Quack Electrodiagnostic Devices

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone, I am considering some more biotron, 9 or biomeridian

testing. When I put in in the search engine to get a local practitioner

this is what came up. Any comments pro or con would be appreciated.

Lee-Anne

http://familyinternet.com/quackwatch/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/electro.html

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" Electrodiagnostic " Devices

Barrett, M.D.

Some physicians, dentists, and chiropractors use " electrodiagnostic "

devices to help select the homeopathic remedies they prescribe. These practitioners

claim they can determine the cause of any disease by detecting the " energy

imbalance " causing the problem. Some also claim that the devices can

detect whether someone is allergic or sensitive to foods, deficient in vitamins,

or has defective teeth. Some even claim they can tell whether a disease,

such as cancer or AIDS, is not present. One Mexican

clinic claims that such a device can be used to cure cancer. The procedure,

called Electroacupuncture according to Voll (EAV), electrodiagnosis, electrodermal

screening (EDS), bioelectric functions diagnosis (BFD), bio resonance therapy

(BRT), or bio-energy regulatory technique (BER).

The first EAV device was developed by Reinhold

Voll, a West German physician who had been engaged in acupuncture practice

in the 1950s. In 1958, he combined Chinese acupuncture theory with galvanic

skin differentials to produce his EAV system. About ten years later, one

of his students (another German physician named Helmut Schimmel) simplified

the diagnostic system from approximately 850 points to 60 points, made small

modifications to the equipment, and went on to help create the first model

of the Vegatest. Subsequent variants include the Accupath 1000, Biotron,

Computron, Dermatron, DiagnoMètre, Eclosion, Interro, LISTEN System,

MORA, Omega AcuBase, OmegaVision, Prophyle, and Punctos III.

Vegatest II

Dermatron

Proponents, claim these devices measure disturbances in the body's flow

of " electro-magnetic energy " along " acupuncture meridians. "

[1]. Actually, these devices are little more than fancy galvanometers that

measure electrical resistance of the patient's skin when touched by a probe.

The device emits a tiny direct electric current (0.87 volt for the Vegatest)

that flows through a wire from the device to a brass cylinder covered by

moist gauze, which the patient holds in one hand. A second wire is connected

from the device to a probe, which the operator touches to " acupuncture

points " on the patient's other hand or a foot. This completes a low-voltage

circuit and the device registers the flow of current.

The information is then relayed to a gauge or computer screen that provides

a numerical readout

on a scale of 0 to 100. According to Voll's theory: readings from

45 to 55 are normal ( " balanced " ); readings above 55 indicate inflammation

of the organ " associated " with the " meridian " being

tested; and readings below 45 suggest " organ stagnation and degeneration. "

The size of the the number actually depends on how hard the probe is pressed

against the patient's skin.

Recent versions, such as the Interro pictured below, make sounds and

provide the readout on a computer screen. The treatment selected depends

on the scope of the practitioner's practice and may include acupuncture,

dietary change, and/or vitamin supplements as well as homeopathic remedies.

Interro device. One probe is held in the patient's hand. As the

other probe is touched to the patient's other hand or foot, a bar rises

on the right side of the computer screen (see arrow), accompanied by a

noise. The reading supposedly determines the status of various organs of

the body. In 1986, I underwent testing with this device at a clinic in

Nevada. I discovered that the movement of the bar and the loudness of the

noise were determined only by how hard the probe was pressed to my skin

[2]. After the alleged problems are " diagnosed, " glass ampules

containing homeopathic solutions may be placed in the metal honeycomb in

the foreground and the tests are repeated to determine whether they are

suitable for correcting the alleged " imbalances. "

The Computron,

used with Accupro software, is claimed to permit " a comprehensive overview

of the functional status of the various organs and tissues. A distributor's

web site states:

" A complete cardiovascular examination, for example could involve

testing over 30 such heart points, testing for causative factors such as

viral, bacterial or chemical toxins. Then, suggested test substances will

appear on the screen (i.e., nosodes, chemicals, homeopathic remedies, allergens,

herbs, vitamins & minerals etc.) which can then be tested to observe

which ones would allow the body to return to a state of energetic harmony. "

Digital Health, of

Draper, Utah, markets the Omega AcuBase Platinum. The company claims that

the device provides a basis for prescribing over 9,000 items, including

homeopathic remedies, herbs, medications, color therapy, flower remedies,

and proprietary products.

The Australian College of Allergy has concluded that " Vega testing

is a technique of diagnosis without scientific basis. " [3] In 1997,

a biomedical engineer found that placing ampules in the honeycomb of a Vegatest

I device did not affect the device's readings. This is not surprising, because

glass is not an electrical conductor.

