Testing alternative medicine Burden, blessing or both?

Definition Alternative Medicine All forms of diagnosis and therapy, that are not taught as examination subjects in medical schools.

Two main streams: Forms of diagnosis and therapy, that 1. Replace regular scientific medicine (alternative medicine exclusively), or those that 2. Complement regular scientific medicine (complementary medicine)

Three main groups that make use of alternative medicine 1. Pragmatics: As long as it works Frustrated ones: Medicine has failed Radicals: I prefer alternative medicine...

F.1 Necessary? This is available This is acceptable F.2 Effective? F.3 Appropriate? F.4 Ethically OK? F.5 Occult or not? Five Screening Filters

Biblical basis for the five filters 1. Stewardship Mandate for Filters Genesis 1: 26-30; 2: 15; 9: God’s moral laws for Filter 4 1. Keep in mind 1. Personal conscience 2. Christian freedom, Rom. 14; 1. Cor (MSI) 3. God’s authoritative borders for Filter 5 1. Deuteronomy 18: 9-14 (Absolutes)

Filter 1: Is it necessary? Medicalization: Problems to be solved medically Medicalization: Problems to be solved medically Consumer mentality: Buy health from doctor Consumer mentality: Buy health from doctor Hypochondria: imagined illness (what is root?) Hypochondria: imagined illness (what is root?) Is it really necessary or is it the – Is it really necessary or is it the – wish of the doctor / practitioner wish of the doctor / practitioner wish of the patient wish of the patient common use in certain situations common use in certain situations

Filter 2: Is it effective? Possibilities regarding effectiveness: 1. It does not work at all 2. It works through usual healing powers 1. Creational healing power of the body 2. Psychosomatic interaction 3. Pharmacologically active substances 4. Placebo effect, ca. 35 % (15-58 %) 5. Still unknown, but usual healing powers 3. It works through unusual healing powers 1. Signs and wonders 2. Magic / witchcraft / sorcery

Filter 3: Is it appropriate? 1. Age 2. Sex 3. Finances 4. Cultural / Social factors 5. Drug interactions 6. Contra-indications 7. Risk adverse reactions

Filter 4: Is it ethically acceptable? 1. What are the facts? 2. What are the consequences? 3. Some helpful ethical principles 1. Of benefit  beneficence 2. Not harmful  non-maleficence 3. Responsibility / accountability (not autonomy)

F.5: Occultism – 6 aspects 1. Pollution through esoteric world view elements 1. Comments about the explanatory models 1. Original explanatory model reflects mindset of the pioneers 2. Replace the original explanatory model as necessary 3. Unknown does not necessarily mean occult 2. Commonest esoteric elements 1. Micro-cosmos / Macro-cosmos thinking 2. Unusual linking stars / seasons / elements / food types / organs / diseases 3. Philosophy that reality consists of a few elements (3, 4 or 5) 4. Esoteric energy has to be harmonized / stimulated / flowing Danger: World view pollution / poisoning of the mind

F.5: Occultism – 6 aspects 2. Diagnosis with the use of forbidden unusual powers: 1. Soothsaying (unusual insights in the relationships between things/situations/people and health/disease; insights not obtainable through the use of the five senses only) 2. Clairvoyance (unusual insights obtained through communication with demons, including those that pretend to be the spirits of the sick or some other human). Danger: Demonization

F.5: Occultism – 6 aspects 3. Therapy with the aid of forbidden unusual powers: 1. Changes in the health situation of a person through unusual powers (usually aiming at the harmonising of cosmic energy) Danger: Demonization 4. Use of techniques that open patients up for possible demonic influences 1. Causing passive mental states: hypnosis or trance Danger: Caught in Satan’s trap  Bondage

F.5: Occultism – 6 aspects 5. Initiate patient into the use of unusual powers 1. Possible through getting them involved with soothsaying, clairvoyance, witchcraft, sorcery or magic Danger: Demonization 6. Curses/magic formulas over patients / medicaments 1. It is a form of witchcraft / magic / sorcery Danger: Strengthening a pre-existent occult bondage Encouragement for the Christian - Proverbs 26:2

Recommendations for Christian doctors 1. Share with colleagues: humility, compassion, professionalism 2. Study and research: Phyto-therapy, Trigger Point Massage, etc. 3. Critical evaluation of regular scientific medicine 1. Reductionism; can a God-less doctor be a good doctor? 4. Network: Biblical-Christian Healthcare - international 1. Hope for Healthcare via or international.com international.comwww.hfe.orgwww.hcf- international.com 2. CDK, CiCP, CIG, CMA, CMS, ICMDA, Journal Christian Healthcare; HCF, MedIchthys, NCF 5. Take patient’s use of alternative medicine seriously 1. Reckon with it in anamnesis, diagnosis, therapy 2. Careful counselling about OK or not-OK alternative medicine

Filter 1: Is acupuncture necessary? 1. Arguments for: 1. Normal scientific medicine is too materialistic 2. ‘No’ to medication with adverse reactions 3. Use acupuncture as missionary tool 4. Only limited means available 5. Nothing else has helped 2. Arguments against: 1. It does not work 2. Only placebo-effect 3. It is occult

