Healing, Intention and Energy Medicine. Science, Research Methods and Clinical Implications

403 Pages·243.68 MB·English

by  Wayne B Jonas, MD, and Cindy C Crawford, BA (Eds.)

Contributors
DavidAldridge Chair ofQualitativeResearch ServicesUniversityofthe HealthSciences,
inMedicine, UniversitatWillten/Herdecke, Bethesda,MD,USA
Witten,Germany
JuliannG Kiang Professor,Departmentsof
John AAstin ComplementaryMedicine Medicine and Pharmacology,Uniformed
ResearchInstitute, California PacificMedical ServicesUniversityofthe HealthSciences,
Center,SanFrancisco,California, USA Bethesda, Maryland; DeputyChief, Department
ofCellularInjury,Walter Reed Army Instituteof
MAllanCooperstein Independent
Research, SilverSpring,Maryland, USA
Clinical/Forensic Psychologist, WillowGrove,
PA,USA Gaia LMKile Complementary and Alternative
MedicineResearchCenter, Universityof
Cindy CCrawford Samueli Institutefor
Michigan, Michigan, USA
InformationBiology, DepartmentofFamily
Medicine, Uniformed ServicesUniversity ofthe
PingYLu CEO,BurlIerInformationArchitects
Health Sciences,Bethesda, MD,USA
Inc.,PO Box2482,Kensington, Maryland,USA
JefferyADusek Associate Director for Clinical
EdwinMay CognitiveSciencesLaboratory,
Reseach,Mind BodyMedical Institute, Beth
PaloAlto,CA,USA
Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston,MA,
USA Michael Mayer The Psychotherapyand
Healing Center, Berkeley,CA,USA
LindaK George Duke University,Durham,
USA RogerNelson PrincetonEngineering
AnomaliesResearch, Princeton, New Jersey,
BrendaWGillespie Centerfor Statistical
USA
Consultationand Research,Universityof
Michigan,Michigan, USA Sean 6Laoire Menlo Park, CA, USA
Tim Harlow CollegeSurgery,Collumpton, Yifang Qian Community Health Networkof
Devon, UK San Francisco,San Francisco,CA,USA
David Hufford Professor,Departmentof Dean Radin InstituteofNoetic Sciences,
Humanities,Pennsylvania StateCollegeof Petaluma,CA,USA
Medicine,Hershey, PA,USA
Marilyn Schlitz InstituteofNoetic
WayneBJonas Director,SamueliInstitutefor Sciences,Petaluma;Institutefor Healthand
Information Biology,Associate Professor, Healing,California PacificMedical Center,
DepartmentofFamilyMedicine,Uniformed CAlUSA
vii
viii CONTRIBUTORS
Stefan Schmidt Universitatsklinikum Freiburg, HaraldWalach Klinikumder Universitat,
Institut fur Umweltmedizin und Institutfur Umweltmedizinand
Krankenhaushygiene, Freiburg, Germany Krankenhaushygiene, Freiburg,Germany
Jane Sherwood ResearchNurseCoordinator, Sara LWarber Complementary and Alternative
MassachusettsGeneral Hospital,Centerfor the Medicine Research Center, Universityof
IntegrationofMedicine and Innovative Michigan, Ann Arbor MI,USA
Technology, Boston,MA,USA
XinYan ChongqingInstitute ofTraditional
Jerry Solfvin California PacificMedicalCenter Chinese Medicine, Chongqing,Sichuan
ResearchInstitute, SanFrancisco,CA,USA Province, Peoples Republic of China
Andrew G Sparber Nursingand PatientCare Garret Yount California PacificMedical Center
Services,ClinicalCenter, National Instituteof ResearchInstitute,SanFranciscoCA,USA
Health, USA
Jessica Utts Professor,DepartmentofStatistics,
University ofCalifornia, Davis,CA,USA
Foreword
'a healthscientistadministrator.'Morespecifical
ly,they were seeking a health scientist adminis
trator with interest, not a mere curiosity, in the
fields of complementary medicine, spirituality,
andhealing.Theeditorswere pursuingsomeone
who would or could be willing, most positively,
toread thevariouschaptersthen help make deci
sions on a national basis to incorporate or reject
the messages being transferred in the dialogues
into an academic research and clinical strategy.
