Psychic Healer didn't see prosecution coming. (What a surprise. hmmm)

There are many things in life that I find depressing and irritating, but I have resigned myself to the knowledge that they will always be around for as long as I live. Motorway congestion, stupid adverts with meerkats and pretend opera singers, astrology, tax returns, and the fact that my wireless mouse keeps conking out, about every 7 seconds, and last, but by no means least (and handily the theme of this post, the world of psychics and alternative medicine, and their bizarre level of popularity.

Most of the time my feelings toward this kind of thing is a kind of bewildered puzzlement. I admittedly feel slightly depressed that lots of folk take stock in, and actively endorse quackery that should be self evidently be classified as "bullshit some people just made up on the fly." if anyone took more time to bother analysing the lofty claims of others with a more soberly objective eye. To see these "spiritual gurus" with their TV shows (why are they given such an easy ride for the spurious claims they make?) and the ear of magazine editors, and the well paid columns that go with that. It riles me that people are often being taken for a ride, often handing over large sums of cash to; at best, "spiritual" kooks and at worst con men guilty to a form of pseudo scientific extortion. It's depressing that people are so willingly taken in by this. That they will pay handsomely for a homeopath to give them a phial of mineral water. Science education has taken a kicking in modern Britain, this sort of stuff will flourish if you have a public who have a blotted knowledge of the discipline. But there are occasions when pseudoscience stops being irritating and can actually become harmful to the point of jeopardising lives. Like when a guy says he can cure cancer by touching people, who has fallen foul of a 1939 law which prevents people from advertising unsubstantiated treatments for the disease. Self proclaimed "visionary healer, energy worker and psychic" Adrian Pengelly faces 3 months in the clink for positive testimonials, posted by his "patients" on a website he claims not to have ever seen (some fucking psychic). He cheerfully says the contributors:

"The people on my website have done it for free, out of the goodness of their hearts."

I'm sure such kindness of spirit should be reciprocated.

"13,700 waiting for his [Pengellys] services at up to £30 a session."

Or maybe not then.

He's also been subject to a negative slot on TV consumer show "Watchdog" last September.

Now I'm sure many proponents of this kind of "healing" are going to think that Pengelly is a victim of a witch hunt by the "acolytes of orthodox medicine". But I think, No! Let the case go ahead. Lets see if his treatments would stand up to general clinical analysis. Would his case studies; or indeed, the testimonies stand up to the rigour of medical cross examination? How would his treatments fare in double blind tests? If they do, Ill be the first to say this post is out of line. If alternative healers want the "respect" accorded to "real medicine" then they should play by the scientific method.

*He makes an interesting comment that needs highlighting for what it says.

"I'm just a healer. I can do things most healers only dream about."

That may be so. But if you have medical methodology behind you, healers dreams often stop being just dreams.