BEMER Group has shut down the institute. All below is history.
The tax haven-registered BEMER international AG sells controversial magnet therapy devices globally. Not recognized by medical science, BEMER cites research by an Institute for Microcirculation in Berlin (german: Institut für Mikrozirkulation) as proof for their devices’ effects. During my last visit to Berlin, I decided to find out if that obscure facility really exists.
UPDATES/FOLLOW-UP:
- BEMER Int. AG makes up an “institute” in Berlin
- Study finds BEMER to be useless in Fibromyalgia
- A BEMER rep answers
- Dr. Klopp dies, and BEMER admits there was no institute
- BEMER Group drops the Institute after Klopp’s death
- A BEMER whistleblower exposes the complete scam
________________________ original post, January 2018__________________
The institute is not in the phone book or any other address- or business directory. It’s not in the trade register, i.e. it is not a registered company. It’s not a registered trademark. The only hint we have is the institute’s website, which it maintains since 2014, first under institut-mikrozirkulation.de (defunct) and later as institute-microcirculation.com. The physical address mentioned there is the same as in their last regular paper, which dates back to 2013.
Note that the name has a spelling error (Reiner). The address is also false, there is no Erwin-Negelein-Haus in Bernau. However, there is an Erwin-Negelein-Haus at the Forschungscampus Berlin-Buch, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10. The website tells us the institute’s research lab is situated at this address, and so I started there. Armed with a BEMER business card I grabbed somewhere, I would pose as a churnalist, an idiot-level healthcare professional, or an interested reseller – just in case there’d be a real facility with real people.
The campus gatekeeper had never heard of such an institute, although he’s doing the job for several years now. Nobody had asked him so far for such an entity. The map and site directory list neither an Institut für Mikrozirkulation nor its director, Dr. Rainer Klopp, BEMER’s key expert.
The Negelein Haus is building no. D79. There is no such institute. The guiding plate at the entrance let shimmer through the names of all former labs and offices at the spot, and there has been no mark for an Institut für Mikrozirkulation on earlier versions.
I inspected the building as far as possible. The labs and other premises are rather small, there is a number of companies which have post boxes in the hall. One of them is ICP Healthcare.[defunct as of 1/2019] 
The co-author of the last paper mentioned above, Prof. Schulz, was affiliated with that company. Did he lend his address to Klopp’s institute?
The search would have ended here, but the gatekeeper found me a contact at BBB Management GmbH, which operates the whole campus. There was a nice and helpful guy, with whom I had this conversation, word-for-word:
I’m looking for an Institut fuer Mikrozirkulation, which claims to have research labs here. Have you ever heard of such an institution?
– Yes, that’s Dr. Klopp. It’s not here.
Can you tell me where the institute is?
– The address is [—]. You will find Dr. Klopp there.
The institute “is” Dr. Klopp? Not that I expected anything else, but that was remarkably direct.
The site in question is at Wiltbergstr. 50, a kilometre from the other. It’s a 19th century hospital ensemble. At the entrance I found that map, which finally was the first hint that an Institute for Microcirculation really exists, physically. On the lower right, from the bottom, the second entry.
The building was a 1,5 story pavillon, and at the back door 20d, between trash containers, there’s the sign I was searching for.
There is nothing but that plate (the name here correct: Rainer). No doorbell, the lock destroyed. Inside a rubble. From the german writings on the wall, it’s a former surgery from East German time, not any institute. There’s hardly any research work ongoing, since even the electricity cables are torn from the walls.
The same in the basement. All windows taped, appearingly the site is completely empty. No institute here. Possibly here are premises under construction, but there’s no Institute for Microcirculation or any related research facilities at the given addresses.
In late 2017, however, a new address appeared on the “institute’s” website: the management would be at Marktplatz 3, Bernau bei Berlin. Bernau is a small town about 15km away, just beyond Berlin’s city limits. Marktplatz is the central town square. It is quite small in this case, with only a handful of buildings. No. 3 looks this way.