My goal was to explicitly become an advocate
andtoassistindevelopinganationalstrategyfor
incorporating spirituality and medicine into
future sponsoredresearch initiatives,educational
projects, and ultimately, clinical services.In fact,
.to participatein 'drawing' the blueprintforspir-
ituality and healing in academic medicine! This
was a serious and important task placed before
me.So,with the knowledge thatIwould, try,try
my best, to fulfill this honor, I proceeded to
accept the invitation.
As the Vice Dean for Research of the Penn
StateCollege ofMedicine,ahealthyand growing
academic health center, and an Associate Vice
©MassimoLislrVCORBIS
President for Health Sciences Research for Penn
State University, a research-intense land grant
HEALTHCARE IN RENAISSANCE:
university, one of my responsibilities is toenvis
A CHARIOT DRAWN BY TWO
age the future of the health research enterprise
DOLPHINS
and tohelp planascientificpathfortheuniversity
When the editors of this wonderful book asked in order that the faculty be active participants in
metowritetheforeword theyindicatedthat they the sciences and technologies of the decades to
were seekingsomeonewho wasnot an expertin come.Thisisnotsimplyanexerciseof'crystal ball
thefield ofspiritualityandhealing, for that Iam gazing,' but a program of comprehensive and
not, but they were looking to select, what indi intense study not unlike the activity of business
viduals who perform my duties are called; prognosticatorsor even hurricane forecasters.
ix
x FOREWORD
Thereisamplehistoryofplanningforthebasis Raphael had and, Iquote again, 'the love and
of scientific change. Change in science is illus objectivity to penetrate deeply enough into the
trated through a plethora ofoutdated textbooks, artofa pastage to give it new life.']Ifelt,when
many of these only three or four years old, and reviewing the chapters, that the authors
library stacks full of publications reporting on addressed both the art and scienceofspirituality
the acquisition and transfer of new basic and with such a passion that, like Raphael, they are
clinical knowledge. In this new technology era, proceedingto 'giveitnew life.']
the pace of change is so rapid that as short as a I will make analogies of this 'Triumph' with
one-year lapse of laboratory work or reading the emergenceofthis science, and Iuse this term
may cause a loss ofone's currency in any scien deliberately, thescienceofspirituality,theimpact
tificdiscipline. Thereisaconstantand increasing ofspiritualityonboth humanhealthandhealing,
flow of new innovations and technologies being andonthepotentialforphilosophicalandempir
conceived, analyzed, and validated, often in icalchangesontheenginesofhealthcareresearch
human subject studies via clinical trials and can take place in the nation's academic health
demonstration projects. This is an era, however, centers.
where there is the ever importantenvironmental A depiction of the Triumph of Galatea illus
factor never seen, to this degree, in centuries of trates Galatea, the sea-nymph, traveling rapidly
scientific progress - that is an enormous public acrossthe oceanwavesinachariotdrawnby two
interest and public advocacy.The public's quest dolphins. You can almost envisage the rush of
for new cures, treatments, and ways to prevent hermovementanda'swirling' around her ofthe
disease and maintain health is insatiable - itisa fairmaidens,seagods, andcherubs.!Shealone is
quest that drives change through buying and freeand independentof the swirlinghumanand
prescribing practices and, many times through part human companions.I Art critics have
federal scientific budget allocations. The described this magnificent piece as one which
National InstitutesofHealthbudgetison course 'achievesconstantmovement .. .withoutletting
to double its appropriations in five years. This it become restless and unbalanced." A message
doubling isthe result ofpublic engagement. The that on our quest for acceptance of spirituality's
very positive cases of research funding forAIDS influence on healingwe shouldbe,and Ibelieve,
and breast cancer arevery well publicized exam are mindful of.This fresco will help us focus on
ples ofpublic interest, advocacy,and action. our thoughts as we transition from fantasy to
Without lightening the importance of my mis spirituality.
