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* Original Article
* Published: April 2003
DISTANT HEALING — AN “UPDATE” OF A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Geistheilung — Ein „Update” eines systematischen Reviews
* Edzard Ernst FRCP (Edin)1
Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift volume 115, pages 241–245 (2003)Cite this article
* 318 Accesses
* 41 Citations
* 38 Altmetric
* Metrics details
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
ZIEL
Einen „Update” eines publizierten systematischen Reviews klinischer Studien zum
Thema Geistheilung zu erstellen.
DESIGN
Systematisches Review.
QUELLEN
Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library und eigene Unterlagen.
STUDIENAUSWAHL
Klinische Studien jeder Art zum Thema Geistheilung, die zwischen 2000 und
Dezember 2002 publiziert wurden.
DATAEXTRAKTION
Zu jeder inkludierten Studie wurden wesentliche Daten extrahiert und in
narrativer Form zusammengefasst.
ERGEBNISSE
8 nicht-randomisierte und 9 randomisierte klinische Studien wurden aufgefunden.
Die Mehrzahl der methodisch hochstehenden Studien stützen die These nicht, dass
Geistheilung mit spezifischen Therapieeffekten assoziert ist. Die Ergebnisse von
zwei Studien schließlich implizieren, dass Geistheilung mit unerwünschten
Nebenwirkungen assoziiert sein kann.
SCHLUSSFOLGERUNG
Seit der Publikation unseres systematischen Reviews im Jahr 2000 sind zum Thema
Geistheilung mehrere aussagekräftige Studien erschienen. Dieses neue
Datenmaterial ist ingesamt weniger positiv und spricht nicht für die These, dass
Geistheilung mit mehr als einem Plazebo-Effekt assoziiert ist.
SUMMARY
AIM
To update our published systematic review of clinical trials of distant healing.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
DATA SOURCES
Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and personal files.
STUDY SELECTION
Any type of clinical study of any type of distant healing published between 2000
and December 2002.
DATA EXTRACTION
For each included study, essential data were extracted and summarised in
narrative form.
RESULTS
8 non-randomised and 9 randomised clinical trials were located. The majority of
the rigorous trials do not to support the hypothesis that distant healing has
specific therapeutic effects. The results of two studies furthermore suggest
that distant healing can be associated with adverse effects.
CONCLUSION
Since the publication of our previous systematic review in 2000, several
rigorous new studies have emerged. Collectively they shift the weight of the
evidence against the notion that distant healing is more than a placebo.
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REFERENCES
1. Ernst E, Pittler MH, Stevinson C, White AR, Eisenberg D (2001) The desktop
guide to complementary and alternative medicine. Mosby, Edinburgh
Google Scholar
2. Ni H, Simile C, Hardy AM (2002) Utilization of complementary and
alternative medicine by United States adults. Med Care 40: 353–358
Article PubMed Google Scholar
3. Wilson KM, Klein JD (2002) Adolescents’ use of complementary and
alternative medicine. Ambulatory Pediatrics 2: 104–110
Article PubMed Google Scholar
4. Mills S, Budd S (2000) Professional organisation of complementary and
alternative medicine in the United Kingdom 2000. A second report to the
Department of Health. Centre for Complementary Health Studies, University
of Exeter
5. Astin JA, Harkness EF, Ernst E (2000) The efficacy of “Distant Healing”: a
systematic review of randomized trials. Ann Intern Med 132: 903–910
CAS PubMed Google Scholar
6. Sampson W (2000) Are systematic reviews and meta-analyses sufficient as
well as necessary for assessing the medical effectiveness of prayer? Sci
Rev Alt Med 4: 12–16
Google Scholar
7. Halperin EC (2001) Should academic medical centers conduct clinical trials
of the efficacy of intercessory prayer? Acad Med 76: 791–797
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
8. Chibnall JT, Jerral JM, Cerullo MA (2001) Experiments on distant
intercessory prayer. God, science and the lesson of Massah. Arch Intern Med
161: 2529–2536
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
9. Atwood KC (2002) A critique of the “Annals of Alternative Medicine” distant
healing review. Sci Rev Alt 6: 99–101
