Tiina Lindholm and her 'secret powers of nature'

Tiina Lindholm is, to the best of my knowledge, the first person of Finno-Ugric descent to appear on this blog.

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Tiina describes herself as a "Nordic spiritual healer" and a "Master of Public Health". Whatever the hell that means.

Tiina is also pretty keen on pyramids which she imagines will block electromagnetic (EM) radiation - see this advert if you really want to know more.

ASA complaint already submitted - unless Tiina really can intefere with EM radiation.

"I write to complain about an advert in "Soul and Spirit" magazine (Issue 28, May 2010).

The advert, for Tiina Lindholm, promotes various products and services.

I suspect that the advert may be in breach of two sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code. I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge whether the advertiser holds documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims:

(i) The "Spiritually programmed [sic] Tetrahedron" "breaks ground radiation"
(ii) The "Spiritually programmed Tetrahedron" is "effective within 40 metres"
(iii) The "Spiritually programmed Tetrahedron" maintains "Bio [sic] energy fields" and "cleans"
(iv) The "Spiritually programmed Tetrahedron" blocks "electromagnetic radiation"
(v) The "Spiritually programmed [sic] Quartz granules" "helps[sic] you to stay fit and healthy"
(vi) The "Spiritually programmed Quartz granules" are "effective within 5 metres"

3. The CAP Code, Section 50.1, states "Medical and scientific claims made about beauty and health-related products should be backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people..."

4. Under Section 50.1, I challenge whether any of the following claims are backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of clinical trials conducted on people:

(i) Tiina Lindholm can "help" with "insomnia"
(ii) Tiina Lindholm can "help" with "illnesses"

5. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser, the magazine or with the alternative medicine industry in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or the magazine."

Navraj Sihra - woo, or not?

Some of the adverts in Nexus Magazine do their best to be anonymous, offering little more than a telephone number or an email address.

This advert ('RADIONICS' - top left corner) is a good example - I wonder who the advertiser could be?

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By the way, Navraj Sihra is an artist. (He's the one in the middle, looking glum.)

Navraj shares a phone number and an email address with someone who is offering to "correct" disease at a distance. Are they related? We should be told!

ASA complaint, perhaps not concerning Navraj at all, follows.

"I write to complain about an advert in "Nexus" magazine (April-May 2010, Vol 17, No 3, p77, top-left corner).

The advert, entitled "RADIONICS. We are vibrating atoms" promotes a distance healing service.

I suspect that the advert may be in breach of two sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code. I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. The CAP Code, Section 50.1, states "Medical and scientific claims made about beauty and health-related products should be backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people..."

3. Under Sections 3.1 and 50.1, I challenge whether the advertiser holds documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims, and I challenge whether the claims are backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people:

(i) Disease is caused by "atoms out of synchronisation"
(ii) The advertiser can "correct" disease "at a distance"

4. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser, the magazine or with the alternative medicine industry in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or the magazine."

Barbara Brennan - NASA scientist fallen on hard times

Barbara claims to be a former NASA scientist.

I can't be bothered to find out whether she's telling the truth, but still, I was disturbed by her advert in Kindred Spirit Magazine claiming to teach people to "identify and heal the distortions that lead to disease".

Standard ASA complaint follows.

"I write to complain about an advert in "Kindred Spirit" magazine (May/June 2010, Issue 104, p4).

The advert, for Barbara Brennan School of Healing, promotes a "professional training programme".

I suspect that the advert may be in breach of one section of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code. I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. Under Section 3.1, I challenge whether the advertiser holds documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims:

(i) Students on the training programme can learn to "read the Human Energy Field"
(ii) Students on the training programme can learn to "identify and heal the distortions that lead to disease"
(iii) Students on the training programme can learn to "Perform some of the most advanced healing techniques known"
(iv) Students on the training programme can leave it as "amazing healers"

3. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser, the magazine or with the alternative medicine industry in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or the magazine."

*Mike Gibbard: sucker magnet

Mike Gibbard's website is full of glowing testimonials from his clients (did I say clients? I meant, "suckers").

UPDATE, 27 Mar: ASA advise "With regards to [Mike Gibbard], we've previously advised against this type of approach and we will therefore pass [this case] to our Compliance department for action."