sion of producing a foreword for an important The journeyof spirituality into the practice of
document, Idecided toprovidemy impressions, medicineand into academic institutions has not,
of my recently acquired views, of the future of as of today, had the acceleration and movement
spirituality and healing in academic medicine, visualized in this fresco. In fact, ifnot for books
throughavisual treat. like this one and some dynamic and intellectual
Raffaello Sanzio, more popularly known as leadership of Duke University, The National
Raphael, one of the artistic giants of the InstituteforHealthcareResearch,and the institu
RenaissanceEra,never could have imaginedthat tions that house the authors, I believe there
hisfrescoentitled,TheTriumph ofGalatea,painted would not be enough 'momentum' - especially
in an Italian palazzo would be discussed in a in the university medical centers, to allow the
preface of a Spirituality and Healing compendi scienceofspirituality to remainafloat.
um almost 500years after his death. This book is a celebration, and I believe an
Why pick a painting by Raphael? Because impetusfor change.
Raphael was dedicated, to what art critics Why am Ioptimisticaboutspirituality'sfuture
exclaim, and, I quote 'reconstructing the lost acceptance in healthcare? Why do Ibelieve con
architectureoftheeternalcity.']InRaphael'scase ventional medicine has in the last decade
Rome,in ours, the eternal city ofMedicine. embarked on its own renaissance, which
FOREWORD xi
will encourage the pursuit of the science of tunities facing a growing medical center in its
spirituality? efforttoachieveandsustainitsgoal ofexcellence.
I will answer these questions by examining In that approachhe and the faculty identified key
first the universities and then as a group, indi values which included, 'Excellence,Compassion,
vidual physicians,scientists, and the public. Innovation and Integrity.' The vision of Wake
First the universities - the time is upon us for Forestwith relation to the clinicalenterprise is to
the halls ofacademia, I'll callthem, 'coalitions of evolve in such a manner that 'we maintain and
intellect,' to open their doors to the science of enhance our position in the market place of
spiritualityand its role inhealing. healthcare delivery both in reality and in the
DonaldKennedy,former PresidentofStanford public's perception.' The public'sperception isa
University, writing a few years ago in an essay concept that we would not have addressed so
entitled Making Choices intheResearch University3 intensely just one decade ago. Collectively, as
indicates that 'directionalshifts' will be required changeagents,we areopeningourinstitutionsto
if American research universities, and I include newconceptsandideas. ThecompassionvalueIs
academic health centers, are going to meet one that relates closely to the contents of this
society's expectations for the new millennium. book. The valueisarticulated in the WakeForest
One reason Kennedy, as do I, believes that the 'Strategy' as:'Being aware of,and responsive to,
shiftwillbeimplementedisbecause, asKennedy the physical,emotional,spiritual, and intellectual
states so eloquently, and Iquote: needsofothers.'
Thejustcitedauthorshavebeen thepioneersof
Neverhaveouruniversitieslivedinamoreabruptly
changingsociety.Tospeakof'academicrigor'by this areaofchangeinscienceand it's time forthis
wayofappealingtothedisciplinarystatusquois pioneeringspirit tobecome contagious. Thus, the
self-evidentlyanachronisticnow. Weneedtoopenup writings of these three academic leaders help
therigidcagesofinstitutionalthoughtandcustomto
comfort me,in the reality that the universitiesare,
newcultures,newalignments,andnewproblems.'
in fact,open or 'opening' to the concepts that we
Kennedy does not address the issues are studying this day. Thus, the movement will
spirituality and healing. I, however, believe that occur - and even if some universities must be
spirituality and its effect on healing does apply pulled, they willattainmomentum.
and the new 'openness' of universities to Thus, to the dolphins. Let's call one 'con
innovative and non-traditional approaches can ventional' and the other 'spiritual.' Healing, of
helpbreak theacademic'scultural'rigormortis? to the universalpatient,inmy opinion,mustutilize
newconceptsthat havenotbeenpartofthehigher both. The philosophies must move together in
educationenterprises'own business plans. parallel. In the past, infactvery recentpast, they
Nannerl O. Keohane, President of Duke were going at different speeds and in diverse
University also a proponent ofchange, writes in directions. Would the chariot remain afloat?
an article on Missionof theResearch University4 Certainlynot!Ifwe considerthebeautifulGalatea
that: as the 'universal, healthy patient' exhibiting a
high quality of life looking up to the heavens.
