Edzard Ernst (* January 30 1948 in Wiesbaden Wiesbaden is a city in southwestern Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 300,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 35,000 United States citizens . Wiesbaden, together with the cities of Frankfurt am Main and Mainz, is part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region, a metropolitan area with a combined population of about 5.8, Germany Germany (pronounced /ˈdʒɜrməni/ ), officially the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, pronounced [ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant] ( listen)), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south) is the first Professor of Complementary Medicine The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern Western world, encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine". Commonly cited examples include naturopathy, chiropractic, herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine, Unani, Ayurveda, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, hypnosis, homeopathy, in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border, sharing it with.

In 1993, Ernst left his chair in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physical medicine and rehabilitation , or physiatry (fĭz'ē-āt'rē or fĭ-zī'ə-trē), is a branch of medicine which aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities. A physician who has completed training in this field is referred to as a physiatrist. In order to be a (PMR) at the University of Vienna The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. Having opened in 1365, it is one of the oldest universities in Europe. It offers more than 130 courses of study and has an attendance of more than 72,000 students. Its unofficial name among many students in Vienna is Hauptuni (English: "Main Uni") to set up the department of Complementary Medicine at the University of Exeter The University of Exeter is a university in the South West of England. Most of its activities are located in the city of Exeter, Devon, where it is the principal higher education institution. It is a member of the 1994 Group, a network of research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom. He became director of complementary medicine of the Peninsula Medical School (PMS) in 2002. He is the first occupant of the Laing chair in Complementary Medicine. He was born and trained in Germany Germany (pronounced /ˈdʒɜrməni/ ), officially the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland, pronounced [ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant] ( listen)), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south — Ernst began his medical career at a homeopathic Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine that treats patients with heavily diluted preparations that are thought to cause effects similar to the symptoms presented, first expounded by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in 1796. Homeopathic remedies are prepared by serial dilution with shaking by forceful striking after each step under the hospital in Munich Munich (German: München, pronounced [ˈmʏnçən] ; Austro-Bavarian: Minga) is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany. Munich is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg. There are approximately 1.36 million inhabitants within Munich[1] — and since 1999 has been a British citizen.

Ernst is the editor-in-chief of two medical journals A medical journal is a scientific journal devoted to the field of medicine. Most medical journals are peer-reviewed. Medical journals commonly arose as the journal of societies, such as the precursor to the British Medical Association, and would originally be collections of letters sent to the society by distant members, with an account of the, Perfusion and Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies.[2] Ernst once contributed a regular column to the Guardian The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. It is published Monday to Saturday in the Berliner format from its London and Manchester headquarters newspaper, frequently reviewing news stories about complementary medicine from an evidence-based perspective.[citation needed]

Contents

Work in complementary medicine

The world's first professor of complementary medicine,[3] Ernst researches complementary medicine with an emphasis on efficacy and safety. His research mainly surveys, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses of clinical trials In medical research, clinical trials are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for new drugs or devices. These trials can only take place once satisfactory information has been gathered on the quality of the product and its non-clinical safety, and Health Authority/Ethics Committee approval is granted in the country where the; the institute has not performed a clinical trial for some time due to budget constraints.[3] He has over 700 papers published in scientific journals.[1] He has said that about 5 percent of alternative medicine The term alternative medicine, as used in the modern Western world, encompasses any healing practice "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine". Commonly cited examples include naturopathy, chiropractic, herbalism, traditional Chinese medicine, Unani, Ayurveda, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, hypnosis, homeopathy, is backed by evidence,[4] with the remainder being either insufficiently studied or backed by evidence showing lack of efficacy.

Ernst's department at Exeter defines complementary medicine as "diagnosis, treatment and/or prevention which complements mainstream medicine by contributing to a common whole, by satisfying a demand not met by orthodoxy or by diversifying the conceptual frameworks of medicine."[5]

Ernst asserts that, in Germany and Austria, complementary techniques are mostly practiced by qualified physicians, whereas in the UK they are mainly practiced by others. Ernst also argues that the term "Complementary and Alternative Medicine" ("CAM") is an almost nonsensical umbrella term, and that distinctions between its modalities must be made.[6]

