Re: Scientific study of the effects of prayer

From: Damien Broderick (d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Tue Oct 02 2001 - 23:51:23 MDT


At 06:01 PM 10/2/01 -0700, Jeff wrote:

>I appreciated Bryan Moss's reminder to look to the
>identities and motivations of those who commissioned
>the "research". [...]
>(Noting the venue of the research, ie
>Korea, I wonder, "Could have been commissioned by the
>rev Moon?")

Did you also note the details at the end?

< None of the researchers are employed by religious organizations and were
not asked by religious groups to perform the study. Dr. Kwang Y. Cha,
director of the Cha Hospital and an associate research scientist at OB/GYN
at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons, funded the
research through his hospital. >

Google couldn't find Kwang Y. Cha, except in the original Eureka ref. But
Cha Hospital sounds a tad dodgy, given that it's the provenance of Dr Cha.
So...

http://aids.hallym.ac.kr/health/news/991025.html

 Cha Hospital symposium examines
 future of alternative medicine

 The College of Medicine at Pochon Cha
 University hosted a symposium titled "Traditional
 and Alternative Medicine in the 21st Century"
 yesterday at the Pundang Cha Hospital, south of
 Seoul. Experts from 7 countries, including the
 United States, China, Japan, France, United
 Kingdom and India presented their findings and
 opinions at the symposium.

 Cha Kwang-yul, currently professor at Columbia
 University in New York, organized this
 symposium with the purpose to provide
 information on the development of research done
 in alternative medicine and its emergence in the
 international medical arena.

 ...
 The symposium consisted of two sessions.
 Session one, titled "Factors that affect practice and
 research of traditional medicine," was moderated
 by Daniel Eskinazi from the Rosenthal Center for
 Complementary and Alternative Medicine at
 Columbia University. He also presented
 "Overview of factors that shape practice and
 research of alternative and traditional medicine"
 as the first paper of the session.
 Later on in the session, Fredi Kronenberg from
 the same institution made a presentation on
 "Academic/funding perspectives in developing
 alternative medicine: Th experience of the
 Rosenthal Center." Papers were also read by Gail
 Mahady from University of Illinois, Cui Meng
 from China Academy of Traditional Chinese
 Medicine, Kazuhiko Horiguchi from Kawado
 Clinic for Kampo and Acupuncture in Japan, U.
 G. Geeta from Foundation for Revitalization of
 Local Health Traditions in India, Bruce Madge
 from the British Library and Chang Ill-moo from
 Seoul National University. Jean Bossy's paper was
 read by Eskinazi as she was not able to attend the
 symposium.

 The second session was on "Traditional and
 alternative medicine in Korea," with Korean
 speakers on the trend of practice of traditional and
 alternative medicine. Kim Chong-yul,
 ex-president of Kyunghee Medical College
 presided over the session. An overview was given
 by Chun Sae-il of Yonsei University. The session
 dealt with the bio-energy of Korean traditional
 foods, Korean acupuncture techniques, Korean
 QuiKong, Korean medicine and the affects in
 integrating traditional medicine and modern
 medicine.
...
 The Pundang Cha General Hospital is the one of
 the first hospitals in Korea to conduct
 collaborated treatment of modern and traditional
 medicine, which accounts for its hosting the
 event. Pochon Cha University was the first in
 Korea to open alternative medicine as an official
 subject in its curriculum.

 The organizer, Cha Kwang-yul, was the first
 president of the university and is an active scholar
 in the field of alternative medicine at Columbia
 University in the U.S.

 Updated: 10/25/1999

 Korea Herald
==============================

and for more on Dr Cha and his team (not witch doctors, or not only witch
doctors):

http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/obgyn/patient-care-services/cha.html

The C.C. (Cha Columbia)
                     Infertility Center is a direct
                     extension of the Infertility Medical
                     Center of the Cha General Hospital
                     in Seoul, Korea. Headed by
         internationally renowned clinician and researcher Dr.
         Kwang-Yul Cha, the C.C. Infertility Center provides
         specialized care to our Korean community.

         In 1989, we received the grand prize at the American
         Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) annual
         meeting for the first successful delivery in the world
         after using immature oocyte. Our pregnancy rate is
         over 25% using immature oocyte in Polycystic
         Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or Ovum Donation
         program while reducing costs by not administering
         super-ovulation medications during the IVF
         program. We are also well known for successful
         pregnancies by being the first in the world at using
         the newly established oocyte vitrification method. An
         award was given in 1998 by ASRM for this
         accomplishment. Again in 1998, we received a grand
         prize by ASRM for developing laparoscopic tubal
         reanastomosis. We are one of the most advanced and
         cost-effective fertility centers in the country with high
         pregnancy rates.

===========================

This is linked to Columbia University, not Bog Extension College, Jerkville.

Damien Broderick



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