then compare him to another teenager from Russia Natasha Demkina who has been paraded around the world by much of the media for her unproved abilities to see through people's body.

  • Testing the Girls with X-Ray Eyes - Skeptical Inquirer - May-June 2005 - This article is not on their web site yet, but you should pick up this edition for the complete story. Ray Hyman, Andrew Skolnick and Joe Nickell put her to the test.
  • Second Sight: The Phenomenon of Eyeless Vision - RedNova.com - Joe Nickell's investigative files from the Skeptical Inquirer - May-June 2005
  • SWIFT - James Randi's newsletter - Feb. 6, 2004
  • The Girl with the X-Ray Eyes - Museum of Hoaxes comments from detractors and "supporters"

    Quantum Holograms
    Religious Zealots - Medical Intuitives - QXCI - Etc.

    The Laura Lee Internet Shows

    Laura Lee's home page is about as bizarre as it gets. What a find for people who would like to study delusions, cults and just plain craziness. I stumbled across just a few of her radio interviews that really nailed this whole thing to the wall. She makes Quantum Holography, remote healing and all of the rest of this an easy target.
    • Experimental Evidence for the Quantum Hologram - Gregg Braden Description
      Gregg outlines three recent experiments that indicate the presence of a field that binds all of creation and operates with the laws of Quantum physics laws. He also sheds new light on ancient textual references to this field, and how our emotions and state of mind influence our DNA, which in turn influences this field

      About the Author
      Gregg Braden, a former earth science researcher and computer systems designer, is an author and guide to sacred sites throughout the world.

    • Greg Braden's web site "Statistics have shown that a specific number of people, joined in a focused, unified consciousness of non-denominational mass prayer, produce effects that extend well beyond the room or building where the prayer has occurred."

      The Body of Man, The Cells of God:
      Molecules, Miracles, Passion and The Unity Field

      Presented by Gregg Braden and Bruce Lipton

      Twenty-First-Century science is on the threshold of the single discovery that may, at last, bridge our two greatest sources of knowledge - science and religion - and answer the questions of our origins and fate. Now, the same science that has unlocked creation's innermost secrets, must answer what are perhaps the deepest mysteries of all: the very nature of our consciousness, our soul and ultimately, our creator.

      Join Bruce Lipton and Gregg Braden on this multi-day, multi-media journey bridging science and spirituality through the lost language of creation's miracles.

    • Intuition Medicine - Chuck Laurenson Description
      Chuck received his MIM in 1999 and is a faculty tutor and counsellor. He does consultations, specializing in the Spiritual IncarnationTM and Physio-PsychicTM systems. The Intuition Medicine® Program is an intensive course of study in the science and practice of Intuition Medicine®. Many students are interested in pursuing professional careers as medical intuitives, intuitive counselors, spiritual counselors, or integrating advanced intuitive skills into their existing careers. Students who take courses for their own healing and personal growth discover great improvement in their creativity, relationships, career, and all aspects of their lives.

      Chuck received his MIM in 1999 and is a faculty tutor and counselor. He is available for consultations, specializing in the Spiritual IncarnationTM and Physio-PsychicTM systems.

    • Medical Intuitives - Shared Vision Magazine - March 2001:
      By Jennifer Wohl
      Here is a typical definition of a medical intuitive. Note how this statement is neither intuitive or medical. But hey, that's the way cancer quacks operate, isn't it? "This type of practice is based on the idea that a healthy body is one in which energy flows freely and that illness and disease arise when the flow of energy is blocked. It presupposes a close correspondence among the emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical of a person's being, mediated through energy, of which all thoughts, emotions, and physical matter are made. This energy is regulated by the chakras, the seven wheels of energy positioned in a column from the base of the spine to the top of the head. (see box). A medical intuitive is able to assess the state of health of the chakras, either by sensing it energetically with his or her hands, seeing disruptions in a person's aura, or by using intuition." I just love this statement by a real medical doctor who is a supporter of alternative therapy: "Dr Saul Pilar, a Vancouver medical doctor doing research on the efficacy of medical intuition, says "Medical doctors want to see proof before they will subscribe to theories." Although Pilar says the preliminary results of his study are promising, the research is still underway and the results are only tentative. "Our study won't prove anything," Pilar says, because many studies are needed for the evidence to accumulate. It is also difficult, if not impossible, to prove that medical intuition works. "Two X-ray machines will give the same reports, two MRI machines will give the same reports," Pilar says "but two medical intuitives will give different reports." This does not mean that one of the medical intuitives is wrong, only that the world of medical intuition is subjective and metaphysical rather than objective and scientific."