Google Scholar
10. Veldung W (2002) Letter to E Ernst, dated 26 Jan 2001
11. Matthews DA, Marlowe SM, MacNutt FS (2000) Effects of intercessory prayer
on patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Southern Med J 93: 1177–1186
CAS Google Scholar
12. Messerli-Rohrbach V, Bosch J (2000) Spiritual healing at a public
psychiatric institution. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 7:
275–285
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
13. Engle VF, Graney MJ (2000) Biobehavioral effects of therapeutic touch. J
Nursing Scholarship 32: 287–293
Article CAS Google Scholar
14. le Gallez P, Dimmock S, Bird HA (2000) Spiritual healing as adjunct therapy
for rheumatoid arthritis. Br J Nursing 9: 695–700
Google Scholar
15. Wardell DW, Engebretson J (2001) Biological correlates of Reiki Touch (sm)
healing. J Adv Nurs 33: 439–445
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
16. Engebretson J, Wardell DW (2002) Experience of a Reiki session. Altern Ther
Health Med 8: 48–53
PubMed Google Scholar
17. Salib E, Youakim S (2001) Spiritual healing in elderly psychiatric
patients: a case-control study in an Egyptian psychiatric hospital. Aging
Ment Health 5: 366–370
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
18. Ebneter M, Binder M, Kristof O, Walach H, Saller R (2002) Fernheilung und
Diabetes mellitus: Eine Pilotstudie. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass
Naturheilkd 9: 22–30
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
19. Wilkinson DS, Knox PL, Chatman JE, et al (2002) The clinical effectiveness
of healing touch. J Altern Comp Med 8: 33–47
Article Google Scholar
20. Taylor B (2001) The effects of Healing Touch on the coping ability, self
esteem and general health of undergraduate nursing students. Compl Ther
Nurs Midwifery 7: 34–42
Article CAS Google Scholar
21. Krucoff MW, Crater SW, Green CL, et al (2001) Integrative noetic therapies
as adjuncts to percutaneous intervention during unstable coronary
syndromes: monitoring and actualization of noetic training (MANTRA)
feasibility pilot. Am Heart J 142: 760–769
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
22. Blankfield RP, Sulzmann C, Fradley LG, Tapolyai AA, Zyzanski SJ (2001)
Therapeutic touch in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. J Am Board
Fam Pract 14: 335–342
CAS PubMed Google Scholar
23. Matthews WJ, Conti JM, Sireci SG (2001) The effects of intercessory prayer,
positive visualization, and expectancy on the well-being of kidney dialysis
patients. Altern Ther Health Med 7: 45–52
Google Scholar
24. Wiesendanger H, Werthmüller L, Reuter K, Walach H (2001) Chronically ill
patients treated by spiritual healing improve quality of life: results of a
randomized waiting-list controlled study. J Altern Comp Med 7: 45–51
Article CAS Google Scholar
25. Abbot NC, Harkness EF, Stevinson C, Marshall FP, Conn DA, Ernst E (2001)
Spiritual healing as a therapy for chronic pain: a randomized, clinical
trial. Pain 91: 79–89
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
26. Aviles JM, Whelan SE, Hernke DA, et al (2001) Intercessory prayer and
cardiovascular disease progression in a coronary care unit population: a
randomized controlled trial. Mayo Clin Proc 76: 1192–1198
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
27. Leibovici L (2001) Effects of remote, retroactive intercessory prayer on
outcomes in patients with bloodstream infection: randomised controlled
trial. BMJ 323: 1450–1451
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
28. Cha KY, Wirth DP, Lobo RA (2001) Does prayer influence the success of in
vitro fertilization — embryo transfer? J Reproductive Medicine 46: 781–787
CAS Google Scholar
29. Flamm BL (2002) Faith healing by prayer. Sci Rev Alt Med 6: 47–50
Google Scholar
30. Sicher F, Targ E, Moore D, Smith HS (1998) A randomized double-blind study
of the effect of distant healing in a population with advanced AIDS. Report
of a small scale study. West J Med 169: 356–363
CAS PubMed Google Scholar
31. Bronson P (2002) A prayer before dying. Wired Magazine December
32. Dusek JA, Sherwood JB, Friedman R, et al (2002) Study of the therapeutic
effects of intercessory prayer (STEP): study design and research methods.
