Edzard Ernst

My answer to Dana Ulman’s question: “Should I now call you Edzard Trump?!”

Edzard — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 11:47:51 +0000

One of the perks of running a busy blog like this one is the fact that the most original insults come your way. One of the best in this genre is probably comparing me to Donald Trump. Our “friend” Dana Ulman is not the only one, but he does that with some regularity. For example, […]

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The hilarious story of the “truly incomprehensible” Heilpraktiker (and teacher)

Edzard — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 08:55:16 +0000

It could only happen in Germany: a teacher reportedly spent 16 years on paid sick leave while allegedly working as a Heilpraktiker—a licensed but medically unqualified practitioner—and even winning awards for a healthcare start-up. Regular readers will know that I have written extensively about the Heilpraktiker profession. It occupies a uniquely place in German healthcare: […]

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Trump at the ‘White House Correspondents’ Dinner’: it’s high time to get rid of him!

Edzard — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 12:41:03 +0000

Trump’s appearance at the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner yesterday rapidly descended into a public unravelling. Rather than using the occasion to project confidence, humour and presidential composure, he transformed it into a rambling assault on the press, political opponents and even the organisers of the event. What should have been an evening of wit […]

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Truth matters (… and not just in medicine)

Edzard — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 08:13:17 +0000

“Popularity takes the place of plausibility, tradition replaces validity, and individual experience is positioned above objective efficacy.” This sentence (my translaation of the German original) comes from a book by Udo Endruscheit that I have been reading. It is entitled “Vom Zweifel zur Haltung: Eine Reise durch die Geschichte der Erkenntnis” (From Doubt to Conviction: […]

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The Journal of Evidence Based Homeopathy ?!?!

Edzard — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:42:22 +0000

The Journal of Evidence Based Homeopathy (JEBH)? Yes, it does exist! It was launched in 2023 by Willmar Schwabe India, as a twice yearly publication that presents itself as a peer-reviewed outlet for research, clinical trials, case studies, reviews, and theoretical pieces about homeopathy. Its own site describes it as a “groundbreaking” journal meant to […]

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Educational Deficits of the German Heilpraktiker and the Dangers Caused by Them

Edzard — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 07:56:02 +0000

The Nazi relic of the German Heilpraktiker – alternative health practitioner, who practise so-called alternative medicine (SCAM)) – is a topic that I wrote about repeatedly, e.g.: Prison sentence for a German HEILPRAKTIKER who issued false vaccination certificates Another death caused by a ‘Heilpraktiker’, non-medically trained alternative practitioner? A German Heilpraktiker was sent to jail […]

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How unethical is homeopathy?

Edzard — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:44:09 +0000

Because homeopathic remedies are usually diluted to the point where none of the original substance remains (often beyond Avogadro’s number), the ethical concerns with this treatment must focus on veracity (truth-telling), patient autonomy, beneficence, and justice. Here are some of the problems that ensue**: Violations of Veracity and Informed Consent Informed consent is an essential […]

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The lecture from hell

Edzard — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 07:56:00 +0000

I was reminded of a paper that I published a long time ago – 23 years to be precise. It is entitled THE LECTURE FROM HELL. As it is not available online, let me give you a slightly revised version of it here: When it comes to giving lectures, I have certainly made every mistake […]

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The Rise of Chutzpah-Based Medicine (CBM)

Edzard — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 09:04:48 +0000

I recently coined a new term: Chutzpah-Based Medicine (CBM). It requires a bit of an explanation which I herewith try to deliver. Medical decisions should rely on a rational hierarchy: systematic reviews at the top, followed by randomised clinical trials, observational studies, and way down at the bottom we anecdotal experience and opinion. The new paradigm of […]

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Reinventing Medicine Badly but Profitably: the story of Mikhaila Peterson and CBM

Edzard — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:35:01 +0000

Mikhaila Peterson? I must admit, I never heard of her. As it turns out, she is the daughter of Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson and rose to fame not through peer-reviewed research but by declaring that red meat and salt cured her juvenile arthritis, depression, and other ailments. Her formal qualifications consist of a bachelor’s degree […]

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