    John Mullen - A Disciple of Hulda Clark

    • Meet John Mullen "John Mullen is a modern-day gifted healer - a medical intuitive - who brings a unique blend of inspiration and real-world application to his clients. With more than thirty years experience in alternative therapies, supplements and herbs, John is a master at analyzing the root cause of people's health challenges and aligning the nerves, organs and body functions so that the body can heal. God has truly blessed John with insight, wisdom and the gift of healing.

      John has studied extensively anatomy and physiology plus learned unique approaches to help the body heal, including a concentrated study in mastering the Healing Techniques of Hanna Kroeger, Chinese Energetic Medicine (CEM), and the Slater Vibrational Frequencies, as well as applying the health directives of
      Dr. Hulda Clark along with Standard Process concentrated food substances and Young Living Essential Oils. John's background and original neurological research culminates these modalities into an effective healing process.

      John uses a unique remote healing technique based on energetic medicine and nerve alignment. His approach has been proven time and time again with people suffering from critical health issues, such as cancer, leukemia and strokes. One of the strengths of John's success is his ability to associate and draw upon a full range of integrated health options that can stand on their own or be used in conjunction with traditional medicine.

      John uses nerves to balance blood problems; body vibrations to harness viruses and bacteria; and glands to heal with neurological deficiencies. John is a Certified Lymphologist, holds B.S. degrees in Business, Finance and Religious Education and is an ordained minister.

    • LeukemiaHope.com - John Mullen is not a doctor, yet he claims that he can help your body clear itself from leukemia. No need to pay for airfare to Atlanta. Why it's as easy as picking up the phone. Why haven't the Atlanta police department charged him with fraud?

      " Many of our clients begin our relationship via the phone or email. Our work is done entirely remotely using Complete Energetic Medicine (CEM) approach - a powerful, proven form of energetic medicine based on the principle that the energetic quality of the nerves, organs and glands in the body directly impact a person's health. This CEM technique is applied to clients in a remote, non-touch, non-invasive method, and can be done across the room or across the country. Adjustments are made on a regular basis and the effects are tracked as the CEM process restores the body to full vibrant health. However, we do require regular check-in reports and ongoing communications with our clients via phone, email and fax in order to stay current on their symptomology and condition."

      "Q: How much does this program cost?
      A: Just as illness does not usually occur quickly, neither does wellness. Energetic Health develops custom healing programs designed to meet the health needs of clients, as well as their budgets. Energetic Health's Wellness Programs are not designed to be an ongoing treatment-reliant program. Our goal is to balance your body, manage your symptoms and restore you to vibrant health.

      Typically we require that clients sign up for a six-to-nine month program. During that time the body has adequate time to balance and begin to heal naturally. Shorter time frames are not realistic.

      At the conclusion of the program, both the client and John Mullen determine the plan of action and course of healing moving forward. We view ourselves as intimately involved in your health decisions."

    • John Mullen Supports Sandy Petry with Hulda Clark's protocols - From Bonnie O'Sullivan's newsletter called the Road To Health. "John Mullen, a Certified Lymphologist, has helped Sandy tremendously over the past several months while she has endured pain, surgeries and uncertainty. John is a medical intuitive who works by phone with people all over the world helping them overcome cancer, leukemia, fibromyalgia, immune deficiencies, and other serious health issues. JohnŐs manner is calming, comforting, reassuring and he always has an interesting idea to improve an ailing patientŐs state of mind. If you would like to get in touch with John please call (770) 579-0622 (Please call between 10 am and 6 pm EST.)

      We would like to thank John for his unwavering support through the past incredibly rocky four months of our lives. Daily, he gave Sandy positive feedback that her body was getting stronger. He suggested methods; many of them modified Dr. Clark methods, to control Sandy's emotional and physical distress."

    With a little help from God and Machines

    • QXCI scammers - A QuackeryWatch specialty!!! Note the Canadian medical doctor, Debi Drake, and the Renew You holistic centre in Ancaster if you want to see how these machines are used by regulated and unregulated practitioners to fool the public.

    • Energy Medicine Ministry - Another wacko site "Energy Medicine Ministries is an All Denominational Ministry for Education, Research and Services in Health, Wellness, and the Natural Healing Arts. Energy Medicine Ministries works with numerous Energetic / Vibrational Technologies: QXCI, VIBE Machine, subtle energies, prayer, foods, supplements, education (specializing in Hanna Kroeger's work). This organization is intended to have global outreach as we research, educate and provide services on related issues. Energy Medicine Ministries is working in concert with Palo Bowler, Inc. to bring you great products. Your input and participation is eagerly invited and welcome.