There is a barber and a photographer downstairs. A local construction firm informs at its website, that the former offices in that house were turned into apartments. There is no institute here, but the bell sign tells us who lives here. It’s Dr. Klopp, the “director” of the “institute” which should only be written in quotation marks from now on.
The “Institute for Microcirculation” is a virtual entity.
There is no such research facility at any of its claimed addresses, and there’s little reason to assume that it has ever been.
The “institute’s” management resides at the apartment of its director, Dr. Rainer Klopp.
Dr. Klopp seems to be the “institute” in person.
contact & corrections: earlightswindle@gmail.com
Thanks for good detective work!
It’s not surprising that the “Institute” does not really exist, because the Bemer public representatives have false or unverifiable academic credentials (except for Rainer Klopp, who probably has a real MD degree). Their “certificate” for the Bemer equipment in Germany has been obtained by an outsourced company that did not do any scientific evaluation but relied on Bemer’s “publications” which are in fact paid commercials in pseudoscientific or predatory journals.
My last lookup of “bemer” on PubMed came up with 14 published studies. Checking on a couple of their five Euro patents show the usual names and demographic info like any other patent. Dr Klopp’s book Mikrozirkulation is listed for $470. I met him personally at the last IMIN conference, a very humble gentleman with 3 PhD degrees. I’m a bit puzzled by your findings here and have asked BemerAmerica for comments on this.
I would be very interested in learning of any response you receive from Bemer.
Thank you.
I’d be interested, too. Would also be nice to hear details about the other PhD degrees – 3 is now a bit over the top.
Nice one! Thx for the information!
Appreciate any follow up
I found this company name inside Peter Carl Simons’ book on microcirculation (translated from German to English, 2016, available at Amazon.)
BEMER AG operates in the medical engineering sector, conducts and supports research in the area of microcirculation, and develops physical treatment procedures to positively influence the aforementioned. The multi-patented and market-leading technology of the physical vascular therapy BEMER is available in different, innovative product lines, which the company distributes through its own, widely spread direct specialist distribution and the corresponding local representation in over 40 countries. The company’s registered office is in Triesen, Liechtenstein, where over 50 employees are employed.
BEMER was founded in 1998 by Peter Gleim as Innomed International AG, and in the year 2010 was renamed accordingly. Today, Gleim brings along many years of experience in managing the company as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
Peter Carl Simons is obviously a quack writer. Calling himself “international expert for [whatever]” and posing on book covers in a white coat, he has lots of such brochures on sale. These are all BoD, i.e. printed on demand on personal funds. From the microcirculation book you mentioned, the final “chapter” is about Bemer. Either the whole “book” is written as an advert, or it just copied advertising to fill the pages. In that case it may infringe Bemer rights.
The second review on amazon is good. 15 pages for 18€, 5 of which are advertising the Bemer product.
Quite the opposite of a trustable source. In fact, it makes me *facepalm*: if you have such friends, you don’t need enemies.
(ps. I was in the business at amazon for several years via a contractor, and had extensively to do with medical text books etc. We did not even mention this kind of product as a book.)
Unfortunately I do, 2 friends that have bemer units in their homes, horribly expensive and it is more like a religion/cult than anything related to science. Difficult to keep a straight face when they sing bemer’s praises and claim it is endorsed by NASA. I studied physics, grad work in Spatial Analysis (long ago), 4D stats/satellite img & was a stat professor. I do not claim to know everything but have a good nose for pseudo science/bs.
Kind of follow-up: Placebo-controlled trial of BEMER in Fibromyalgia refutes any effect
I am wondering if any of you posting comments here have actually used the bemer. We use the bemer equine blanket and found that it is IN FACT extremely effective when used on our barrel racing horses. As a matter of fact, our horses almost always run faster immediately following a bemer treatment than when not receiving a bemer treatment. For example, at a recent 3 day barrel race: race day 1 time with a bemer treatment was a 15.343, race day 2 time without bemer treatment prior to race was 15.5.97, race day 3 time was 15.302 once again with bemer treatment. This is just an example for one race we recently attended. However, we are seeing these very same type of results consistently when attending barrel races.
