Post by Cassus on May 8, 2011 8:51:29 GMT
Hi folks,
The old Big Bad Psychics List used to feature several entries about Nina Knowland, one of those "psychic surgeons" your granny warned you about. This morning I put in an ASA complaint about her website, focusing on the claim that she could heal broken bones.
I won't copy the full text here, since I've made several accusations of illegal activity, but my complaint might be an interesting addendum to this site's existing list of Knowland articles.
I'm writing to complain about the health claims made on two sites operated by Nina Knowland of the "Odyssey Therapy Centre", who describes herself as a "psychic surgeon".
The sites are www.odysseytherapycentre.co.uk and www.ninaknowland.co.uk
1. Knowland describes her work as a "psychic surgeon" thus:
( www.ninaknowland.co.uk/#/psychic-surgery/4517505067 )
"Successful Specialised Healer and Lightworker, specializing in operable, inoperable and post operative [sic] trauma conditions..."
2. I'd like to challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate the following claims on the same webpage:
(i) Psychic surgery has "helped many clients who were waiting for an operation"
(ii) Psychic surgery is in some cases superior to (orthodox) surgery
(iii) Psychic surgery can "prevent disease and complications"
(iv) The advertiser has been "successful" in treating "operable, inoperable and post operative [sic] trauma conditions"
(v) "...there is nothing that cannot be cured by Spiritual [Psychic] Surgery"
(vi) "Most ailments are cleared in just one session, sometimes two"
3. The advertiser lists the conditions she imagines psychic surgery can treat ( www.ninaknowland.co.uk/#/conditions-alleviated/4523700306 ).
4. I'd like to challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate her claim that psychic surgery can "successfully alleviate" acute pain, inoperable aneurysms, arthritis, asthma, back injuries, bilateral osteotomies, broken bones, bronchitis and other lung conditions, bladder problems, chest problems, persistent coughing, Crohn's disease, Deep Vein Thrombosis, detached retinas, damaged eyes, frozen neck, gall bladder conditions, gallstones, haemorrhoids, headaches, migraines, Hiatus Hernia, IBS, Lichen Sclerosis, kidney stones, macular degeneration, menstrual pains, MS, neck injuries, "extensive and irreparable" nerve damage, osteoporosis, sciatica, slipped discs, trapped nerves and whiplash.
5. I'd also like to challenge her claim that psychic surgery can repair broken limbs and cracked ribs, unblock fallopian tubes, cause a "significant improvement in eyesight" and remove post-operative adhesions and scar tissue.
6. I'd like to challenge whether the claim, at the bottom of this page, that "No doctor will tell you ever tell you everyone can be cured... I can't do this either, I can say I have a high success rate" can be substantiated.
7. The advertiser supports the list of conditions she can "alleviate" with a page of "client testimonials" ( www.ninaknowland.co.uk/#/testimonials/4517599900 and www.odysseytherapycentre.co.uk/#/testimonials/4522356271 ). I'd like to challenge whether the testimonial claims that psychic surgery can cure inoperable detached retinas, macular degeneration, eczema, degenerative osteoporosis, cracked ribs, broken tibias, post-operative adhesions, pain so severe that morphine was prescribed, hiatus hernia, back pain, intestinal blockages requiring surgery, abscesses and inoperable aneurysms are misleading. I'd also like to challenge whether the claim on these pages, "My testimonials are the evidence of the work I do (in psychic surgery)" is likely to mislead consumers about the reliability of anecdotal evidence.
8. The advertiser's fees are contradictory. Is the fee #40 or #60? Does the advertiser charge for her time, or per condition cured?
(i) www.ninaknowland.co.uk/#/psychic-surgery/4517505067 states "#60 per condition...you can contact me through the Odyssey Therapy Centre"
(ii) www.odysseytherapycentre.co.uk/#/questionsanswers/4522363854 states "My main Clinic is held at Odyssey Therapy Clinic... the fee is #40"
(iii) www.odysseytherapycentre.co.uk/#/testimonials/4522356271 states "I do not charge a fee for my healing. As with all professions I charge for my time".
I've made some screenshots of the relevant pages, which are available at:
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=OR3KFyoDgv
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=ostbi2jx06
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=wvdwJsd249
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=WdzNZ2i22j
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=Pb5TOCAXHo
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=jU5K7cShoB
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=A17bCqgwBu
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=315klod5fD
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=oY1G0qT0Op
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=uG3tOknu3M
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=9divggA6Zp
I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser or with the alternative medicine industry in general.