      Ginger Bowler, Th.D, Ph.D and LaRae Palo, M.O.M. formally owned and operated Southern Herb Co., Inc. which they sold in 2002. In Sept 2003 , Ginger completed her Doctoral degree in Energy Medicine and Spiritual Healing and they founded Energy Medicine Ministries, a Non-Profit All Denominational Ministry for Wellness in Health and the Natural Healing Arts. Officially, this is a teaching ministry for Wellness. Relying on the understanding that "All Healing comes from God," Energy Medicine Ministries works with Energetic technologies, subtle energies, vibration, prayer, food, natural supplementation and education to assist in the mission to "care for the temple of God, the body."

    • The Intuition Medicine® Program - Why wait for Adam to tour your area, why not take advantage of this vast open market and do it yourself. You too, can earn your keep with the special training that only these folks can provide. Imagine your very own "MIM" diploma gracing your private office wall. And, you can do all of this from the comfort of your own easy chair.

      "The Intuition Medicine® Program is an intensive course of study in the science and practice of Intuition Medicine® . Many students are interested in pursuing professional careers as medical intuitives, intuitive counselors, spiritual counselors, or integrating advanced intuitive skills into their existing careers. Students who take courses for their own healing and personal growth discover great improvement in their creativity, relationships, career, and all aspects of their lives.

      There are four levels of certification available at the Academy:"

    • Master of Intuition Medicine® (MIM) Certificate
    • Intuition Medicine® Certificate (IMC)
    • Intuition Medicine® Certificate (IMC) via Distance Education
    • MIM Post-Graduate Program
    • Program Descriptions - .pdf file

    The Unreal Healers

    JREF Educational Foundation comments about psychics and healers

    James Randi ANOTHER ADAM - James Randi's Educational Foundation reader Robert Matthews of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, tells us: I suppose this counts as a small irony: I was sitting in a doctor's office today leafing through a recent issue of Maclean's (a Canadian newsmagazine not unlike Time or Newsweek) when I came across a shockingly uncritical piece on a Vancouver, B.C., "healer" named only Adam. The article, in the form of an interview, simply seemed to take it for granted that this 17-year-old could do what he claims, which is to heal anyone, anywhere, of any disease. It seems to be the same tired old Edgar Cayce mumbo-jumbo dressed up in new-age quantum-physics mumbo-jumbo. (It also seems to me that if even one person on Earth could do what this Adam claims, then I wouldn't have been sitting in a doctor's office.)

    On his web site www.dreamhealer.com is a sternly legalistic disclaimer, which must be signed and dated by anyone who wants to receive treatment. (I couldn't help but notice that this presumably legal document contains several typos, which for all I know - I'm not a lawyer - invalidate it.)

    Here's the final paragraph of what the patient has to sign:

    "I, the undersigned, for myself, my heirs, successors, executors, administrators and assignees, hereby release and forever discharge Adam, his associates, their heirs, and his heirs, successors, executors, administrators and assignees, from any and all actions, causes of action, claims and demands for or by reason of any damage, loss or injury, to person and property which heretofore has been or hereafter may be sustained in consequence of any medication, substance or treatment which I may use or consume in any respect of and for any attempts by myself or anyone on my behalf to cause temporary or permanent relief from the symptoms of any injury, ailment or disease with which I have been or will be diagnosed."

    Well, that's a mouthful of a sentence, but if I may paraphrase: "If I get better, Adam did it. If anything else happens, it's my fault."

    Robert, you'll be astonished to hear that this Adam has decided not to apply for the JREF million-dollar prize. That seems strange, n'est-ce pas?

    [James Randi has a million-dollar challenge to anyone who can demonstrate a paranormal power. So far no person has been able to win the money.]

    • GELLER THE HEALER - Comments by James Randi - Just a year ago on this page, I reported that a UK stripper known only as "Jordan" had approached Uri Geller's daughter Natalie at what was proudly trumpeted as "a glamour model's Pimps and Prostitutes-themed 25th birthday party." She took Natalie aside and asked her to talk to her dad about curing her year-old baby Harvey's blindness. The child was born blind and doctors say that he will never see; he's missing the nerve that sends the message from the eye to the brain. It seems that Uri's record on psychic healing hadn't reached Jordan. Well, now she claims that the spoon-bender has helped to cure her son of blindness, working miracles just by touching the child's head.

      "Uri said, let me feel his head, so I did and now Harvey can see so much more from a distance. . . . I don't believe in anything like this but I swear he can see so much now, considering he's supposed to be blind," she told the press.

