Top ADHD Specialist Cures ADHD, Diabetes, Autism Etc Etc

Flea recently brought Mednauseum to the attention of the skeptical blogosphere. Liz Ditz has brought to EoR's attention a mention on that blog about a groundbreaking study on ADD/ADHD to be published by a top specialist from EoR's corner of the world. As the American Chronicle reports in wide-eyed wonder:

If not a cure there sure seems to be some great results coming out of Australia. One of Australia’s top ADD/ADHD specialists appears to have found a wonderful therapy that is having great results by those who have been involved in a two year study that was just completed. Michael Sichel DO, ND, PhD has just concluded this study. His findings are what most will report as a great success on improving or eliminating the cognitive and sensory symptoms that are associated with many neurological and neurodevelopment disorders that now seem to plague an ever growing number of children and adults throughout the western world. Although Michael concentrates on children, this new method can be used by adults as well. By removing the many toxins that we are coming into contact with on a daily basis, he has shown that the child’s brain begins to function as it was intended to as the neurotransmitters appear to function more correctly after treatment. Despite the denial by government, major medical and the pharmaceutical industry, heavy metals such as mercury and lead along with the many chemicals have been finding their way into our systems at ever increasing amounts. This treatment removes these toxins and seems to lift a dark cloud from the patient. A new book will shortly be available that not only explains the how and why this has happened but also includes the results of Michaels study and how you can find this non drug therapy. You may want to keep your eyes open for "How to restore children damaged by Mercury, Man & Politics". This book promises to enlighten readers about the unwillingness of government agencies to open up on the facts about what are proving to be major contributors to the cause of the mystery ailments that have grown into a silent epidemic.

Where is the evidence that "heavy metals such as mercury and lead along with the many chemicals have been finding their way into our systems at ever increasing amounts"? What sort of "study" is published as a book rather than in respectable journal? Why does the government want so many "silent epidemics"? Why are none of these questions answered?

How do we know that Mr Sichel is an ADHD specialist? Why, because he says so himself, and he should know! Why, he even has the website domain adhd-specialist.com! He's a DO, ND and an Olympian. What being one of the ancient Greek gods has to do with curing ADHD, EoR has no idea. Oh, hang on, he means he took part as an athlete in some previous Olympic Games. Ho hum, being a Greek god would have been more relevant to curing ADHD. Strangely, he fails to mention his PhD on his own website. What is this mysterious disappearing PhD? What is it in? Which university awarded it?

The website itself is an online selling tool. There's no research there (though there are, of course, testimonials). He's published some books, has no research published that he mentions on his website (though he does claim to have been featured in the woman's magazine New Idea - twice).

Here are some of his books - sorry, studies (the purpose of the website is clear when the front page advertises his books):

The Sichel Protocol: Since 1992, we have been treating what are now known as Autism Spectrum Disorders ( ASD), with non-drug biomedical methods. My first cases were two in a family of three boys - one with ODD, the other ADD. Both ‘came good’ in a very short time, both caused by environmental factors, including obvious auto-immune effects of vaccination. [...] The protocol carefully explains the rationale for natural biomedical treaments. Includes simple, efficient and safe chelation of heavy metals with bioactive footpads enhanced with liquid chelating agents + before-and-after pathology evidence (+ 20 parent testimonies on recoveries) and a useful 8-page Summary Chart.

EoR must point out to his readers that "came good" is not a standard measurement of improvement in ADD (or any other illness or condition) when conducting scientific trials. Which this is not. Even with twenty testimonials (why from the parents? why not from the "came good" children?). Nor is "a very short time" of any meaning. And chelation is not necessarily safe (though EoR does acknowledge that what Mr Sichel appears to be doing - sticking foot pads on children - doesn't really qualify as chelation).

You can only get that world shattering breakthrough if you're a "practitioner" though (the site doesn't say what you have to be a practitioner of). Learn About Real Causes & Treatments for Diabetes is, thankfully, available to the whole world so we can finally get rid of this evil disease.

While preparing a report on the herbal complex Eleotin in April 2000, Michael Sichel was captivated by its brilliant 80-person trial result. He has since met recovered diabetics and believes Eleotin should be much better known to suffering humanity.

This is based on a claim by Kevin Trudeau, known for "making false and unsubstantiated claims" regarding which the University of Calgary has stated:

Santamaria stressed it isn't possible to cure diabetes with any herbal extract. "This claim is groundless," he said. "It has no scientific foundation."

Incidentally, EoR was amused to see a comment on that story by Peter C Nicholls promoting all sorts of woo, including Mr Stichel. While researching this post he came across various comments across the internet from Mr Nicholls promoting Mr Stichel.

Eleotin is also a drug (remember, herbs are drugs as well) which is subject to an FDA drug import alert in the US.

It appears Mr Sichel is using the same level of evidentiary requirement for his "cures" and antivaccination scare stories as his proof of Jesus's personal interest in himself:

At that time I met a fine and humble couple with deep faith; he had been a champion athlete himself. She sang these beautiful hymns, while doing housework, washing dishes etc. They invited me to the study I mentioned. A farmer took the study by reading in the book of Romans (ch.5 & 6). Here it succinctly describes how death came into our world, and how victory over death came through One Man - Jesus Christ. I will never forget that evening. Suddenly, as he read, I KNEW - beyond doubt, that this was true and that because He died and rose again - I too will rise with Him one day. I was so grateful and my heart was deeply touched by God. I cried in joy & relief.

This seems similar to the conversion Mr Sichel hopes the readers of his own book will undergo. Indeed, it would be interesting to run a real study comparing the effect of Bible readings versus the Stichel "protocol" in curing all sorts of neurological disorders.