The old Big Bad Psychics List used to feature several entries about Nina Knowland, one of those "psychic surgeons" your granny warned you about. This morning I put in an ASA complaint about her website, focusing on the claim that she could heal broken bones.
I won't copy the full text here, since I've made several accusations of illegal activity, but my complaint might be an interesting addendum to this site's existing list of Knowland articles.
I'm writing to complain about the health claims made on two sites operated by Nina Knowland of the "Odyssey Therapy Centre", who describes herself as a "psychic surgeon".
The sites are www.odysseytherapycentre.co.uk and www.ninaknowland.co.uk
1. Knowland describes her work as a "psychic surgeon" thus:
( www.ninaknowland.co.uk/#/psychic-surgery/4517505067 )
"Successful Specialised Healer and Lightworker, specializing in operable, inoperable and post operative [sic] trauma conditions..."
2. I'd like to challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate the following claims on the same webpage:
(i) Psychic surgery has "helped many clients who were waiting for an operation"
(ii) Psychic surgery is in some cases superior to (orthodox) surgery
(iii) Psychic surgery can "prevent disease and complications"
(iv) The advertiser has been "successful" in treating "operable, inoperable and post operative [sic] trauma conditions"
(v) "...there is nothing that cannot be cured by Spiritual [Psychic] Surgery"
(vi) "Most ailments are cleared in just one session, sometimes two"
3. The advertiser lists the conditions she imagines psychic surgery can treat ( www.ninaknowland.co.uk/#/conditions-alleviated/4523700306 ).
4. I'd like to challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate her claim that psychic surgery can "successfully alleviate" acute pain, inoperable aneurysms, arthritis, asthma, back injuries, bilateral osteotomies, broken bones, bronchitis and other lung conditions, bladder problems, chest problems, persistent coughing, Crohn's disease, Deep Vein Thrombosis, detached retinas, damaged eyes, frozen neck, gall bladder conditions, gallstones, haemorrhoids, headaches, migraines, Hiatus Hernia, IBS, Lichen Sclerosis, kidney stones, macular degeneration, menstrual pains, MS, neck injuries, "extensive and irreparable" nerve damage, osteoporosis, sciatica, slipped discs, trapped nerves and whiplash.
5. I'd also like to challenge her claim that psychic surgery can repair broken limbs and cracked ribs, unblock fallopian tubes, cause a "significant improvement in eyesight" and remove post-operative adhesions and scar tissue.
6. I'd like to challenge whether the claim, at the bottom of this page, that "No doctor will tell you ever tell you everyone can be cured... I can't do this either, I can say I have a high success rate" can be substantiated.
7. The advertiser supports the list of conditions she can "alleviate" with a page of "client testimonials" ( www.ninaknowland.co.uk/#/testimonials/4517599900 and www.odysseytherapycentre.co.uk/#/testimonials/4522356271 ). I'd like to challenge whether the testimonial claims that psychic surgery can cure inoperable detached retinas, macular degeneration, eczema, degenerative osteoporosis, cracked ribs, broken tibias, post-operative adhesions, pain so severe that morphine was prescribed, hiatus hernia, back pain, intestinal blockages requiring surgery, abscesses and inoperable aneurysms are misleading. I'd also like to challenge whether the claim on these pages, "My testimonials are the evidence of the work I do (in psychic surgery)" is likely to mislead consumers about the reliability of anecdotal evidence.
8. The advertiser's fees are contradictory. Is the fee #40 or #60? Does the advertiser charge for her time, or per condition cured?
(i) www.ninaknowland.co.uk/#/psychic-surgery/4517505067 states "#60 per condition...you can contact me through the Odyssey Therapy Centre"
(ii) www.odysseytherapycentre.co.uk/#/questionsanswers/4522363854 states "My main Clinic is held at Odyssey Therapy Clinic... the fee is #40"
(iii) www.odysseytherapycentre.co.uk/#/testimonials/4522356271 states "I do not charge a fee for my healing. As with all professions I charge for my time".
I've made some screenshots of the relevant pages, which are available at:
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=OR3KFyoDgv
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=ostbi2jx06
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=wvdwJsd249
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=WdzNZ2i22j
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=Pb5TOCAXHo
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=jU5K7cShoB
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=A17bCqgwBu
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=315klod5fD
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=oY1G0qT0Op
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=uG3tOknu3M
leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=9divggA6Zp
I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser or with the alternative medicine industry in general.
