Yoshiaki Omura
Encyclopedia
Applied kinesiology
Applied kinesiology is an alternative medicine method used for diagnosis and determination of therapy. According to practitioners using Applied Kinesiology techniques, it provides feedback on the functional status of the body. AK is a practice within the realm of alternative medicine and is...
, is a patented alternative medicine
Alternative medicine
Alternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
diagnostic procedure in which a patient forms an 'O' with his or her fingers, and the diagnostician subjectively evaluates the patient's health according to the patient's finger strength as the diagnostician tries to pry them apart.
BDORT was invented by Dr. Yoshiaki Omura, along with several other related alternative medicine techniques. They are featured in Omura's self-published Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics Research, The International Journal, of which Omura is founder and editor-in-chief, as well as in seminars presented by Omura and his colleagues.
In the only known independent evaluation of BDORT or of any other BDORT-related treatment and technique by a mainstream scientific or medical body, the Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
The Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal of New Zealand hears and determines disciplinary proceedings brought against medical practitioners under Part VIII of the Medical Practitioners Act of 1995....
of New Zealand ruled, in two separate cases brought before it in 2003, that Dr. Richard Warwick Gorringe
Richard Gorringe
Dr. Richard Warwick Gorringe, MB, ChB, of Hamilton, New Zealand, was found guilty of Professional Misconduct and Disgraceful Conduct in 2003, by the Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal of New Zealand in Wellington, which drew upon expert witnesses to consider the application of...
, MB, ChB
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae , are the two first professional degrees awarded upon graduation from medical school in medicine and surgery by universities in various countries...
of Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
, who used BDORT (which he also called 'PMRT') to the exclusion of conventional diagnoses on his patients, was guilty of malpractice. In the first case, the Tribunal found it "is not a plausible, reliable, or scientific technique for making medical decisions" and "there is no plausible evidence that PMRT has any scientific validity."
In the second case the Tribunal ruled Gorringe again relied on BDORT to the exclusion of traditional diagnoses, which ultimately led to the death of a patient. As a result of these findings and conclusions, Gorringe was fined and stripped of his license to practice medicine.
Yoshiaki Omura
, MDDoctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, ScD
Scd
-In medicine:* Schnyder corneal dystrophy* Semen collection device* Sequential compression device an intermittent pneumatic compression system intended to reduce blood clot formation* Sickle-cell disease...
is president and founder of the International College of Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics, president and founder of the International Bi-Digital O-Ring Test Medical Association, and medical research director of the Heart Disease Research Foundation.
BDORT description
The test is a subjective evaluation of a patient's opposing muscle strength in which a diagnostician employs the thumb and forefinger of each hand, formed in the shape of an O, to attempt to force apart an O shape formed by the patient who places the fingertips of their thumb and one of their remaining fingers together. At the same time, the patient holds a slide of organ tissueOrgan (anatomy)
In biology, an organ is a collection of tissues joined in structural unit to serve a common function. Usually there is a main tissue and sporadic tissues . The main tissue is the one that is unique for the specific organ. For example, main tissue in the heart is the myocardium, while sporadic are...
, a sample of medication
Medication
A pharmaceutical drug, also referred to as medicine, medication or medicament, can be loosely defined as any chemical substance intended for use in the medical diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease.- Classification :...
, potential allergen
Allergen
An allergen is any substance that can cause an allergy. In technical terms, an allergen is a non-parasitic antigen capable of stimulating a type-I hypersensitivity reaction in atopic individuals....
, etc., in their free hand, or is otherwise 'probed' at an appropriate acupuncture point
Acupuncture point
Acupuncture points are locations on the body that are the focus of acupuncture, acupressure, sonopuncture and laser acupuncture treatment. Several hundred acupuncture points are considered to be located along meridians...
by the use of a metal rod or laser pointer. The diagnostician then uses their perception of the strength required to force apart the patient's 'O-Ring' of thumb and one of the remaining fingers to assess the patient's health.
BDORT patent
The United States Patent and Trademark OfficeUnited States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
(USPTO) rejected the initial BDORT patent application as 'too unbelievable to be true'. The application was then resubmitted in 1987, and the USPTO again rejected it. After receiving expert testimony from Dr. Omura's "associates in clinical fields and basic sciences, both in Japan and the United States" regarding BDORT, the USPTO issued in 1993.