The Current Marketplace

EAV devices are marketed by several companies, most of which also sponsor

educational seminars. Most make blatant medical claims, but a few pretend

that the device is used for " stress testing. "

The Occidental Institute Research

Foundation (O.I.R.F.), a Canadian corporation, markets several devices

and sponsors seminars on " German biological medicine. " O.I.R.F.

states that it has 600 affiliated practitioners. Its MORA

III device, pictured here, is described as useful for treating allergies,

asthma, bronchitis, gastritis, depression, health and circulatory illness,

food intolerance, pancreatitis, rheutmatic disorders, and " all types

of pain conditions. "

Since 1994, BioMeridian (formerly

called Biosource), of Ogden, Utah, which markets the LISTEN System, has

sponsored an annual International Congress of Electro-Dermal Screening Healthcare

Practitioners. Its web site provides a comprehensive look at how " electrodiagnostic

devices " are promoted. Its information on dental testing includes case

histories of five patients with who had teeth or fillings removed after

testing with the device showed " imbalances " allegedly related

to elbow pain, tachycardia (abnormally fast heartbeat), sore throat, vomiting,

diarrhea, stomach pain, fatigue, weight loss, ankle pain, and sleeplessness.

The LISTEN device is claimed to restore " balance " by providing

corrective electrical signals. A 1997 patent application states:

The basic tenet behind the LISTEN system is that the points on the body

normally referred to as " acupuncture points " have an optimal

electrical resistance in healthy subjects which changes during illness.

Each acupuncture point is associated with a specific meridian, or line

of electrical conductance, which in turn is associated with a particular

organ or system of the body. . . .

By determining the electrical resistance at different points on a patient,

it is possible to determine which organs are affected by a disease. In

addition, a patient can be treated by providing a radiofrequency electrical

signal which restores electrical conductance at specific points to normal

levels. [4]

Another company sponsoring seminars is the Veradyne

Corporation, of Alpine, California, which manufactures an EDS device

called the Avatar. During 1998, its Web site listed more than 50 practitioners

said to use the device.

The German-based Grieshaber

Group markets Vega equipment and other " energetic balance devices "

through subsidiaries in several countries. It also runs seminars and, since

1994, has operated a " functional medicine " clinic called the Grieshaber

Health Institute. The company states that " an examiner's bad state

of health or a hyper activity of the left side of the brain " can lead

to erroneous readings. Properly used, however, its newest equipment can

provide answers that " may sound like science fiction " but are

" the results of decades of experimental and developmental work. "

[5]

The PanAmerican Institute of

BioenErgetic Medicine, located in the West Indies, offers courses and

markets the Biotron

device. Its Web site states:

Bioenergetic medicine is a soft technology that recognizes that the

human is a sentient being and responds to energies beyond laboratory settings

and overt scientific analysis. A Bioenergetic practitioner is one that

is highly perceptive, emotionally balanced, a student of not only of medicine,

but also metaphysical teachings, and utilizes not only soft technology

but nurses both mind and body of the patient. Bioenergetic medicine is

thus able to steer many complaints to a successful resolution utilizing

a vareity of soft and righteous clinical techniques.

A three-day course in " Electro Dermal Resistance Analysis "

is available for $1,500 at the Capital

University of Integrative Medicine, a nonaccredited school in Washington,

D.C. The course covers " assessment of health and the treatment of imbalances

of the immune system through the resistance characteristics of specific

acupuncture meridians on the body " and how to " locate the systemic

roots of immune system weakness and to provide stimulation to strengthen

the weakness. "

The " Equipment for Sale " page of the American

Association of Naturopathic Physicians Web site occasionally lists used

EAV devices. A 1998 ad suggests that practitioners who use these devices

are well aware that the FDA disapproves of their use:

VegaTest II complete with carrying case, extra hand electrode, instruction

manual (Short Manual of Vega Test), test kits and 114 food vials. $2,000

for the whole kit and kaboodle. Remember, Vega units are no longer available

in the United States. Save yourself the expense and hassle of importing

a Vega unit (and avoid the possibility of having the unit confiscated at

the border).

Manufacturers and users often characterize EDS devices as " biofeedback "

or " stress testing " devices. Biosource, for example, asserts that

the devices " provide the physician with a method for identifying imbalances

within the electromagnetic circulatory system of the body and aid in the

selection of appropriate medicines and treatments necessary for a return

to good health. " Some practitioners also claim to use their device

as aid to diagnosis rather than the sole basis for diagnosis. I believe

these statements are double-talk and would not stand up in court.