      "So much more"? "From a distance"? I think I need clearer statements than those before I'll go into raptures over this miracle?

    • Search JREF for "healer" using Google
    • Search JREF for "cancer quack" using Google
    • Search JREF for "psychic" using Google
    • Search JREF for Uri Geller using Google

    Edgar Cayce Exposed

    Edgar Cayce - 1877-1945What's the scoop on Edgar Cayce, the "Sleeping Prophet"? - StraightDope.com Edgar Cayce purportedly began his psychic career when he began losing his voice at age 21 and the doctors couldn't do anything about it. He supposedly went into some sort of hypnotic sleep, recommended a cure for himself while in this state, and got better. Since it allegedly worked for him, he began doing the same thing for other people--diagnosing and prescribing cures while in a supposedly altered sleep state. From there he went on to doing readings for people who sent him letters (rather than actually being there) and on general psychic topics including past lives, the nature of the universe, what happened to Atlantis, etc.

    • Skeptic's Dictionary with many links The support for his accuracy consists of little more than anecdotes and testimonials. There is no way to demonstrate that Cayce used psychic powers even on those cases where there is no dispute that he was instrumental in the cure. It is true, however, that many people considered themselves cured by Cayce and that's enough evidence for true believers. It works! The fact that thousands don't consider themselves cured or can't rationalize an erroneous diagnosis won't deter the true believer.

    • "Edgar Cayce: An American Prophet" by Sidney D. Kirkpatrick - Book review by By Katharine Whittemore in Salon.com. It's obvious to me that Whittemore knows nothing about quackery, and doesn't care to ask. It's a straight puff piece to help the publisher sell books. His powers leaned toward the medical. Indeed, he developed a singular ability to "enter" the body of a sick person who was hundreds of miles away and provide a pinpoint diagnosis and treatment, though he had no medical training. I know what you're thinking: big scam. But a parade of would-be debunkers -- doctors, scholars and celebrities (including Houdini), plus hundreds of patients -- poured out astonished, grateful testimonials to Cayce's veracity.

    More Quantum Scammers

    • Robear Rawlings - "Have Miracles - Will Travel" He says that he is from Palo Alto, California amd claims to be a Quantum Energy Practitioner and Chi Gung Medical Arts Practitioner with 30 years of experience helping people overcome physical, emotional, mental, psychological, psychic, and spiritual problems. He was inspired by Deepak Chopra. Why don't you trust him already? Could it be the long list of testimonials?

    Distance Healing Links

    The late Elisabeth Targ

    • Notes of a Fringe-Watcher - Distant Healing and Elisabeth Targ - Skeptical Inquirer March/April 2001
      By Martin Gardner I never cease to be amazed by how easily a set of beliefs, no matter how bizarre, will pass from parents to children, and on to grandchildren. Gardner writes about Elisabeth Targ, daughter of the paraphysicist Russell Targ. Readers of Skeptical Inquirer will recall how the team of Targ and his paraphysicist friend Harold Puthoff made a big splash in parapsychological circles in the 1970s. They claimed to have established beyond any doubt that almost everybody is capable of "remote viewing," their term for what used to be called clairvoyance. In addition, they claimed they had validated Uri Geller's psychic ability to remote-view pictures, and his ability to control the fall of dice by PK (psychokinesis). They sat on the fence about Uri's ability to bend spoons and keys because they were never able to capture the actual bending on film. Some parapsychologists called this a "shyness effect."

      Russell inherited his psi beliefs from his father, William Targ. Elisabeth's mother Joan, by the way, is the sister of chess grandmaster Bobby Fischer. Elisabeth is a practicing psychiatrist with an M.D. from Stanford University, and psychiatric training at UCLA's Neuropsychiatric Institute. Ms. Targ is firmly convinced that persons have the power to use psi energy to heal the sick over long distances even when they don't know the sick but only see their photographs and are given their names.

      She runs several research projects and some of them are funded by government grants. One of them involves the possible effects of remote healing on forty patients in the San Francisco Bay area who had advanced AIDS. For an hour every day, over a ten-week period, the healers directed their psi energy to the patients by using prayer or meditation. The experiment was supported by the Institute of Noetic Studies, founded by astronaut Edgar Mitchell, a true believer in all varieties of psychic phenomena, including the powers of Uri Geller, and by New York City's Parapsychology Foundation.

      Although Ms. Targ is firmly persuaded that distant healing works, she confesses that no one has any notion of how a healer and healee can be connected over long distances. She closes one of her papers with these words: "The connection could be through the agency of God, consciousness, love, electrons, or a combination. The answers to such questions await future research."

