Homeopathy & Randi

and the 'memory of water'

Dr. Jacques Benveniste, a famous allergy specialist, claimed to have shown (in vitro) that highly diluted bee poison (apis mellifica), beyond the Avogadro number, was capable of producing structural changes in living organisms akin to the degranulation of basophils induced by the full-strength bee poison.¹

Nature published this paper under proviso it was replicated in front of a scientific committee in his laboratory² which Benveniste could not do, and this false experiment by a famous scientist destroyed the possibility of all future research in credible homeopathy.³ Benveniste lost his position in the University, his laboratory, his prestige, his financial support, and his reputation.

A 2002 BBC documentary showing the Benveniste experiment was fake implied that homeopathy, by extension, was also fake.⁴

Enter Randi (James that is) the self proclaimed ‘most tireless investigator and demystifier of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims in the world.’ Randi was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Fellowship from the Academy of Magical Arts in 2012⁵ and declared a $1million prize to whoever could prove the validity of the action of a homeopathically potentized remedy beyond the Avogadro number - ignoring the existing trials.

In response, a team of ten Greek medical doctors led by George Vithoulkas took up the challenge, and in 2004 signed a contract with Randi beginning work on a protocol devised by a group of internationally reputed experts.⁶

The experiment was simple: An individualized homeopathic remedy would be given to a number of patients in the municipality hospital “ELPIS” in Athens, Greece, in double blind fashion - half receiving placebo the other the active remedy, the homeopaths must then determine who got the remedy (30c repeated) with a seventy percent (or above) accuracy rate to be able to claim the $1million.

However, through several “tricks”, Randi refused to go through the experiment thereby rescuing his million.⁷

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The following is taken from Vithoulkas.com⁸

• In 2005, a Randi representative informed (via e-mail) that the experiment’s finances hadn’t been raised and therefore the experiment could not begin although all else was ready.

• In 2006 the homeopaths received a signed agreement from Randi which stated he was satisfied with the experiment protocol, and he waived the claim of a preliminary test.

Later in 2006 Randi developed a health problem. When asked (by his team of skeptics) to assign a representative in order to start the experiment Randi refused, declaring his rehabilitation would span February till July 2006 - the crucial period the experiment needed to commence by in order not to be affected by the appointment of new hospital authorities.

Mr. Gindis, a Randi group member, emailed Randi: “I want to underline, though, that your participation is critical… As you can imagine, the homeopaths are very concerned about your health. In their eyes you “failed” them by getting sick right when they just about put it all together”. And, “All in all, I am impressed that he (Prof. Vithoulkas) managed to put together such a team, find a sponsoring hospital and find a way to recruit patients with advertising efforts and costs carried by the hospital and participating homeopaths.”

Randi’s delay tactics lasted long enough that a new Mayor - indifferent if not hostile to the project -was elected, replacing the authorities at the hospital (which was anticipated and repeatedly stressed to the skeptics) who were lobbied by the homeopaths to uphold the previous scientific committee decision, or to newly decide in favour of the experiment.

• In 2008, Randi suddenly wrote “In any case, it may not be necessary for me to actually be present in person for these tests. I am prepared to assign security and protocol duties to Alec Gindis and to Mr. Gabor, so they can act in my behalf.”

Permission to conduct the proposed homeopathic experiment at the ELPIS hospital was granted second approval, and a meeting between the Randi group and the homeopaths was held to finalize the experiment details (and officially taped as record).

However, a few days’ later Randi’s website proclaimed the homeopaths had abandoned the experiment… which was a total falsification of the truth (in typically wizard fashion one might say) !

But it worsened… when Randi issued the homeopaths his ultimatum “…Forget all previous correspondence exchanged on the subject. …What appears here is the current status. …First, we require that George Vithoulkas submit a regular, properly-filled-out application and submit it –just as we require everyone to do. After that has been received, we’ll go ahead– as with any regular applicant- with the arrangements, including the requirement for the preliminary stage” which altered all of the previous agreements, mutually agreed upon research protocol, and refused to go ahead with the planned experiment after the homeopaths discovered and called out the false, slanderous and deceptive posting at Randi’s website.

James Randi made it abundantly clear, twice, that he did not wish to go ahead with the experiment with his ridiculous excuses for withdrawing.

1. Davenas et al., 1988. Human basophil degranulation triggered by very dilute antiserum against IgE. Nature. Jun 30;333(6176):816-8. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2455231/

2. Vithoulkas, G. 2017. The Controversy Over the “Memory of Water.” Med Sci Hypotheses. 4:1-6. Available from: https://www.medscihypotheses.com/abstract/index/idArt/901167

3. https://www.vithoulkas.com/research/benvenistes-experiment

4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2512105.stm

5. https://web.randi.org/about-james-randi.html

6. Vithoulkas, G. 2017. The Controversy Over the “Memory of Water.” Med Sci Hypotheses. 4:1-6. Available from: https://www.medscihypotheses.com/abstract/index/idArt/901167

7. https://www.vithoulkas.com/research/clinical-trial-randi/?s=Randi

8. https://www.vithoulkas.com/research/clinical-trial-randi/?s=Randi