Nina Knowland, spiritual healer

[Julia]

Where would the woos be without lazy journalists? The Wiltshire Times has come up with a totally uncritical article (ie "free advert") for one Nina Knowland, a spiritual healer who is seeking children with cystic fibrosis to "benefit" from her skills. A look at her website - www.point-of-light.moonfruit.com/ - reveals that not only is she a New Age crackpot peddling worthless therapy, she claims to have successfully treated many illnesses including cancer. Isn't it illegal to make this claim in the UK?

[MischiefMonkey]

Indeed, Reginald Gill was convicted of fraud for making such claims. Gill is a particularly evil example of 'healers', persuading his victim, Stephen Hall, to stop taking his morphine. It is possible that with proper treatment he could have lived months, with Gill's IFAS machine and diet/supplements he only lived weeks. Of course it is entirely possible that Hall would not lived any longer with conventional treatment, but at least he would have had a chance.

John Vernon is another person caught using the IFAS machine to cure cancer. Unfourtunately I don't think he was prosecuted, though he was exposed by the BBC

As for Ms Knowland, she does indeed claim to have successfully treated cancer. However she also points out that she offers no guarantee. A fine line.

[Julia]

Apparently it's illegal to advertise or offer a cancer treatment - there does not need to be any mention of a cure, although Knowland also claims to have "successfully treated" cancer - what is a successful treatment if not a cure? Thanks to Mojo of the JREF forum for drawing my attention to the actual wording of the Cancer Act:

"Prohibition of certain advertisements.
— (1) No person shall take any part in the publication of any advertisement—
(a)
containing an offer to treat any person for cancer, or to prescribe any remedy therefor, or to give any advice in connection with the treatment thereof."

In my opinion Knowland is breaking the law.

[vbloke]

Is it just me, or is part of that url (moonfruit) particularly apt?

[Mojo]

Thanks to Mojo of the JREF forum...

And here! You're welcome!

[Cuddles]

Apparently it's illegal to advertise or offer a cancer treatment - there does not need to be any mention of a cure, although Knowland also claims to have "successfully treated" cancer - what is a successful treatment if not a cure? Thanks to Mojo of the JREF forum for drawing my attention to the actual wording of the Cancer Act:

"Prohibition of certain advertisements.
— (1) No person shall take any part in the publication of any advertisement—
(a)
containing an offer to treat any person for cancer, or to prescribe any remedy therefor, or to give any advice in connection with the treatment thereof."

In my opinion Knowland is breaking the law.

Does she claim that she can treat it? Or just that she has treated it? If the latter, she's technically not offering anything, just saying what she has done in the past and therefore isn't breaking the law. On the other hand, plenty of people claim to treat cancer in violation of the law and nothing is ever done about it, so there's no reason to expect it to be any different this time?

[dee]

Where would the woos be without lazy journalists? The Wiltshire Times has come up with a totally uncritical article (ie "free advert") for one Nina Knowland, a spiritual healer who is seeking children with cystic fibrosis to "benefit" from her skills. A look at her website - www.point-of-light.moonfruit.com/ - reveals that not only is she a New Age crackpot peddling worthless therapy, she claims to have successfully treated many illnesses including cancer. Isn't it illegal to make this claim in the UK?

If you read on one of her pages at the bottom there is this disclaimer:

Nina: No doctor will tell you everyone can be cured, there are no guarantee's, I can't do this either, I can say I have a high success rate when I have been able to.

Erm so what's the point of her claiming to have 'cured' all these people then? What a load of old twaddle, I'd sooner go to a qualified doctor who at least has access to the latest treatments than to someone who makes ridiculous claims that cannot be true and yet still substantiates those claims.

[Mongrel]

Where would the woos be without lazy journalists? The Wiltshire Times has come up with a totally uncritical article (ie "free advert") for one Nina Knowland, a spiritual healer who is seeking children with cystic fibrosis to "benefit" from her skills. A look at her website - www.point-of-light.moonfruit.com/ - reveals that not only is she a New Age crackpot peddling worthless therapy, she claims to have successfully treated many illnesses including cancer. Isn't it illegal to make this claim in the UK?

Julia - do you have more information please?

I've just had a word with my Sister-in-law who works for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and she'd be interested in getting this looked into

[Julia]

And here! You're welcome!

Oops - memo to self: MUST PAY MORE ATTENTION !

Mongrel, I haven't got any more info but I've already e-mailed the CFT about Knowland. I don't expect an answer for quite some time, but perhaps your sister-in-law could speed things up a bit. It infuriates me to think of Knowland giving false hope to parents of CF children. I've also e-mailed Cancer Research about Knowland's claims and asked for more details about the Cancer Act.

[Julia]

Nina Knowland or one of her fans must lurk on sceptical forums - she has removed cancer from her list of "successfully treated" illnesses.

[seren]

Look at that list though! So many people not protected by law! I wonder what Arthritis Care, the British Rheumatology Society, Asthma UK, RNIB, Back Care etc etc, would say about this?

Healing broken bones? That's a testable claim- a potential JREF prize-winner?

[Julia]

I've had a brief reply from the Wiltshire Trading Standards Authority thanking me for bringing Knowland's claims to their attention - more info as and when it becomes available.

Yes, I wondered about her claim to have "successfully treated" broken bones. Since Knowland already has a media presence (thanks to the Wiltshire Times!) it does sound as if she's a potential JREF claimant.

[seren]

Totally irrelevant: every time I see this thread title I think "Nina No-no".

[Julia]

Meercat of BadPsychics has an excellent article about Knowland here:

http://badpsychics.com/thefraudfiles...hp?storyid=603

Nina's spiritual mentors include Sai Baba, John of God, Steven Turoff and not-really-a-doctor Gillian McKeith. She also links to Sylvia Browne's site. The thought of this crackpot laying her "healing hands" on vulnerable people absolutely sickens me.

[fruitfly]

Nina Knowland or one of her fans must lurk on sceptical forums - she has removed cancer from her list of "successfully treated" illnesses.

She must be rattled - it's now "alleviated" rather than treated, and the button on the left has changed from "Conditions Treated" to "Conditions".

http://www.point-of-light.moonfruit.com/

See Bad Psychics link on previous post for original screen shot