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

BTA - Biological Terrain Assessment

Naturopaths who promote BTA

• 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 Many are seriously outdated.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.

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?

John Curran fake ND and MD sentenced to 150 months

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

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

• 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

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:

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

Claims made for chelation therapy on his web site

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