Acupoint Magnetic Wave Therapist- $299.95

[Mercutio]

Mrs. Mercutio and the Mercutiette Flew back from Florida (and boy are their arms tired) on Delta...of course, they brought back the "SkyMall" catalogue, which combines a number of different catalogues in one cool waste of time, space, and trees. On page 98 of the catalogue was this little number
http://images.skymall.com/images/products/fd/15/06/102104461gx2.jpg
the full ad for which can be found here (http://www.skymall.com/webapp/skystore?process=prodDisplay&action=&pid=102104461&iscrssl=). Ok, actually, the hand is not for sale, but rather an electronic acupuncture device that lets you "experience the power of acupuncture without the needles. 5000 years of proven Chinese Medicine merges with 21's century technology."

My question is, are claims like The magnetic pulse helps unclog micro energy pathways and improve blood circulation to help strengthen the immune system, allowing the body to better fight illness. From the palm of your hand you'll be able to access every part of your body. Stimulate and diagnose areas such as as the heart, lungs, spine, liver, colon, bladder, intestines. Strengthen the immune system against Hypertension, Insomnia, Fatigue, Asthma, Ulcers, Hemorrhoids, High Blood Pressure, Rheumatism, Muscle Pain and many more common ailments. or the Aculife Biowave Treatment program will give you the ability to self diagnose and treat ailments right in your own home. The key to a healthier life is right in the palm of your hand with advanced Aculife. legal? There is no disclaimer that I can see in the catalogue--no "these statements have not been evaluated by ...", and it certainly looks to me like they are making some very serious medical claims!

[Goshawk]

My guess would be that since it's so vague, it's covered under the same loophole that lets the naturopathy stuff slide through. It would be hard to prove that their gadget didn't "unclog micro energy pathways and improve blood circulation to help strengthen the immune system, allowing the body to better fight illness", and there's currently no accepted mainstream medical definition of "clogged micro energy pathways", and it's hard to quibble with something that promises to "improve blood circulation" and "strengthen the immune system". That's what a lot of naturopathy products promise, too.

As long as they're not promising to cure specific illnesses, I think they're covered. "Strengthen the immune system against ulcers" isn't the same thing as "cure ulcers".

[Mercutio]

I guess my surprise was that they actually use the word "diagnose"...

[Cleopatra]

Originally posted by Mercutio
I guess my surprise was that they actually use the word "diagnose"... Maybe they use the word diagnose with the ancient greek meaning, classics are a trend among believers and the word means foresee.See a problem that is coming and examine its nature.

In any case I know very well that acupuncture claims that it can diagnose health problems.

Usually the diagnose goes as : "This part of your palm hurts maybe you should check your liver".

[Nigel]

I'm with Merc if they didn't use the word "diagnose". Most garbage you see on the market (in the States at least) has the disclaimer, "This product has not been tested by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, heal, cause, or afflict illness or suffering." (Maybe a little poetic license there, but you get the idea.)

[Mercutio]

Originally posted by Cleopatra
In any case I know very well that acupuncture claims that it can diagnose health problems.

Usually the diagnose goes as : "This part of your palm hurts maybe you should check your liver". I could not find it now on a bet, but I received a catalogue some 2 years ago, I think, that had a page of products related to foot-reflexology. Basically, the same thing as the hand pic above, but with the feet. The trouble was, two of the products included a foot map (again, like the hand above)--one on a wall chart, the other conveniently printed on a sock (just slip your foot in the sock and diagnose away!). But...the two maps were completely different! The heart area on one was the liver on the other...the lungs on one were the back on the other....and so on (perhaps not those specific switches, but that general idea).

Of course, to me this suggested a great methodological leap for testing acupressure and foot-reflexology--you could, without much difficulty, have control conditions in which the practitioner fully believes that the treatment is for heart, the patient fully believes that it is for the stomach...etc...