Filter 2: Is acupuncture effective? NO Ter Riet et al (1990; inc. Medline ): Ter Riet et al (1990; inc. Medline ): Meta-Analysis of 91 usable, published trials over a period of 17 years; 12 % is >50% reliable; none more reliable than 68%. The more thorough the research, the less positive the results  no conclusive evidence. Meta-Analysis of 91 usable, published trials over a period of 17 years; 12 % is >50% reliable; none more reliable than 68%. The more thorough the research, the less positive the results  no conclusive evidence. Jacobs et al (1991): Jacobs et al (1991): Meta-analysis of 22 published double blind trials  not more effective than placebo. Meta-analysis of 22 published double blind trials  not more effective than placebo. Possibly YES  limited use, more research needed Linde et al (2001; inc. Medline ) Linde et al (2001; inc. Medline ) Meta-Analysis of 39 usable published trials; positive for post- operative nausea; negative as help to stop smoking Meta-Analysis of 39 usable published trials; positive for post- operative nausea; negative as help to stop smoking Steward (1977); Kho (1991); Van Dijk (1978) Steward (1977); Kho (1991); Van Dijk (1978) Pain relief in various situations = symptomatic treatment Pain relief in various situations = symptomatic treatment

F.3: Is acupuncture appropriate? 1. Age – no issue 2. Sex – no issue 3. Finances – issue if presented as cure-all 4. Culture/social – family/patient pressure can be severe 5. Drug interactions – no issue 6. Contra-indications – only if ineffective or occult 7. Risk adverse reactions – no issue 8. Possibly appropriate in demythologized symptomatic use

F.4: Is acupuncture ethical? 1. What facts are relevant? 1. Overlap with nerve/artery/vein triads + with muscle trigger points 2. ?Possible to determine points more accurately electrically 3. Classical acupuncture anatomy seriously outdated 2. What consequences are relevant? 1. Who/what is trusted for healing? 3. Does it really help? 1. Possible limited use; more research needed. 4. Is it harmful? 1. Van Dijk (1980) therapeutic sessions 1. Pneumothorax (a few cases) 2. Hepatitis, burn wounds (very rare) 5. Does it promote responsible behaviour? 1. Usually patients not made dependent on practitioner

Filter 5: Is acupuncture occult? 1. Promoting non-biblical views of God, man, health / disease and world? 1. Almost always  World view pollution 2. Diagnosis with forbidden unusual powers? 1. Rare in the West until now. Depends on practitioner. 3. Therapy with forbidden unusual powers? 1. Rare in the West until now. Depends on practitioner. Some Christian authors say yes. Evidence difficult to document scientifically.

Filter 5: Is acupuncture occult? 4. Techniques that open patients for demonic influence 1. Hypnosis or Trance possible. Depends in practitioner. 5. Initiation in use of forbidden unusual powers? 1. Rare in the West until now. Depends on practitioner. 6. Curse or magic spell during therapy? 1. Rare in the West until now. Depends on practitioner.

F.1: Ist Homöopathie notwendig? 1. Argumente dafür: 1. normale wissenschaftliche Medizin ist zu materialistisch 2. >nein = zu Medikamenten mit Nebeneffekten 3. verfügbare Mittel: begrenzte Mittel 4. nichts anderes hilft mehr: „aus-gearztet“ 2. Argumente dagegen: 1. funktioniert nicht  Quacksalberei 2. nur Placeboeffekt 3. Okkult  Prinzip der „Unsichtbaren Lebenskraft“

Filter 2: Ist Homöopathie wirksam? 1. Hill und Doyon (1990): 40 Versuche 1. Effektivität nicht bewiesen 2. Kleijnen u.a. (1991): 107 Versuche von ziemliche Qualität davon günstige Ergebnisse 3. Pirtkien (1976) Gelenkkrankheiten 1. 54% besser mit Homöopathie 2. 95% besser mit Medikation

F.3: Ist Homöopathie angemessen? 1. Age 2. Sex 3. Finances 4. Culture / Social factors 5. Drug interactions 6. Contra-indications 7. Risk adverse reactions Wenn sie Wenn sie wirksam wäre, wirksam wäre, im Einzelfall notwendig und nicht schädlich, im Einzelfall notwendig und nicht schädlich, wäre Homöopathie angemessen.

F.4: Homöopathie ethisch tragbar? 1. Was sind die Fakten? 1. Zwei Tausend Medikamenten; Fünf Hundert bis zwei Tausend Symptomen pro Medikament  Vier Millionen Kombinationen möglich 2. Verdünnung: D=10; C= Avogadro: D22 – D23 nichts mehr über 2. Was sind die Folgen? 1. Okkulte Einflüsse?

F.4: Homöopathie ethisch tragbar? 3. Hilft sie? 1. Phytotherapie besser. 4. Ist sie schädlich? 1. In Forschung nichts gefunden 2. Geistlich schädlich, Chr. Schriftsteller wie Feller, Markmann, Kunze 5. Förderung von verantwortungsvollem Verhalten? 1. Meistens werden die Patienten auf keine ungesunde Weise von ihren Heilern abhängig gemacht.

Filter 5: Ist Homöopathie okkult? 1. Weiterleitung eines nicht-biblischen Konzepts von Gott, Mensch, Gesundheit/Krankheit und Welt? 1. Fast immer  Verschmutzung der Weltanschauung. 2. Diagnose mit verbotenen, aussergewöhnlichen Kräften? 1. Im Westen kaum gebräuchlich. Hängt vom Heiler ab. 3. Therapie mit verbotenen, aussergewöhnlichen Kräften? 1. Manchmal. Hängt vom Heiler ab (Pragmatische oder Klassische Homöopathie). 2. Ja, verschiedene Christliche Schriftsteller.

Filter 5: Ist Homöopathie okkult? 4. Techniken, die den Patienten dämonischem Einfluß öffnen 1. Hypnose oder Trance möglich. Hängt vom Heiler ab. 5. Einführung in den Gebrauch von verbotenen, aussergewöhnlichen Kräften? 1. Kaum gebräuchlich. Hängt vom Heiler ab. 6. Beschwörung während der Therapie? 1. Kaum gebräuchlich. Hängt vom Heiler ab.