Bioresonance therapy is a form of electromagnetic therapy in alternative medicine. It was invented in Germany in 1977 by Franz Morell and his son-in-law, engineer Erich Raschebut. Initially they marketed it as "MORA-Therapie", for MOrell and RAsche. Some of the machines contain an electronic circuit measuring skin-resistance, akin to the E-Meter used by Scientology, which the bioresonance creators sought to improve; Franz Morell had links with Scientology.[1][2]
Due to the electrical interference of the signals generated by everyday equipment and the range of frequencies utilised, the response is sometimes read through an extended period, in order to average it and to increase the accuracy of the results. In some of these devices a modern signal processing technique, usually PC-based, is able to analyse the multiple parameters of the response and interpret the results. The analyst is then supposedly able to make an assessment/summary of the physical and mental health of the patient.
Practitioners also say they can treat disease using this therapy, claiming they can stimulate a change of bioresonance in the cells, reversing the change caused by the disease. The devices would need to be able to isolate and pinpoint pathogens' responses from the mixture of responses the device receives via the electrodes. Transmitting these transformed signals over the same electrodes is claimed to generate healing signals that have the curative effect. With this method of diagnosis and treatment, practitioners claim to be able to detect and cure a variety of diseases and addictions without drugs. The given mode of operation (pathogenic signals in opposition to healthy ones) is linked to similar concepts in Traditional Chinese Medicine, especially acupuncture.
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Lacking any scientific explanation of how bioresonance therapy might work, researchers have classified bioresonance therapy as pseudoscience.[3] Scientific studies[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] did not show effects above that of the placebo effect.
Proven cases of online fraud have occurred,[12] with a practitioner making false claims that he had the ability to cure cancer, and that his clients did not need to follow the chemotherapy or surgery recommended by medical doctors, which can be life-saving. Ben Goldacre ridiculed the BBC when it reported as fact a clinic's claim that the treatment had the ability to stop 70% of clients smoking, a better result than any conventional therapy.[13]
In the United States of America the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies "devices that use resistance measurements to diagnose and treat various diseases" as Class III devices, which require FDA approval prior to marketing. The FDA has banned some of these devices from the US market.[14]