Themodemresearchuniversityoccupiesadistinctive
nicheinbothspaceandtime,compoundedofequal That image would certainly change with her
partsofintensenostalgiclocalismandagenerous conventional and spiritual caregivers moving in
sensethatmembersofauniversityarecitizensofthe different directions at different rates! Just
world.Yet,universitiesarealsoforward-looking,
remember the simple formula we learned in
restless,pioneering,attemptingtodiscernandeven
physics. Parallelisminthis caseisimportant- we
tocontrolthefuture."
need both dolphins - not a merger, but a
Richard H. Dean, M.D., the Senior Vice complementaryteam approach.
President for Health Affairs at Wake Forest Ifind many physicians and scientists who are
University recently completed an in depth trying to inhibit the pace of our spirituality
'Strategy' for distilling the issues and oppor- dolphin, usingbothdoubt and recalcitrance.
xii FOREWORD
Ido believe we can overcomethis withcareful I'll even add another, 'yet,' to Dr. Levin's.
and comprehensive study, validation, and most Physiciansupongraduationfrom medicalschool
ofallperseverance. take an oath ultimately derived from the
DrWayneJonas, mycolleagueandfriend, like Hippocratic oath and hopefully, in sincere
myself, is optimistic and predicts that as current earnestness,notonlyin a 'ceremonialcontext' of
complementaryandalternative medicine groups graduation from four years of rigorous study.
become more 'professional' the therapies and The first lines of the oathare:
preventive modalities they promote will be Iswearby all the godsand goddesses,making
adopted into the mainstream. them my witness, that I will fulfill according to
Now tothe doctors, patients, and public. my ability and judgment this oath and this
Dr Edmund Pellgrino, noted ethicist, presents covenant:" ...
in his writings an earlier image of the physician An oathtoGods! Arich historyofcenturiesof
asa'benevolent,benign,andauthoritarianfigure medicine and by medicine practitioners of
who decided what is best for his/her patients." covenants with deities. Is this not at least a
Thatimage servedsociety well inatime thatwas partial underpinning that should have been
simpler, and when decisions on healthcare did sufficient to 'connect' the profession with the
not involve, as they do today, to quote Dr. issue of religious or spiritual involvement in
Pellgrino, a 'host of new value and moral their patients?
questions'." It more easily fulfilled expectations As has been debated over the past few years,
in a society in which there were fewer educated I must admit that the issue of spirituality and
people who would say, to quote Dr. Pellegrino religionwas at timesconfusedandintermingled.
again, 'Just a moment - I would like to under Spiritualityhasbeendefinedas, andIquote: 'the
standwhatishappening! Iwant to have a say in spirit or the soul, as distinguished from the
what you are going to do's Dr.Pellegrino and I body, what is often thought of as the better or
agree to quote him once more: 'A healing higher part of the mind.'? It is a search for the
decision isone that will make the patient whole sense of meaning and purpose of life.? On the
again, restore bodily harmony ifthat is possible, other hand, religion is a 'system of belief,
and perhaps even make it better than before the worship, conduct, often involving a code of
illness occurred." ethics and philosophy.'9 I believe that the
Areview article published a half decade ago message today is that organized religion is but
instructs us on the recalcitrance ofphysicians to one methodology of expressing our spirituality.
move in the directions of society. Consider the Either is importantin the healing process and in
dolphinanalogy and whatthismeans.DrJeffreyS. the holistic approach to an individual or
LevinofthelnternationalCenterforIntegrationof patient'swell-being.