Am Heart J 143: 577–584
Article PubMed Google Scholar
Download references
AUTHOR INFORMATION
AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS
1. Complementary Medicine, Peninsula Medical School, Universities of Exeter &
Plymouth, 25 Victoria Park Road, EX2 4NT, Exeter, U.K.
Edzard Ernst FRCP (Edin)
Authors
1. Edzard Ernst FRCP (Edin)
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CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Correspondence to Edzard Ernst FRCP (Edin).
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ABOUT THIS ARTICLE
CITE THIS ARTICLE
Ernst, E. Distant healing — An “update” of a systematic review. Wien Klin
Wochenschr 115, 241–245 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03040322
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* Received: 08 January 2003
* Accepted: 10 February 2003
* Issue Date: April 2003
* DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03040322
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SCHLÜSSELWÖRTER
* Geistheilung
* Gesundbeten
* Reiki
* Fernheilung
* Therapeutic Touch
KEY WORDS
* Distant healing
* prayer
* Reiki
* spiritual healing
* therapeutic touch
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Price includes VAT (Germany)
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* Sections
* References
* Zusammenfassung
* Summary
* References
* Author information
* Rights and permissions
* About this article
Advertisement
1. Ernst E, Pittler MH, Stevinson C, White AR, Eisenberg D (2001) The desktop
guide to complementary and alternative medicine. Mosby, Edinburgh
Google Scholar
2. Ni H, Simile C, Hardy AM (2002) Utilization of complementary and
alternative medicine by United States adults. Med Care 40: 353–358
Article PubMed Google Scholar
3. Wilson KM, Klein JD (2002) Adolescents’ use of complementary and
alternative medicine. Ambulatory Pediatrics 2: 104–110
Article PubMed Google Scholar
4. Mills S, Budd S (2000) Professional organisation of complementary and
alternative medicine in the United Kingdom 2000. A second report to the
Department of Health. Centre for Complementary Health Studies, University
of Exeter
5. Astin JA, Harkness EF, Ernst E (2000) The efficacy of “Distant Healing”: a
systematic review of randomized trials. Ann Intern Med 132: 903–910
CAS PubMed Google Scholar
6. Sampson W (2000) Are systematic reviews and meta-analyses sufficient as
well as necessary for assessing the medical effectiveness of prayer? Sci
Rev Alt Med 4: 12–16
Google Scholar
7. Halperin EC (2001) Should academic medical centers conduct clinical trials
of the efficacy of intercessory prayer? Acad Med 76: 791–797
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
8. Chibnall JT, Jerral JM, Cerullo MA (2001) Experiments on distant
intercessory prayer. God, science and the lesson of Massah. Arch Intern Med
161: 2529–2536
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
9. Atwood KC (2002) A critique of the “Annals of Alternative Medicine” distant
healing review. Sci Rev Alt 6: 99–101
Google Scholar
10. Veldung W (2002) Letter to E Ernst, dated 26 Jan 2001
11. Matthews DA, Marlowe SM, MacNutt FS (2000) Effects of intercessory prayer
on patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Southern Med J 93: 1177–1186
CAS Google Scholar
12. Messerli-Rohrbach V, Bosch J (2000) Spiritual healing at a public
psychiatric institution. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd 7:
275–285
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
13. Engle VF, Graney MJ (2000) Biobehavioral effects of therapeutic touch. J
Nursing Scholarship 32: 287–293
Article CAS Google Scholar
14. le Gallez P, Dimmock S, Bird HA (2000) Spiritual healing as adjunct therapy