    • Investigating the Power of Prayer - Time Magazine - Jan. 16, 2002
      By Leon Jaroff
      Jaroff's comments are right on the mark when he observes Elisabeth Targ's research efforts. A San Francisco researcher looks into whether prayer can heal even if the person doesn't know he's being prayed for. While a teenager, Elisabeth immersed herself in psychic experiments and developed what she claimed were powers of remote viewing — the ability to visualize events and objects at distances far beyond the range of vision. In a 1984 book co-authored by her father, she is credited with correctly predicting winners of horse races, as well as the 1980 Presidential victory of Ronald Reagan-feats that I modestly admit to having performed myself.

    • Does Body Chemistry Make You Gullible - Time Magazine - Jul. 26, 2002
      By Leon Jaroff
      An Ironic Twist for Dr. Targ In my January 16, 2002 column entitled "Investigating the Power of Prayer," I looked askance at the Federally-funded National Institutes of Health for granting nearly one and a half million dollars to Dr. Elisabeth Targ for two studies she was conducting. Now her story has a troubling new twist.

      Targ was investigating "distance healing," a technique that involved healers from various faiths praying for patients with serious illnesses, healers who were far removed from the patients and never encountered them. Furthermore, the patients were unaware that prayers were being offered on their behalf.

      One group being studied by Targ consisted of AIDS victims, the other of those afflicted with a kind of brain tumor known as glioblastoma multiforme. As her studies progressed, Targ said that the prayed-for patients were doing considerably better than those in a control group with the same illnesses, but who were not the recipients of prayers from afar. My column cast a skeptical eye on such claims.

      Last week I belatedly learned that Targ herself, in a most ironic twist of fate, had surgery in April for a brain tumor. Yes, it was diagnosed as a glioblastoma multiforme. The operation left Targ with difficulty swallowing, her speech mildly impaired and her voice an octave or two higher. As part of her rehabilitation, she has been meeting with spiritual healers and alternative medicine specialists. And, according to a website set up by her friends, she is "open to hearing about alternative and complementary treatment and healing strategies."

      One of those strategies is being employed by Targ's friends on the web site, where they have requested that readers send "very focused healing intention for the alleviation of her condition and for her complete recovery" in the form of written prayers. The response testifies to the adulation of Targ's many admirers, who have sent hundreds of E-mailed prayers as well as some ordinary get-well wishes.

      While I am still convinced that the results claimed by Targ are illusory, I gather from the comments of her friends that she is a loving, generous person, and I join those friends in wishing her well and hoping for a speedy recovery.

      [Note: Just days after this column was published, we learned that Dr. Elisabeth Targ died of glioblastoma]

    • List of common scams and frauds - Eugene, Oregon Police Department Common Scams and Fraud If it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true. Swindlers and con artists can be very well-dressed, flattering, and persuasive. They will say or promise anything to get your money. Always check identification of strangers. Verify with their company or agency that they are legitimate. Contact the company using your phone book, not some number they hand you. Trust your skepticism, particularly if you are approached with one of the following propositions.

    Web site registration

    It was originally registered way back in 2000 as: 
    
www.distanthealing.com



     and then converted to:



www.dreamhealer.com



It was registered to this entity:



    Dreamhealer.com

    Dream Healer

    Box 64121

    Coquitlam, BC V3J 7V6

    CA

    +1.6042056010

    17897@whois.gkg.net
    This is a Canada Post mailbox, so if there is fraud involved the government has the right to investigate and prosecute if necessary. In my opinion the act of giving these people money to provide remote healing is nothing more than mail fraud and should have been under the watchful eye of the postal authorities a long time ago.

    I searched Canada Post web site for Postal Box 64121 and it is now rented to people at: 

    
PO BOX 64121 RPO CLARKE ROAD

COQUITLAM BC V3J 7V6

    The web site was registered on June 8, 2000 

    
Registrar..: gkg.net (http://register.gkg.net/)

    Domain Name: DISTANTHEALING.COM

 Created on..............: 08-JUN-2000

 Expires on..............: 08-JUN-2005

 Record last updated on..: 11-APR-2004

 Status..................: ACTIVE

    Contact HealthWatcher.net

    If you have information about the identity of Adam, the teenager from the Vancouver area who claims to be a remote healer, or if you have been taken for a ride by any remote healer, please send us complete details. We are looking forward to your participation and thank you in advance.

    Terry Polevoy, M.D.
    938 King Street West
    Kitchener, Ontario N2G 1G4
    519-725-4953 fax.
    Healthwatcher.net E-mail:     Healthwatcher

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