Stephen Dias steve.dias60 at gmail.com on Sun Jan 26 02:43:40 PST 2014 posts a e-mail from Santosh Helekar under caption: Quackery on Herald.:
Thank You Dr. Santosh. Neuroscientist, Thank You for your valuable comments. RESPONSE: Stephen and members of this Forum. I would like to clarify that Helekar's mail to Stephen is no better than any of our Goan politician’s explanation to the public in respect to any incident. I hope Stephen learns to be more observant and questioning to such replies. Mr. Helekar volunteers to give a feedback on “crystal healing” even though Dr. Joe D’Souza sought the reaction and feedback from Medical Practitioners and Physicians in Goa, of which Mr. Helekar is neither. In his volunteered reaction Mr. Helekar writes about quackery, modus operandi of quacks, blackmarketeers, gullible public, healers, various physical nomenclature, superstitious beliefs, and also cites a so called science writer’s article ( which I assume is Mr’ Helekar’s “credible” website as he has said before here: http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2013-December/236812.html). But NOWHERE does he prove that crystal therapy if False. Nor has he explained WHAT IS this crystal therapy. And as he has stated in the post cited above, the feedback according to him is an “accurate information from reliable sources in his possession.” I am sure Mr. Helekar will retort as he usually does, that the FDA has not approved crystals for therapeutic use, OR that there is no peer reviewed scientific research journal published to substantiate this claim of crystal healing. Therefore it is quackery! In the same stride, I am sure Mr. Helekar will have to affirm that acupuncture is also Quackery?! Is there any peer review scientific research proving it is not effective? Does modern science even know how acupuncture works? Does modern medicine know what is “Qi, yin, yang and meridians”? Read Scientific view on TCM theory http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture#Scientific_view_on_TCM_theory Quote: Qi, yin, yang and meridians have no counterpart in modern studies of chemistry, biology, physics, or human physiology and to date scientists have been unable to find evidence that supports their existence. Unquote. But everyone knows that Acupuncture works for several chronic pain conditions and short term regional anaesthesia. Read here why Clinicians as well as NHS recommend acupuncture: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jul/26/acupuncture-sceptics-proof-effective-nhs Dr. Joe D’Souza did not request the feedback specifically from medical practitioners and Physicians for nothing. It is because only clinicians have a broader outlook towards therapies as they cannot afford to be dogmatic and wear blinders, and also because they are in touch with patients. Dr. Ferdinando dos Reis Falcão.
