This is the (voluntary) regulatory body for all sorts of quackery, set up by the Government (with the help of the Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health (RoyalQuack)) and paid for by you and I. But it is toothless. All they are there to do is register quacks who sign up for their code of conduct and gives no assurances as to the efficacy of any of its regulated quack therapies. Of course, it will be seen by the public as some kind of official recognition that they things they 'regulate' are supported by evidence, etc and lead to more being conned by them.
One glimmer of hope is that one of the members of their Conduct and Competence Committee is David Colquhoun who is an anti-quack and runs the excellent DC's Improbable Science website, so he'll be a busy man! However they proudly proclaim:
Unbelievable.The function of the CNHC Fitness to Practice Committees and Panels is not intended to be punitive.
In what can only be described as an inspired move, Andy Lewis, who runs the Quackometer site, owns the domain name ofquack.org.uk and has pointed this to the CNHC website, with the words 'Ofquack - making quacks look professional since 2008'! Brilliant!
He posted on his site about Ofquack (as it shall always now be known) in a post titled: Ofquack's Toothless Squawk. One (anonymous) commenter tried to accuse Andy of stealing CNHC's website, but all he's done is point the ofquack domain name to the CNHC's website.
I have pointed out that they have already stolen a Registered Trademark of the British Standards Institute [---][/---] the word 'Kitemark®' is owned by them. Not a good start for a body there to uphold standards!
A spoof article appeared on the Daily Mask:
It remains to be seen what they get up to.********************************************************************************
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPISTS TO BE REGULATED BY WITCH DOCTOR - The Daily Mash
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/heal ... 901201522/
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COMPLEMENTARY THERAPISTS TO BE REGULATED BY WITCH DOCTOR
STRICT standards must be applied to alternative medicine, according to the voodoo priest who will run the UK's complimentary therapy watchdog.
Papa Limba is the former Lib Dem candidate for Bristol North West
Haitian born Papa Limba said his first task as chairman of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council would be to identify which therapists were righteous shamans and which had the bad juju.
But the witch doctor stressed the therapists would be judged not on the effectiveness of their treatments but on the strength of their mogambo.
Limba said: "There are many frauds and not everyone has as strong a connection to the serpent god Demballa as they like to make out.
"I place my hands on their head and if their spirit vibrates to the rhythm of the ocean I give them a sticker to put in the window. If not I rub them with the mashed root of the banyan tree and we never hear of them again."
He added: "Once a year I shall visit them and cast my chicken bones on their consulting room floor. If they are still there a week later I report them to health and safety."
A CNHC official said all applicants would be judged on the four key elements: earth, fire, water and the age of the magazines in their waiting room.
Homeopaths will be able to apply for accreditiation by visualising the application form and then beaming their thoughts down the nearest ley line.
[Retrieved: Tue Jan 20 2009 12:55:02 GMT+0000 (GMT Standard Time)]
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