for rheumatoid arthritis. Br J Nursing 9: 695–700
Google Scholar
15. Wardell DW, Engebretson J (2001) Biological correlates of Reiki Touch (sm)
healing. J Adv Nurs 33: 439–445
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
16. Engebretson J, Wardell DW (2002) Experience of a Reiki session. Altern Ther
Health Med 8: 48–53
PubMed Google Scholar
17. Salib E, Youakim S (2001) Spiritual healing in elderly psychiatric
patients: a case-control study in an Egyptian psychiatric hospital. Aging
Ment Health 5: 366–370
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
18. Ebneter M, Binder M, Kristof O, Walach H, Saller R (2002) Fernheilung und
Diabetes mellitus: Eine Pilotstudie. Forsch Komplementarmed Klass
Naturheilkd 9: 22–30
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
19. Wilkinson DS, Knox PL, Chatman JE, et al (2002) The clinical effectiveness
of healing touch. J Altern Comp Med 8: 33–47
Article Google Scholar
20. Taylor B (2001) The effects of Healing Touch on the coping ability, self
esteem and general health of undergraduate nursing students. Compl Ther
Nurs Midwifery 7: 34–42
Article CAS Google Scholar
21. Krucoff MW, Crater SW, Green CL, et al (2001) Integrative noetic therapies
as adjuncts to percutaneous intervention during unstable coronary
syndromes: monitoring and actualization of noetic training (MANTRA)
feasibility pilot. Am Heart J 142: 760–769
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
22. Blankfield RP, Sulzmann C, Fradley LG, Tapolyai AA, Zyzanski SJ (2001)
Therapeutic touch in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. J Am Board
Fam Pract 14: 335–342
CAS PubMed Google Scholar
23. Matthews WJ, Conti JM, Sireci SG (2001) The effects of intercessory prayer,
positive visualization, and expectancy on the well-being of kidney dialysis
patients. Altern Ther Health Med 7: 45–52
Google Scholar
24. Wiesendanger H, Werthmüller L, Reuter K, Walach H (2001) Chronically ill
patients treated by spiritual healing improve quality of life: results of a
randomized waiting-list controlled study. J Altern Comp Med 7: 45–51
Article CAS Google Scholar
25. Abbot NC, Harkness EF, Stevinson C, Marshall FP, Conn DA, Ernst E (2001)
Spiritual healing as a therapy for chronic pain: a randomized, clinical
trial. Pain 91: 79–89
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
26. Aviles JM, Whelan SE, Hernke DA, et al (2001) Intercessory prayer and
cardiovascular disease progression in a coronary care unit population: a
randomized controlled trial. Mayo Clin Proc 76: 1192–1198
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
27. Leibovici L (2001) Effects of remote, retroactive intercessory prayer on
outcomes in patients with bloodstream infection: randomised controlled
trial. BMJ 323: 1450–1451
Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar
28. Cha KY, Wirth DP, Lobo RA (2001) Does prayer influence the success of in
vitro fertilization — embryo transfer? J Reproductive Medicine 46: 781–787
CAS Google Scholar
29. Flamm BL (2002) Faith healing by prayer. Sci Rev Alt Med 6: 47–50
Google Scholar
30. Sicher F, Targ E, Moore D, Smith HS (1998) A randomized double-blind study
of the effect of distant healing in a population with advanced AIDS. Report
of a small scale study. West J Med 169: 356–363
CAS PubMed Google Scholar
31. Bronson P (2002) A prayer before dying. Wired Magazine December
32. Dusek JA, Sherwood JB, Friedman R, et al (2002) Study of the therapeutic
effects of intercessory prayer (STEP): study design and research methods.
Am Heart J 143: 577–584
Article PubMed Google Scholar
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