Since his research began on alternative modalities, Ernst has become "the scourge of alternative medicine" for publishing critical research.[3] In 2008 publication in the British Journal of General Practice, Ernst's listed treatments that "demonstrably generate more good than harm" was limited to St John's wort St John's wort is the plant species Hypericum perforatum, also known as Tipton's Weed or Klamath weed, but, with qualifiers, is used to refer to any species of the genus Hypericum. Therefore, H. perforatum is sometimes called Common St John's wort to differentiate it. The species of Hypericum have been placed by some in the family Hypericaceae, for depression Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. The term "major depressive disorder" was selected by the American Psychiatric Association to designate this symptom cluster as a mood disorder in; hawthorn Crataegus monogyna, known as Common Hawthorn, is a species of hawthorn native to Europe, northwest Africa and western Asia. Other common names include may, mayblossom, maythorn, quickthorn, whitethorn, motherdie, and haw for congestive heart failure Heart failure is a condition in which a problem with the structure or function of the heart impairs its ability to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the body's needs. It should not be confused with cardiac arrest (see Terminology, below); guar gum Guar gum, also called guaran, is a galactomannan. It is primarily the ground endosperm of guar beans. The guar seeds are dehusked, milled and screened to obtain the guar gum. It is typically produced as a free flowing, pale, off-white colored, coarse to fine ground powder for diabetes Diabetes mellitus —often referred to simply as diabetes—is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas, an organ near the stomach. Insulin is needed to turn sugar and other food into energy. In diabetes, the body either doesn't make enough insulin or can't use its own; acupuncture Acupuncture is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine filiform needles into specific points on the body to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes. The word acupuncture comes from the Latin acus, "needle", and pungere, "to prick". In Standard Mandarin, 針砭 (a related word, 針灸 (zhēn jiǔ), refers to acupuncture for nausea Nausea is the sensation of unease and discomfort in the stomach with an urge to vomit and osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis , is a group of diseases and mechanical abnormalities entailing degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and the subchondral bone next to it. Clinical symptoms of OA may include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, inflammation, creaking, and locking of joints. In OA, a variety of potential forces—hereditary,; aromatherapy Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile liquid plant materials, known as essential oils , and other aromatic compounds from plants for the purpose of affecting a person's mood or health. Scientific evidence is growing and preliminary but encouraging for a number of health issues. Essential oils differ in chemical as a palliative treatment for cancer Cancer is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth (division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood). These three malignant properties of cancers differentiate them from benign tumors,; hypnosis Hypnosis is a mental state or set of attitudes (nonstate theory) usually induced by a procedure known as a hypnotic induction, which is commonly composed of a series of preliminary instructions and suggestions. Hypnotic suggestions may be delivered by a hypnotist in the presence of the subject ("hetero-suggestion"), or may be self- for labour pain; and massage Massage is the practice of soft tissue manipulation with physical, functional, and in some cases psychological purposes and goals. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle" or from Latin massa meaning "mass, dough". An older etymology may, music therapy Music therapy is an interpersonal process in which the therapist uses music and all of its facets—physical, emotional, mental, social, aesthetic, and spiritual—to help clients to improve or maintain their health. In some instances, the client's needs are addressed directly through music; in others they are addressed through the relationships, and relaxation therapy for anxiety Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral components. These components combine to create an unpleasant feeling that is typically associated with uneasiness, fear, or worry and insomnia Insomnia is a symptom of any of several sleep disorders, characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. Insomnia is a symptom, not a stand-alone diagnosis or a disease. By definition, insomnia is "difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both" and it may be due to inadequate quality.[3]

In 2008, Ernst and Simon Singh Simon Lehna Singh, MBE is a British Indian author of Punjabi background, who has specialised in writing about mathematical and scientific topics in an accessible manner. He is the youngest of three brothers, his eldest brother being Tom Singh, the founder of the UK New Look chain of stores published Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial. The authors challenged Charles, Prince of Wales The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the oldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, making him heir apparent, equally and separately, to the thrones of the sixteen Commonwealth realms. He is resident in and most directly involved with the United Kingdom, the oldest realm, while also carrying out duties in and on, to whom the book is dedicated, and the Foundation for Integrated Health on alleged misrepresentation of "scientific evidence about therapies such as homoeopathy, acupuncture and reflexology".[7] Singh and Ernst assert that Britain spends £500 million each year on unproven or disproven alternative therapies.[8]

The New England Journal of Medicine The New England Journal of Medicine is an English-language peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It is one of the most popular and widely-read peer-reviewed general medical journals in the world. It is also the oldest continuously published medical journal in the world reviewed the book and said this about Ernst: "Ernst is one of the best qualified people to summarize the evidence on this topic."[9]

