Long Distance Quackery

[The SkepDoc]

There is a similar case in Washington State. Chiropractor Johanna Hoeller of Seattle does chiropractic adjustments without actually touching the patient. She makes cracking sounds in her own wrist and hands while remaining an inch or so away from the patient's skin. And she is under the delusion that she is touching the patient even after watching a video demonstrating that she is not. There is an amazing video on her website:
http://www.psbl.com/hoeller/ I don't know whether to be more disgusted by her antics, by the gullibility of her patients, or by the Board's failure to act.

Washington State law has a specific list of procedures allowed to chiropractors, and what Hoeller does is definitely not on that list. She claims to be performing NUCCA adjustments, which are on the list, but NUCCA has no provisions for no-touch adjustments. In fact, you could say she is defrauding patients by claiming to provide a treatment she does not provide.

When this case was reported to the Washington State Chiropractic Board, they didn't even investigate. The members spoke by telephone and opined that no law had been broken.

[Ishmael]

These cases just demonstrate our amazing capacity for self delusion to the point of being pathetic. I remember (although I could be wrong) when actor Yul Briner announce that he had cancer and an article announcing how he got cure by using coffee enemas; weeks after he died!
How many patients left the care of their physicians to try quackery “medicine” because of this? This is especially saddening to the family of such patients who abandon their chance at real recovery. They are the ones left, not only with the loss of a loved one but also many times penniless by the snake oil peddlers who promise a miracle cure but charge astronomic fees for their mumbo-jumbo cures.
I do not want to sound like a fascist, but this kind of “false hope predators” and “merchants of others desperation” should be criminally liable for their acts. Of course this could also bring other “evils” as well; but sometimes cannot help but miss the “good ol’ times” of the Spanish inquisition  (just kidding!)

[ERGONER]

... When this case was reported to the Washington State Chiropractic Board, they didn't even investigate. The members spoke by telephone and opined that no law had been broken.

... why would you place even the slightest reliance upon
'Washington State Chiropractic Quality Assurance Commission' to protect consumers ??

80% of that government 'Chiropractic Board' membership is composed of practicing chiropractors. Do you think they care more about protecting their own personal business self-interest & income -- or about helping the public ??

State licensing-boards are a sad joke on the citizenry.