The fact that a patent was granted to the BDORT has been cited as an example of 'high weirdness' by one firm of patent attorneys.
Suggested uses and variants of BDORT
The BDORT is capable, according to its proponents, of a wide range of applications in the diagnosis, prescription of treatment, and evaluation of efficacy of treatment of, amongst others: heart conditions, cancers, 'pre-cancers,' allergic reactions, viral and bacterial infections, a range of organic and/or environmental stresses, as well as the precise location of acupuncture points and meridians previously unknown or inappropriately identified.Other than the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
The Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal of New Zealand hears and determines disciplinary proceedings brought against medical practitioners under Part VIII of the Medical Practitioners Act of 1995....
's reports, there is no known independent mainstream scientific or medical evaluation or validation of any of the BDORT or BDORT-related claims, including the following BDORT variants:
The Indirect Method
- In the Indirect Method of application an intermediary is employed, and the patient is not directly examined. The intermediary, for example, directs a laser pointer held in his or her right hand at the appropriate acupuncture point, for example, atop the patient's head, while at the same time the diagnostician performs the test on the left hand of the intermediary.
Remote Application
- Omura claims that it is possible, if the procedure is performed by a very experienced practitioner such as himself, to perform the BDORT on a patient over the telephone without having any physical contact with the patient. In this procedure the patient is, for example, instructed to hold in one hand a substance being evaluated, while holding the telephone receiver at the bodily location prescribed by the diagnostician. The practitioner then evaluates the muscle strength necessary to separate the interlocked O–rings of thumb and forefinger of each of his or her own two hands, and uses this data in place of data from standard BDORT on the patient.
Selective Drug Uptake Enhancement Method
- The Selective Drug Uptake Enhancement Method is a central component of BDORT-derived treatments according to Dr. Omura. He claims that with this treatment it is possible, via BDORT diagnosis and evaluation coupled with appropriate acupuncture pointAcupuncture pointAcupuncture points are locations on the body that are the focus of acupuncture, acupressure, sonopuncture and laser acupuncture treatment. Several hundred acupuncture points are considered to be located along meridians...
stimulation, to ‘target’ alternativeAlternative medicineAlternative medicine is any healing practice, "that does not fall within the realm of conventional medicine." It is based on historical or cultural traditions, rather than on scientific evidence....
or conventional medications to specific cells or tissues, for example, cancer cells. According to Omura, when this occurs the medications will have minimal ‘uptake’ by non-targeted tissues or cells, thus maximizing the efficacy of the prescribed medications while minimizing side effects. There is no known independent verification of these claims.
Solar energy stored papers
- Special Solar Energy: Solar Energy Stored Papers (SESP) is a device which Dr. Omura claims was developed using BDORT assessment and evaluation, that can capture a special healing power of sunlight. Omura uses index cards or other ordinary paper and he says the sunlight must be ‘captured’ at the ideal times of sunrise and sunset. Omura says the energy can then be preserved in SESP while maintaining appropriate qigongQigongQigong or chi kung is a practice of aligning breath, movement, and awareness for exercise, healing, and meditation...
polarity and shielding the papers from electromagnetic fields by carefully wrapping them in aluminum foil. Thus captured and preserved, he claims that Special Solar Energy is effective in the treatment of a number of conditions, including arthritis, cancers, hypertension, and Alzheimer’s Disease. He has applied for a patent for this process.
Psychic healing
- Omura, as published in his journal, has investigated the application of psychic healing and psychic surgeryPsychic surgeryPsychic surgery is a procedure typically involving the supposed creation of an incision using only the bare hands, the supposed removal of pathological matter, and the seemingly spontaneous healing of the incision....
in Brazil, particularly that of Rubens Farias, JrRubens Farias Jr.Rubens Farias Jr. is a Brazilian psychic surgeon, who claims to be a channel for the spirit of Dr. Fritz. His clinic is in Bom Sucesso, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro.Rubens was trained as an engineer....
, who claims to channel the spirit of Dr FritzDr. FritzAdolf Fritz, generally called Dr. Fritz , was a hypothetical German surgeon whose spirit has allegedly been channeled by several Brazilian psychic surgeons, starting with Zé Arigó in the 1950s and continuing up to the present...
