Will this increase red and white blood cells and T-cells? I don’t think so! One of my fans sent me a clipping from a community newsletter, Colorado Serenity, with an article by acupuncturist Christina Fick, who calls herself a doctor. The title is “Give Your Immune System Some Love!” It is… read more "Does Acupuncture Increase Red and White Blood Cells and T-Cells?"
Alternative Medicine: Placebos for Pets
A skeptical veterinarian reviews the evidence for alternative medicine for pets, and concludes it’s mostly placebos. She thinks she’s adjusting the horse’s subluxations. She isn’t; she’s practicing placebo medicine.Alternative medicine is accepted by many humans, but we may forget that it is also imposed on their pets. Veterinarian Brennen McKenzie… read more "Alternative Medicine: Placebos for Pets"
American Family Physician Endorses Acupuncture
A CME article in American Family Physician misrepresents the evidence, claiming acupuncture has been proven safe and effective. An accompanying editorial gives despicable advice on how to manipulate patients to accept this theatrical placebo. The flagship journal of my specialty of family medicine is the American Family Physician. Each issue contains a quiz… read more "American Family Physician Endorses Acupuncture"
AAFP Promotes Acupuncture
The AAFP is not following its own standards for CME. Its monograph on Musculoskeletal Therapies devotes 1/4 of its content to acupuncture, dry needling, and cupping; and one of its four “key practice recommendations” is to consider electroacupuncture for fibromyalgia. Jann Bellamy recently wrote about the American Academy of Family… read more "AAFP Promotes Acupuncture"
Modern Reflexology: Still As Bogus As Pre-Modern Reflexology
April 10, 2018 Reflexology is an alternative medicine system that claims to treat internal organs by pressing on designated spots on the feet and hands; there is no anatomical connection between those organs and those spots. Systematic reviews in 2009 and 2011 found no convincing evidence that reflexology is an… read more "Modern Reflexology: Still As Bogus As Pre-Modern Reflexology"
Acupuncture Revisited
Believers in acupuncture claim it is supported by plenty of published scientific evidence. Critics disagree. Thousands of acupuncture studies have been done over the last several decades, with conflicting results. Even systematic reviews have disagreed with each other. The time had come to re-visit the entire body of acupuncture research… read more "Acupuncture Revisited"
Announcing: Video Lecture Course on Science-Based Medicine
A couple of years ago, the James Randi Educational Foundation commissioned me to develop a series of 10 video lectures on Science-Based Medicine. After a lot of work and many vicissitudes, it is now available. The lecture titles are: Science-Based Medicine vs. Evidence-Based Medicine What Is CAM? Chiropractic Acupuncture Homeopathy Naturopathy and… read more "Announcing: Video Lecture Course on Science-Based Medicine"
Another Acupuncture Study – On Heartburn
Patients with heartburn are often diagnosed with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and treated with a drug called a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to reduce stomach acid production. It is pretty effective, but it doesn’t always work. When it doesn’t, standard practice has been to double the dose of PPI. Doubling… read more "Another Acupuncture Study – On Heartburn"
TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine): New Developments
Evidence for the efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine is scanty, unconvincing, and often fraudulent. China is seeing a resurgence of TCM, even teaching it to children. But in Australia, restrictions are being placed on misleading advertising. What is traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)? And if it works, why aren’t we all… read more "TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine): New Developments"
Acupuncturist Complains About Wikipedia
An acupuncturist complains about Wikipedia, saying it is under the control of self-styled skeptics who bias the content and bully anyone who disagrees. She only demonstrates her own bias; Wikipedia had good reason to ban her from editing. Acupuncturist Mel Hopper Koppelman published an article titled “WikiTweaks: The Encyclopedia that… read more "Acupuncturist Complains About Wikipedia"