Heath and Spiritualitywrites thatsurveys show When one is severely ill or near end of life,
that 80%of Americans believe 'in the power of there is almost always a trilogy of spiritual
God or prayer to improve the course of illness" inputs. In my experience on the hospital ethics
and almost 70% of physicians report patients committee I have found input from 1) a
asking for religious counseling when in the representative from the patient's family, 2) a
course of terminal illness. 'Yet,' he states, that religious representative or counselor, and 3) the
'only ten percent of physicians even inquire physician,or othermedicalcare giver.
about the patients beliefs or practices." A more Since biblical times, frequent prayer has been
recent poll of 1,000American adults, concluded central to most religions. I am familiar with
that '79% of the respondents believed that Jewish religiosity. The Amidah, a prayer recited
a
spiritual faith can help people recover from three times a day, includes a plea 'Heal us
disease' and of these respondents, 63% Eternal One and we shall be healed.' Every
suggested that physicians should engage in denomination and religion has a similar prayer.
discussions aboutspiritual faith? With the patient as one half of a covenant, with
FOREWORD xiii
the physicians and the patienthaving interestin 2. The pace of application of new science
the holisticapproachtohealing, whatshouldthe and technology to products is more rapid
physician's rolebe? and more public than ever; gene therapy,
The American Psychiatric Association has telemedicine, and home pregnancy tests.
adopted guidelines which suggest that physi Scienceandmedicaladvancesarenowdescribed
cians 'should maintain respect for their patient's at the newsstand in TheWallStreetJournal, New
beliefs' and 'should not impose their own York Times, and Newsweek sometimes prior
religious, anti-religious, or ideologic systems of to the physician or scientist receiving, by
beliefs on their patients.' Care should not be a mail, the originalscientificreportin aScientific
competition of remedies but a congruence. The Journal.
physician's armamentarium should include 3. The country is spiritual. Religious par
every adoring arrow the giver has to offer. ticipation isthe mostcommonform ofvoluntary
Spiritualityshould, in my opinion, be considered group socialactivity in the UnitedStates.'?Ifone
strongly by the physicianand other caregivers in combines all other kinds of voluntary group
the patient'sholistichealing process. activities they do not exceed involvement in
But, we know that not all support this view. church. We have more houses of worship than
Sloan,etal,state that 'even inthebeststudies, the everbefore.!" There are organized school prayers
evidence of an association between religion, at footballgames indefiance oflegislation.
spirituality,andhealthisweakand "inconsistent."? 4. American Society is engaged as never
The authors conclude that it is premature to before in bothbodyand spiritualhealth! Forthe
promote faith and religion as adjunctive medical body we have treadmills, fitness clubs, 'thigh
treatments. Some may agree. The goal for the busters,' and juicebars. For spirituality we have
" advocate for incorporating spirituality into religious channels on 24 hours a day. Then
mainstream medicine is to pursue and validate there's Sunday morning evangelist television.
the hypothesis of its value through compre Most importantly, there are conferences in
hensive researchinitiatives. spiritualism and health presented at Harvard,
Iconclude with the suggestion that this book Johns Hopkins, George Washington, and Wake
should be considered part of the infrastructure Forest Universities which have begun to inform
in establishing a plan for building acceptance professionals and the public about how
and developing a course for further maturation spiritualitycan be integrated into healthcare.
of the science of spirituality in medicine. I
believe that we must establish a national Why should we be optimistic that our plan
approach for both the academic medicine and will work? It's because these premises are
the public, based on a series of four basic, and concentric, merging, 'swirling,' science, health,
current, premises. Let's review the public religion, spirituality, and public interest.
interest analogy. The swirl is not random, it is controlled and
balanced.
1. Our scientificknowledge base is extraordi Thepublic iscritical to oursuccess.
nary. The opportunity for exciting advances in We need to engage the public with more
medicine and healing have never, in our history, information from our studies, our conferences,
been greater than today. The acquisition of new andouropportunitiesto learn.
knowledge using molecular biology, functional Indeed we need to form another era of socio
genetics, non-invasive imaging, and pharmacol medical reform.Socialreform has ahistory in this
ogy and physiology have profound implications countryoftransformingmedicineand our country.