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In his Kindred Spirits Magazine advert, Mike claims he can heal all kinds of problems from the comfort of his own home. Naturally, the service isn't free.

"POWERFUL DISTANT HEALING for all problems. £20 per month. Mike and Zak Gibbard, Morwenna, Sidmouth Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset, DT7 3ES. Website www.powerfulhealing.net"

"Rainbow readings" cost another £65, but that isn't a lot of money for the services of a man who can apparently defy the laws of physics.

Bog-standard ASA complaint follows.

"I write to complain about an advert in “Kindred Spirit” magazine (March/April 2010, page 93), which promotes a commercial distance healing service for Mike Gibbard and Zak Gibbard.

I suspect that the advert is in breach of two sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code.

I have submitted a scan of the advert. The advert is towards the top of the page, entitled "POWERFUL DISTANT HEALING". I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

1. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

2. The CAP Code, Section 50.1, states "Medical and scientific claims made about beauty and health-related products should be backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people..."

3. I challenge whether the advertiser holds documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims, and I challenge whether the claim is backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people:

(i) Mike and Zak Gibbard can perform "distant healing"
(ii) Mike and Zak Gibbard's healing can be used for "all problems"

4. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser, with the magazine, or with the publishing and alternative medicine industries in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or the magazine.

5. I confirm that I am happy to be identified as the complainant."

*Joe Potts - Hands-on healer

Joe Potts' website was obliterated when Geocities closed down, so I can't find many details about his improbable hands-on healing claims. He still advertises in Nexus Magazine.

UPDATE, 20th May: ASA report "[The advertiser] has provided their assurance that the wording of future ads will be revised to remove the references to "Back problems" and "Healer". We consider that this will resolve the complaint..."

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Perhaps the ASA can turn up something?

"I write to complain about an advert published in Nexus Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 2 (February-March 2010).

The advert, for Joe Potts, is entitled "Joe Potts - Dorset's 'no improvement no fee' healer".

I have submitted a scan of the advert. I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

I suspect that the advert is in breach of two sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code.

1. Nexus Magazine is published in the UK "under licence by Nexus Magazine (UK) Ltd". It is available in high street shops like WH Smiths.

2. The February-March 2010 issue (Vol. 17, No. 2, page 77) carried a classified advert entitled "Joe Potts - Dorset's 'no improvement no fee' healer". The advert promotes a hands-on healing service.

3. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

4. The CAP Code, Section 50.1, states "Medical and scientific claims made about beauty and health-related products should be backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people..."

5. I challenge whether Joe Potts holds documentary evidence for his claim that he can heal back problems, and I challenge whether his claim is backed by appropriate evidence consisting of trials conducted on people.

6. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser, Nexus Magazine, or with the publishing industry in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or Nexus Magazine.

7. I confirm that I am happy to be identified as the complainant."

*Bill Sohan - healing by post

Bill Sohan advertises his services in Nexus Magazine, claiming that he can heal people and animals at a distance.

UPDATE, 4th May: ASA report " The advertiser has provided a written assurance that the ad will be amended to remove the reference to 'DISTANT … ' healing."

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His website helpfully clarifies that, although the service is free, "contributions of any size are most gratefully received. Cheques should be made payable to P.Sohan (and not Bill Sohan)."

Standard ASA complaint follows.

"I write to complain about an advert published in Nexus Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 2 (February-March 2010).

The advert, for Bill Sohan, is entitled "DISTANT HEALING".

I have submitted a scan of the advert. I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

I suspect that the advert is in breach of two sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code.

1. Nexus Magazine is published in the UK "under licence by Nexus Magazine (UK) Ltd". It is available in high street shops like WH Smiths.

2. The February-March 2010 issue (Vol. 17, No. 2, page 77) carried a classified advert entitled "DISTANT HEALING". The advert promotes a healing-by-post service.

3. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

4. The CAP Code, Section 50.1, states "Medical and scientific claims made about beauty and health-related products should be backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people..."

5. I challenge whether Bill Sohan holds documentary evidence for his claim that he can heal humans and animals at a distance, and I challenge whether his claim is backed by appropriate evidence consisting of trials conducted on people.

6. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser, Nexus Magazine, or with the publishing industry in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or Nexus Magazine.

7. I confirm that I am happy to be identified as the complainant."