Ryke Geerd Hamer

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'''Ryke Geerd Hamer''' (1935-2017) was a [[German]] physician who had his medical license revoked. He was a noted [[anti-Semitism|anti-Semite]],<ref name=bach>[http://www.jewish-conspiracy.com/jc/new-medicine.htm Des Wahnsinns fette Beute: Jewish-conspiracy nuts soar to new heights of lunacy] by Tor Bach & Kristin Gronii. Jewish Conspiracy</ref> known for his creation of "the '''Germanic New Medicine'''"®, a highly controversial [[alternative medicine]] practised almost exclusively by Hamer, though he has some devoted (without a scientific background) supporters. Hamer used GNM most frequently, and illegally, as a purported treatment for [[cancer]].

Hamer's [[pseudoscience|pseudoscientific]] theory is that every disease has a [[psychosomatic]] origin in [[psychology|psychological]] conflicts and anxieties and their neurological impact (this bears some eerie similarities to [[Christian Science]] views on illness). Hamer believed that cancer and other diseases can be treated and cured by using "conflictolysis" — resolving the mental conflicts which Hamer believed caused the illness.

==The German New Medicine==
Following the [[death]] of his son in a shooting incident in 1978, Ryke Geerd Hamer developed testicular cancer. His wife also developed breast cancer at around the same time. Hamer came to believe that both cancers had been directly caused by shock at their son's death and that they could be treated by resolving this emotional conflict. Despite that, [[Hypocrisy|he received a conventional operation for his testicular cancer in 1979]], while his wife was treated by Hamer himself, as the first patient of his New Medicine, and died in 1985.

Hamer announced the creation of his "New Medicine" in 1981.  Despite his theories being rejected by the scientific establishment, he opened a series of cancer clinics between 1982 and 1985, all of which were closed down by the authorities for illegal practices. The vast majority of his patients died at these clinics, although Hamer continued to publicly present his treatment methods as successful.

In 1986, Hamer's medical licence was revoked. He continued to practice illegally in various European countries in between prosecutions and stints of jail time.<ref name=markolin>[http://learninggnm.com/documents/hamerbio.html Hamer Biography] German New Medicine® The discoveries of Dr. med. Ryke Geerd Hamer — presented by Caroline Markolin, Ph.D.</ref> Unsurprisingly, courts have found him to be mentally unstable, and thus unfit to practice medicine.  Alarmingly, he has been supported and defended by some of those to whom he has been peddling his false treatments. He spent the last years of his life in [[Norway]].<ref name=markolin/>

==Hamer v. Norway==
In 2007, Hamer sought authorization to work as a doctor in [[Norway]]. The Board of Medical Practitioners denied his application unanimously. According to the Board, Hamer was unfit to practice and would even pose a risk to his patients if he were to be granted authorization. 

Not happy with this, Hamer sued the Board and demanded his license, because, among others; 

*[[Argument from ignorance|The Board did not disprove his theories, so how could they suggest that his patients died off?]]
*If the Board would let Hamer practice for a few years, they would be amazed at the result. 
*They laughed at [[Semmelweis]] and [[Galileo gambit|Galileo]], didn’t they?   

Just to make everything crystal clear, Hamer stated in court that he did not recognise standard medicine and would only use New German Medicine on his patients. 

Not surprisingly, the court did not feel inclined to play along. According to the court, replacing all standard medicine with an unproven theory is not only irresponsible, it could be deadly for the patients (as it was for the patients of his "clinics").

The court also pointed out that a doctor is not supposed to use his patients as guinea pigs; "Under any circumstance, the plaintiff's desire to test out his theories is of no value. The plaintiff must seek recognition for his theories through the traditional scientific channels."

Undaunted, Hamer continued to peddle [[woo]] to desperate people.

==Hamer's theories==
Hamer has repeatedly claimed that The German New Medicine could cure more than 90% of cancer cases.<ref>[http://customers.hbci.com/~wenonah/new/hamer.htm The New Medicine of Dr Hamer] by Walter Last (Rescued web page — March 2004)</ref> In reality, evidence of patients successfully treated by GNM is no more than [[anecdotal evidence|anecdotal]], while at least 140 deaths of GNM patients have been documented.  Hamer attributed the deaths to intervention by conventional medicine or to the patients not being fully committed to his cure (see "[[No True Scotsman]]").

Needless to say, GNM is condemned by the medical community, is not supported by any [[scientific method|empirical testing]], and is not backed up by any body of literature other than Hamer's own delusional writings.

Hamer also made numerous [[anti-Semitism|anti-Semitic]] and [[Holocaust denial]]ist statements, accusing an [[international Jewish conspiracy]] of slandering him and keeping the truth about Germanic New Medicine from the public. He claimed that [[Jewish]] doctors secretly practise GNM successfully on Jewish patients but deny it to others. Hence he held Jews responsible for the deaths of every patient who had died while undergoing conventional cancer treatment.

In line with his [[Alternative medicine|pseudomedical theories]], Hamer was also an [[AIDS denialism|AIDS denialist]],<ref name=bach/> claiming that AIDS is a consequence of the trauma of being diagnosed with HIV, rather than being caused by HIV itself.

He [[Crank magnetism|also]] denied that the [[moon landing hoax|moon landing]] and the [[9/11 conspiracy theories|9/11 terrorist attacks]] actually took place.

He believed that vaccinations are of no use, except to implant you with a "death-chip", which allows [[Conspiracy|THEM]] to kill you via remote control!

==See also==
*[[Deutsche Physik]]

==External links==
* [http://www.psiram.com/en/index.php?title=Ryke_Geerd_Hamer Ryke Geerd Hamer] and [http://www.psiram.com/en/index.php?title=Germanic_New_Medicine Germanic New Medicine] at Psiram, documenting Hamer's crimes in English/German/Italian/French (German article versions are usually more extensive and more current/better maintained)
* A short [http://www.psiram.com/en/index.php?title=Victims_of_New_Medicine list of some victims] at [[Psiram]]
* [http://www.psiram.com/en/index.php?title=Testimonies_of_former_associates_of_Hamer Interview with former Hamer employees] at Psiram
* [http://www.newmedicine.ca/ The Germanic/German New Medicine®] - Hamer's website
* [http://www.deathsect.com/ Deathsect.com] - an anti-GNM site, Mixed English/German
* [http://skepsis.no/blog/wp-content/2009/04/dom-avsagt-30042009.pdf] - Sandefjord county court, April 30th 2009
*[http://learninggnm.com/home.html German New Medicine® The discoveries of Dr. med. Ryke Geerd Hamer — presented by Caroline Markolin, Ph.D.] — the crankery continues

==Bibliography==
*''Summary of the New Medicine'' by Ryke Geerd Hamer (2000). Amici di Dirk. ISBN 8493009199.
*''Krebs und alle sog. Krankheiten - Kurze Einführung in die Germanische Neue Medizin'' by Ryke Geerd Hamer (2004). Amici di Dirk. ISBN 8496127133.
*''Wissenschaftliche Tabelle der Germanischen Neuen Medizin®'' by Ryke Geerd Hamer (2007). Amici di Dirk. ISBN 8496127222.

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

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[[Category:Alternative medicine promoters]]
[[Category:Antisemites]]
[[Category:Cancer woo]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Crank magnetism]]
[[Category:Racists]]
[[Category:Shysters]]

Categories: Alternative medicine promoters, Antisemites, Cancer woo, Conspiracy theorists, Crank magnetism, Racists, Shysters