forhealthand healing. I'll insertan editor'snote Nineteenth Century reformers advocated sanita
here! It is almost too profound. Willthis book's tion, public hygiene and prevention from
message beheardamidstallofthis technological infectious diseases. Twentieth century reformers
advancement? examined social interventions in the health
xlv FOREWORD
consequences of smoking, violence against discussed in this book - spirituality does
women, and more recently school lunches and supportthe healing process.
nutrition. You, the readers, are also the pioneers, let's
The twenty-first century public driven explore and discover together - In fact, let's
reform can be the benefits of social, medical, triumphasGalateadoes.Allow me toend witha
and spiritual integration of the practice of portionofaphysician'sprayerby Maimodes. Its
medicine - a renewed covenant with practi languageisecumenical.
tioners and patients that condones treatment
Illuminatemymindthat itrecognize whatpresents
that includes both body and soul. Academic
itselfand that itmay comprehendwhatisabsentor
medical centers and private medical practition
hidden...fordelicateand indefinitearetheabounds
ers should be open to providing the evidence ofthegreatart ofcaring forthelivesand healthof
that there is validity to the postulates that are thycreatures.11
REFERENCES
1 OberhuberK1999.Raphael,ThePaintings,p.169 7 SloanRP,BagiellaE,Powell T1999.TheLancet,Religion,
2 GombrichEH1957.TheStoryofArt,pp. 234-235 Spirituality,andMedicine,353,February20
3 Kennedy,Donald,TheResearchUniversityinaTime 8 HippocraticOath,Translatedby LudwigEdelstein.
ofDiscontent,Makingchoicesinthe Research ReprintedwithPermissionin:Veatch,RM:CaseStudies
University,TheAmericanAcademyofArts & inMedicalEthics,Cambridge,MA, HarvardUniversity
Sciences,1993,1994 Press,1977,p351-352.
4 KeohaneNannerl0, TheResearchUniversityinaTimeof 9 McKee,Chappel1992.JournalofFamilyPractice,35:2
Discontent,TheMissionofthe Research University, The 10 KoenigHaroldG1997.'IsReligion GoodforYour
American AcademyofArts& Sciences,1993,1994 Health?,'TheHaworthPastoralPress,New York,NY
5 PellegrinoEdmundD,MD,1987.TheJournalofMedical 11 FreecnarDavidL,AbramsJudith1999.Illnessand
HumanitiesandBioeihics,Toward AReconstructionof HealthintheJewishTradition,TheJewishPublication
MedicalMorality,8:1,Spring/Summer SocietyPhil.,p160
6 LevinJeffrey,LarsonDavid,PuchalskiChristina1997.
JayMoskowitz, PhD
JAMA,'Religionand SpiritualityinMedicine: Research
and Education,'278:9,September3 July 2002
Preface
Healingpracticesthatusedirectmentalorspiritual 3.'Energy'healingapproaches
techniques, such as prayer, ritual, dreamwork, 4.Therapeutic qigong (Chineseenergyhealing)
imagery, directmentalintentions,and laying-onof 5.Directmentalinteractionwithliving systems
hands, have been part of all known cultures. 6.Mind-matterinteractionstudies.
Despitetheir universality, littlescientific attention
Studieswereevaluatedwithestablishedquality
has been directed toward investigating these
criteria inscientificresearch.Eachareawas given
practicesortheirclaims. Herewe present acritical
an 'evidencelevel' classAtoF(Abeing the high
summary of spiritual healing, 'energy' medicine
est with at least three independent, high-quality
and intentionality(intentionalmentaleffort)as an
studies and F being the lowest with expert
approach to illness,and make recommendations
opinionwithouthighquality research).
for future research in what we will call simply
'healing.'Weaddressthreequestions:
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
1.Arethe effectsofhealing 'real' asexamined
by high-quality,independentlyreproduced Wefound over 2200publishedreports, including
experiments? books, articles, dissertations, abstracts and other
2.How big arethe effectsofhealing writings on spiritual healing, energy medicine,
interventions? and mental intention effects. This included
l
What clinicalimpact does healing have in 122laboratorystudies,80randomizedcontrolled
real-lifeclinicalsituations? trials, 128 summaries or reviews, 95 reports of
observational studies and non-randomized tri
Finally, we address possible next steps for
als, 271 descriptive studies, case reports, and
improvementin healing research.
