Daniel Ryan from the Society for Science Based Healthcare wrote a study looking at acupuncture advertising in NZ. He ran a targeted search for New Zealand websites making claims about being able to ... (265 words)

Valerie Todd, an osteopath, has been found guilty by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal of performing acupuncture on three patients in Nelson in 2014 without the required qualifications, ... (121 words)

On Thursday I went to Cafe Scientifique, a regular meeting in Wellington where talks are given about a scientific topic. At the event on Thursday, Jane, the owner of a company called "Acupuncture ... (254 words)

A 'Wellness Festival' provides a couple of hours' entertainment, if not much more The stallholders at Porirua's inaugural Wellfest in August were a mixed bunch. Among the 50 or so displaying their ... (973 words)

Quake wakes up spooks A Christchurch para-normal investigator says Canterbury's September 4 earthquake has more than doubled the number of reported supernatural events in the province (The Press, 8 ... (1303 words)

At last year's NZ Skeptics conference Bob Brockie reflected on his career as a newspaper columnist and explained why he has no future with the Mormon Church. After spending most of my life as a ... (2073 words)

Silent scientologists and hot cold treatments Pill Popping PHARMAC is the Government drug-purchasing agency. Pharmac's 2005 Annual Review showed that about eight prescription items were issued per ... (914 words)

A London-based New Zealander has been named "World Champion Worm Charmer" after a competition in Devon. Garry Trainer, from Auckland, won the award by convincing 51 worms to come to the surface of a ... (100 words)

Bob Brockie gets himself a qualification in acupuncture Last year a healthy anaesthesiologist, Dr Kinsinger, visited nine chiropractors in Oklahoma, claiming that his chest or back were playing up. ... (430 words)

"Dr Jaz" Dies Dr Neil McKenzie, better known to music lovers as Dr Jaz, died in May following a long battle against a brain tumour (Bay of Plenty Times, May 15 2003). Neil McKenzie was also a ... (1323 words)

Providence based medicine If the caring practitioner has no idea of what to do next, the decision may be best left in the hands of the Almighty. Too many clinicians, unfortunately, are unable to ... (1523 words)

Yet Another Alternative to Evidence Based Medicine Eloquence based medicine The year round suntan, carnation in the button hole, silk tie, Armani suit and tongue should all be equally smooth. ... (1284 words)

If I Could Talk to the Dead Animals Pet psychic Carol Schultz of Chicago has been gaining a lot of international attention, with identical reports featured in June editions of the Cairns Post and ... (914 words)

In the medical magazine Patient Management, Denis Dutton last year presented a tongue-in-cheek account of how GPs might incorporate alternative techniques into their practices. The article generated ... (910 words)

Quackery In the last issue I discussed how quackery can be practised by New Zealand doctors with impunity, "if they do so honestly and in good faith." Alaska has a similar clause which only ... (1839 words)