. Applying the BDORT as his tool of evaluation, he concluded that psychic healing's and psychic surgery's healing effects were achieved through the application of qigong energy and the use of acupuncture points.
Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal of New Zealand review of BDORT
The New Zealand Medical Practitioners Disciplinary TribunalMedical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal
The Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal of New Zealand hears and determines disciplinary proceedings brought against medical practitioners under Part VIII of the Medical Practitioners Act of 1995....
, ruled on two separate malpractice cases against Dr. Richard Warwick Gorringe
Richard Gorringe
Dr. Richard Warwick Gorringe, MB, ChB, of Hamilton, New Zealand, was found guilty of Professional Misconduct and Disgraceful Conduct in 2003, by the Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal of New Zealand in Wellington, which drew upon expert witnesses to consider the application of...
, MB, ChB
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae , are the two first professional degrees awarded upon graduation from medical school in medicine and surgery by universities in various countries...
, of Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton, New Zealand
Hamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
.
In the first , held in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
in 2003, where BDORT was also referred to as 'PMRT' ('Peak Muscle Resistance Testing') by Dr. Gorringe, the tribunal examined and dismissed any claims of scientific validity of BDORT, offering the following summary statement of findings:
As a result of these findings and conclusions, Gorringe was fined and stripped of his license to practice medicine.
In separate hearings the Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal held in December 2003 and ruled upon in May 2004 in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, found Gorringe guilty of malpractice in the death of an earlier patient, and concluded that Gorringe's reliance on BDORT to the exclusion of conventional diagnoses led to the patient's death.
BDORT testimony used by Wellington tribunal in its decision
Several expert witnesses provided testimony about BDORT at the MPDT Wellington hearings, with which the tribunal concurred:Equivalence of BDORT and PMRT
In the first New Zealand MPDT report from WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
in 2003, the tribunal defines the terms PMRT and BDORT as equivalent:
Later in the same report, the tribunal again equates PMRT and BDORT, but states that the technique used by Gorringe is different from Dr. Omura's:
The tribunal uses the terms BDORT and PMRT interchangeably throughout the Wellington report from 2003.
In the second MPDT report from Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in 2004, the tribunal does not mention PMRT at all, and refers to Gorringe's technique exclusively as 'BDORT'.
The Quackwatch
Quackwatch
Quackwatch is an American non-profit organization founded by Stephen Barrett with the stated aim being to "combat health-related frauds, myths, fads, fallacies, and misconduct" and with a primary focus on providing "quackery-related information that is difficult or impossible to get elsewhere."...
article reviewing these two New Zealand MPDT reports also equates PMRT and BDORT, stating:
BDORT-related courses
BDORT-related seminars, given by Omura, are conducted monthly in New York. The University of the State of New YorkUniversity of the State of New York
The University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
Education Department allows these seminars to count towards course credit for physicians and dentists seeking certification for the application of acupuncture
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of solid, generally thin needles in the body....
in the course of their practice.
In a Decision of 15 May 2007 the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal is a government agency in the state of Victoria, Australia. The name is pronounced 'vee-cat'...
, in Victoria, Australia, in an appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
against a decision
Case law
In law, case law is the set of reported judicial decisions of selected appellate courts and other courts of first instance which make new interpretations of the law and, therefore, can be cited as precedents in a process known as stare decisis...
by the Chinese Medical Registration Board of Victoria refusing registration to practice as an acupuncturist, found that attendance and participation in Yoshiaki Omura’s Annual International Symposium on Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics as accredited by the University of the State of New York
University of the State of New York
The University of the State of New York is the State of New York's governmental umbrella organization responsible for most institutions and people in any way connected with formal educational functions, public and private, in New York State...
Education Department
New York State Education Department
The New York State Education Department is the state education department in New York. It is part of the University of the State of New York , one of the most complete, interconnected systems of educational services in the United States...
, in addition to "clinical experience ... with these subjects in respect of real patients" did not meet the Chinese Medicine Board's requirement of "competencies substantially equivalent to" those taught in a Board certified acupuncture class. Given this, the Tribunal ruled that the Board was not required to certify the applicant as a practitioner of Chinese medicine.