surveys, 1268other writings including opinions,
The book consists of critical summaries of
claims, anecdotes, letters to editors, commen
current research on healing and healing-related
taries, critiques and meeting reports, and 259
areas by experts, research recommendations for
selected books. Our findings in each of the six
advancementofhealing research,and a compre
areas areas follows:
hensive bibliography of current publications on
healing. To produce the bibliography we used
expert summaries and their citations and addi Religious practices
tional searches ofother sources includingacom
Over 75% of 130 studies on the relationship
prehensive literature search. Critical reviews
between religious and spiritual practices and
were carried out in sixareas:
health outcomes reported positive associa
1.Health correlates ofspiritualand religious tions. However, almost all of this research is
practices observational, with no high-quality randomized
2.Intercessory or healing prayer controlled trials. There is a positive relationship
xvi PREFACE
between religiouspracticesand reduced mortality, effects. Only five were randomized, however,
better physical health, improved quality of life, and the quality of the research was judged as
and lessmentalillnessand drugabuse. Evidence 'poor' with no high-quality replications. One
levelwas O. study reported adverse effects. Evidence level
was F.
Prayer
Six (46%)of 13 randomized controlled trials on Laboratoryresearch on bioenergy
prayer involving 2328 patients reported
One hundred and eleven studies were found
significanteffectson at least one health outcome.
thatwere donein the Weston laboratorymodels
The quality of the research was judged as 'fair.'
such as plants, cells, and animals testing the
There were three medical conditions in whichat
effectofenergyandmentalhealing.Forty-five of
least one high-quality randomized clinical trial
these were reviewed as they were randomized
was done but there were no replications of these
with parallel control groups. Average quality of
trials. Positive effectswere reported for patients
these studies was fair to good. Most were
with acute heart disease, and for patients with
statistically positive. Of the top 10 quality
HIV/AIDScomplications. Negative results were
studies evaluated, all but two reported positive
reported for prayer healing of warts and effects in favor of the real vs. sham bioenergy
alcoholism.Evidence levelwas B.
treatment.Onlyoneindependentreplicationofa
high quality study was attempted. Evidence
'Energy' healing level was B.
Eleven (58%)of 19randomized controlled trials
on 'energy' healing (usually therapeutic touch) Directmentalinteraction with living systems
involving 1122patients reported positive effects. (DMILS):electrodermalactivity(EDA)
The quality of the research was judged as 'fair.'
Twenty-four studies involving 636 sessions
Positive effects have been reported on pain and
examined whether individuals could alter elec
anxiety in bum patients and institutionalized
tricalconductivityoftheskinofanotherindividual
elderly, respectively, but no high-quality
at a distance. Nine (37.5%) studies done in four
independent replications of these studies were
different laboratories were statistically positive.
found.Evidence levelwas B.
Most studies received 'good' quality ratings but
there is no high quality meta-analysis of
Qigong (laboratory research) independentreplications.Evidence levelwas B.
Fifty-eightstudies(outof130reports) examining
the biological effectsof qigong in the laboratory
Directmentalinteraction with living systems
(oncellsand animals) were reviewed. Almostall
(DMILS):remote staring (RS)
reported positive effects. The quality of this
research was judged as 'poor' and there were no Seven publications describing 13 experiments
independent high-quality replications on any with 300sessions examined whether EOA (skin
single model. Asummary of the best laboratory conductance) changed when one individual was
staring at another, through a closed-circuit TV.
study todate on qigong ispresented in a section
ofthisbook. Evidence level was C. Seven out of 13 experiments were significant
(P < 0.05). Most studies received 'good' quality
ratings butthere isno high-quality meta-analysis
Qigong (clinical research)
ofindependentreplications.One attemptat exact
Thirty-threestudies (out of72reports examining replication by two experimenters with different
the effects of qigong on high blood pressure) beliefs yielded different results. Evidence level
were reviewed. Almost all reported positive wasB.