In a May 1995 Annals of Internal Medicine Annals of Internal Medicine is an academic medical journal published by the American College of Physicians (ACP). It publishes research articles and reviews in the area of internal medicine. Its current editor is Harold C. Sox publication, Ernst detailed the Nazi Nazism is often considered by scholars to be a form of fascism. While it incorporated elements from both left and right-wing politics, the Nazis formed most of their alliances on the right. The Nazis were one of several historical groups that used the term National Socialism to describe themselves, and in the 1920s they became the largest such "cleansing" of the University of Vienna medical faculty that allowed the "medical atrocities" of Nazi human experimentation Nazi human experimentation was a series of controversial medical experiments on large numbers of prisoners by the German Nazi regime in its concentration camps during World War II. Prisoners were coerced into participating: they did not willingly volunteer and there was never informed consent. Typically, the experiments resulted in death,.[10]

In 2008, Ernst sent an open letter urging the Royal Pharmaceutical Society The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain is the statutory regulatory and professional body for pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians in England, Scotland and Wales. Its headquarters are at 1 Lambeth High Street, in the London Borough of Lambeth, there are also offices in Cardiff and Edinburgh to crack down on high street chemists that sell homeopathic Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine, first expounded by German physician Samuel Hahnemann in 1796, that treats patients with heavily diluted preparations which in higher concentrations are thought to cause effects similar to the symptoms presented. Homeopathic remedies are prepared by serial dilution with shaking by forceful striking, remedies without warning of the evidence that they have no effect at all on human beings. According to Ernst, this disinformation would be a violation of their ethical code:

"My plea is simply for honesty. Let people buy what they want, but tell them the truth about what they are buying. These treatments are biologically implausible and the clinical tests have shown they don't do anything at all in human beings. The argument that this information is not relevant or important for customers is quite simply ridiculous."[11]

In a 2008 interview with Media Life Magazine, when Ernst and Simon Singh were asked this question -- "What do you think the future is for alternative medicine?" -- they replied:

"For us, there is no such thing as alternative medicine. There is either medicine that is effective or not, medicine that is safe or not. So-called alternative therapies need to be assessed and then classified as good medicines or bogus medicines. Hopefully, in the future, the good medicines will be embraced within conventional medicine and the bogus medicines will be abandoned."[12]

Other significant posts

Ernst is a member of the 'Medicines Commission' of the British Medicines Control Agency (now part of the MHRA) which determines which substances may be introduced and promoted as medicine.[13] He also sits on the 'Scientific Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products' of the 'Irish Medicines Board'.[14] He is an external examiner for several university medical schools in several countries.[15]

Books

References

  1. ^ a b "Interview: Edzard Ernst". http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2003/sep/25/scienceinterviews.health.
  2. ^ Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
  3. ^ a b c d "Complementary therapies: The big con? - The Independent". http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/features/complementary-therapies-the-big-con-813248.html.
  4. ^ Interview: The complementary medicine detective - Michael Bond, New Scientist New Scientist is a weekly international science magazine and website covering recent developments in science and technology for a general English-speaking audience. Founded in 1956, it is published by Reed Business Information Ltd, a subsidiary of Reed Elsevier. New Scientist has maintained a website since 1996, publishing daily news. As well as, 26 April 2008 Magazine issue 2653.
  5. ^ Ernst et al. British General Practitioner 1995; 45:506
  6. ^ http://www.harcourt-international.com/ernst/interview.cfm Interview: Harcourt International
  7. ^ "Prince of Wales's guide to alternative medicine ‘inaccurate’ - Times Online". http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/alternative_medicine/article3760857.ece.
  8. ^ "The last rites for alternative medicine? - Telegraph". http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/04/26/do2606.xml.
  9. ^ Book review of "Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine." New England Journal of Medicine The New England Journal of Medicine is an English-language peer-reviewed medical journal published by the Massachusetts Medical Society. It is one of the most popular and widely-read peer-reviewed general medical journals in the world. It is also the oldest continuously published medical journal in the world Volume 359:2076-2077 November 6, 2008 Number 19
  10. ^ Ernst E (May 1995). "A leading medical school seriously damaged: Vienna 1938". Ann. Intern. Med. 122 (10): 789–92. PMID 7717602. http://www.annals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=7717602.
  11. ^ Ian Sample (2008-07-21). "Pharmacists urged to 'tell the truth' about homeopathic remedies". The Guardian The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. It is published Monday to Saturday in the Berliner format from its London and Manchester headquarters. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/jul/21/pharmacists.homeophathy. Retrieved on 2008-07-21.
  12. ^ Heidi Dawley. Note to Prince Charles: 'You're wrong'. Book raises new doubts about alternative medicine. Media Life Magazine Apr 21, 2008
  13. ^ http://www.mhra.gov.uk/Committees/Medicinesadvisorybodies/MedicinesCommission/Members/CON002258
  14. ^ IMB newsletter http://www.imb.ie/images/uploaded/documents/3052778_Newsletter8.pdf
  15. ^ See publisher's details for Oxford Handbook of Complementary Medicine

External links

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