HoloConcept, of Quebec, Canada, states that its DiagnoMètre

is " an effective investigational tool with wide-ranging applications

in health care. For example: " Acupressure, Acupuncture, Allopathy,

Aromatherapy, Bach Flowers Remedies, Biochemic Tissue Salts, Bioenergetics,

Electroacupuncture, Gemmotherapy, Herbology, Homeopathy, Isopathy, Kinesiology,

Lithotherapy, Naturopathy, Nutritional Therapy, Oligotherapy, Organotherapy,

Phytotherapy, Vitaminotherapy, etc. " But it cautions:

The use of the DiagnoMètre is limited to investigational purposes

by health professionals. The user may not prescribe any medication, recommend

any treatment, modify or stop a treatment, give any medical advice or diagnosis

based solely on indications obtained from the DiagnoMètre, because

this instrument is not designed for such purposes. The only purpose of

the DiagnoMètre is to measure the variation of skin's electrical

resistance of acupuncture points under different conditions.

Phazx Systems of Colorado Springs, Colorado, claims that its Body Scan 2010 " taps into

the body´s own data communication pathways. By monitoring the body´s

response to electrical impulse, it determines energy demands and assists

the practitioner in establishing a treatment protocol to bring the body

back into balance. " The company's Web site lists 69

practitioners in the United States and 4 in other countries. The company

also markets the VLD100 for " testing the body's stress response against

substances such as vitamins and minerals. " Extensive instruction and

" certification in bioenergetic health and wellness " are available

through the International Academy of Bioenergetic

Practitioners, and homeopathic remedies are available through Genex Systems, both of which appear to

be subsidiaries of Phazx Systems. The IABP

Web site states:

Many practitioners find that their scope of practice expands and becomes

more effective using bioenergetics. Because these services are in high

demand, restore health, and are paid for out of pocket, you can compete

more easily in the marketplace and increase your cash flow. . . .

Bioenergetic services are an excellent adjunct to the existing traditional

health practices of MDs, dentists, or nurses. If you have a practice now

and are considering increasing your services, bioenergetics prepares your

practice to survive the changes in the health market place. You will be

able to create a new profit center, because patients will be willingly

paying for the services, as well as purchasing vitamins and supplements

directly from you. Often the biofeedback testing can be billed and reimbursed

through insurance companies or health plans, using biofeedback CPT codes.

Building a practice is easy because patient satisfaction is extremely high,

and that continues to build referrals.

Bioenergetics can be the bridge between conventional and complementary

medicine because it interrelates many of the current health fields (and

sciences) and also incorporates training in Chinese medicine, biofeedback,

holistic and natural health, herbs, homeopathy, homotoxicology and a nutritional

approach toward wellness. Bioenergetics can be the avenue for an easy integration

of these processes into a more conventional medical practice.

By incorporating bioenergetics in your practice, you will be able to

implement all aspects of these principles, based on a patient's individual

needs. Now you can treat a patient individually, rather than as part of

a group sharing the same diagnosis or common symptoms. With your new knowledge

you will understand the unique processes that led to your patient's illness,

and will be able to see the bigger picture of what is necessary to help

eliminate the causes of illness. . . .

CPT codes are supposed to reflect what actually takes place. EAV testing

is not biofeedback treatment. I believe that the use of a biofeedback

CPT code for EAV testing would constitute fraud.

Although the IABP Web site claims that EAV can figure out what is wrong

with patients, it also states that they " have not been cleared for

sale as diagnostic devices, and their use cannot be construed or considered

a medical procedure. These devices cannot diagnose specific conditions within

the body or treat any diseases. " I assume this disclaimer is an attempt

to ward off federal regulatory action for marketing an unapproved diagnostic

device.

The International

EAV Association Web site provides additional information on EAV theories

and " standards. "

Consumer Protection Is Minimal

The FDA classifies " devices that use resistance measurements to

diagnose and treat various diseases " as Class III devices, which require

FDA approval prior to marketing. In 1986, an FDA official informed me that

the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health had determined that the

Dermatron and Accupath 1000 were diagnostic devices that posed a " significant

risk. " [6] No such device can be legally marketed in the United States

for diagnostic or treatment purposes. The FDA has warned or prosecuted a

few marketers and banned the importation such devices into the United States.

In 1985, for example, it notified a distributor that Vegatest devices could

not be marketed as a medical devices without FDA approval (which they do

not have) [7]. State regulatory agencies have also taken a few actions.

However, no systematic effort has been made to drive them from the marketplace.

As a result, bogus " electrodiagnostic " devices are being used

by many chiropractors, acupuncturists, dentists, " holistic " physicians,

veterinarians, and self-styled " nutritionists. " The most common

use is for prescribing homeopathic remedies. They are also used to determine

" allergies, " detect " nutrient deficiencies, " and detect

alleged problems in teeth that contain mercury-amalgam ( " silver " )

fillings. I know of two patients who had healthy teeth extracted after being

misdiagnosed with an electrodiagnostic device. I also know about an Australian

woman whose cost per visit has been AU$120 (about US$75) for the test plus

another AU$200 (about US$125) for products.

In another case, the Missouri licensing board has charged a chiropractor

with falsely telling a patient his HIV (AIDS virus) infection had been cured,

leading to infection of the man's wife and daughter with the virus. According

to a report in the Kansas City Star, the patient, who had hemophilia, consulted

the chiropractor after learning that he was infected with the virus. According

to the board's complaint, the chiropractor said that he could treat the

disease with help from an Interro device and prescribed various supplements

and herbs. Six months later, he allegedly said that the virus had been eradicated,

and the patient and his wife decided to have a child. The child was born

in 1992, the patient died a few months later of complications triggered

by AIDS, and tests subsequently showed that mother and daughter were both

infected [8].

In yet another case, a man who consulted a physician about rectal bleeding

and abdominal cramps was examined only with a Dermatron and told that his

colon was fine. Unfortunately, the man had colon cancer -- which was not

diagnosed until at least seven months later when he consulted another doctor.

The strangest report I have received came from a parent who, after reading

this article, telephoned to described how his five-year-old daughter had

been tested by an unlicensed practitioner. When the the child became restless,

the test was continued by probing the parent's hand while the parent held

the child. The parent also noted that the practitioner appeared to manipulate

the results (seeking a " 50 " reading on the device) by moistening

or drying the child's finger while testing to select the appropriate remedy.

Two others I know about who had advanced cancers were erroneously told they

were cancer-free. One of them was sold 33 products to get rid of " parasites "

and other nonexistent problems.

In 1998, the Discipline Commitee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons

of Ontario (Canada) found Jozef Krop, a Canadian physician, guilty of professional

misconduct in that he failed to maintain the standard of practice in the

care of six patients whose cases the committee had reviewed. The misconduct

in included used of aVega device to " screen " and/or to determine

how to treat the patients [9].

In 1999, the British Advertising Standards Authority reviewed a pamphlet

which alleged that a Bio Resonance Therapy device could help people suffering

from headaches, overweight, tiredness, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome,

skin rashes, arthritis, and premenstrual tension. In May 1999, after reviewing

a manual and other information about the device, the Authority concluded

that the claims were unsubstantiated [10].

The Bottom Line

The devices described in this article are used to diagnose nonexistent

health problems, select inappropriate treatment, and defraud insurance companies.

I believe that EAV devices should be confiscated and that practitioners

who use them should be delicensed. If you encounter any such device, please

report it to the practitioner's state licensing board, the state attorney

general, the FDA, the Federal Trade Commission, the FBI, the National Fraud

Information Center, and any insurance company to which the practitioner

submits claims that involve use of the device. For the addresses of these

agencies, click here.

Please send copies of your complaints to me at P.O. Box 1747, town,

PA 18105. If you have been victimized by a practitioner

using one of these devices, please telephone me at (610) 437-1795.

References

1. American Association of Acupuncture and Bio-Energetic Medicine. Basic explanation

of the electrodermal screening test and the concepts of bio-energetic medicine.

AAABEM Web site, 1998

2. Barrett S. My visit to the Nevada Clinic. Nutrition Forum 4:6-8,

1987.

3. Katalaris CH and others. Vega

testing in the diagnosis of allergic conditions. Medical Journal of

Australia 155:113-114, 1991.

4. Brewitt B. Methods for treating disorders by administyering radio

frequency signals corresponding to growth factors. U.S. Patent Number 5,626,617,

May 13, 1997. Patent Number 5,629,286

contains additional information. To access the full text of these documents,

a special plug-in must be used to download them as images (click " Images "

at the top or bottom of the page), a process that could take up to an hour.

5. VEGA NEWS 4, magazine of the VEGA Greishaber KG, Schlitach, Germany,

1998.

6. Rollings JN. Letter to Barrett, M.D., November 28, 1986.

7. Britain RG. Regulatory letter to Fitzgerald, Director, Pulse

Life, St. Maries, Idaho, March 2, 1985.

8. Canon S. Chiropractor

accused of falsely claiming HIV virus had been cured. Kansas City Star,

Sept 18, 1998.

9. Discipline Commitee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of

Ontario. In the matter of a hearing . . . between the College of Physicians

and Surgeons of Ontario and Dr. ph Krop. Release date, Dec 23, 1998.

10. British Advertising Standards Organization. Adjudication:

Allergy Testing Service, May 1999.

Disciplinary

Action Against Canadian Physician Who Used Vega Testing

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This article was revised on September 10,

1999.