When lacking or contradicting evidence is “countered” by “user testimonials”, something is foul.
Red light warning for BS…
According to this bio I found online–Dr Klopp is currently 75 years old, which may be why he is difficult to track currently. I don’t believe there was ever a BEMER institute of Microcirculation-it is not recorded in the history of BEMER international AG, Liechtenstein-but rather Dr Klopp pioneered research in microcirulation and BEMER contacted them for evaluation of their product(s). Dr Klopp was a physician and professor at Humbolt University in Berlin (Charite) holding director and teaching positions of both undergraduates in physics and biophysics, and as a senior physician of the Institute of Cardiovascular Diagnostics and researcher in the medical school. He founded a research institute of microcirculation while at Charite in 1991 and was awarded research monies from the German government as well as other sources.
Dr Klopp is well published in Europe.
Average of retirement in Germany is 62 to 65 years old. In 1991, the year his separate institute for microcirculation studies was formed on the campus of Charite, Dr Klopp was 48 yeas old–he is now 75 years old. Dr Klopp worked with the founder of BEMER Intl AG Peter Gleim to study and understand the original BEMER wave signal and provided validation of their product’s impact on the capillary and micro capillary system in the human body . BEMER did not own his Institute of Microcirculation which he founded at Charite University medical center. In the review of published research on pubmed.gov where he is listed as an author over the past 11 years there is no mention of the research being conducted at the Institute of Microcirculation–indicating that it is probably not an active research facility, hence you would not find it on the campus. This is not really a validating factor that it did not exist, and even here in the USA physicians, professors and clinical researchers are often referred to by the last position they held before retirement. They are often consultants that can still be involved in ongoing research.
While I appreciate your investigation of the campus attempting to locate the Institute of Microcirculation, a further investigation of an actual interview with Dr Klopp himself, review of current research on BEMER wave signal–such as the USA Dept of Defense research on wound healing presented at the IMIN conference in Florida in Sept 2016, research of the history of the formation of the institution of its original charter, financial contracts, employees, etc which are records of the state university – Humbolt University(Charite) and the government records of Germany would be much more informative of the actual work of Dr Klopp and his founding of the Institute of Microcirculation–rather than chasing addresses and drawing conclusions from that.
In the USA many foundations, non-profits etc are formed specifically to financially support the research of work of physicians, clinical researchers etc These entities have university addresses that are fluid and are often decided upon committees of the university and have no real bearing on exactly where research is conducted. As a quick perusal I just did an internet research for a well respected deceased physician researcher–former Assoc Dean of Medicine for Stanford Univ School of Medicine and Head of multiple departments at Stanford, who was recruited to Harvard University with a significantly higher research dollar budget–neither of his research centers laboratories are even named in his bio–yet they took in 100’s of millions of dollars in funding. There is no current record of their addresses that you would find if you tried to locate them in the manner of which you did your research on an institute of microcirculation associated with Dr Klopp, and a never in existence “BEMER” institute of microcirculation.
I would also recommend a search of who owns the English website of Institute of Microcirculation should be investigated(where you obtained a current address from)–the style of English content does not appear to be written by Dr Klopp himself as it does not match his other writings I have read–English translations originally written in German.
I am a skeptic, open skeptic, with a history of university and hospital administration, USA Natl Institute of Health clinical studies site coordinator, and have supported clinical research at Univ of Calif San Francisco and Stanford Univ. I also have experience as a research analyst for high tech and biotech startups and expansions being evaluated for venture capital and other sources of funding. I recently traveled to Liechtenstein to BEMER Intl AG headquarters and met much of their staff as well as members of the founding Gleim family. I also before going to visit their headquarters, I read ( having had translated for me by a native German speaker and research scientist) 10 peer reviewed studies on the BEMER wave signal, as well as video conference attended the most recent IMIN conference 2016 in Florida, and have read some of the transcripts on current research and case histories presented by physicians at a conference of approximately 400 medical doctors at a medical research conference on BEMER wave signal in Europe fall 2017.
After thorough research, and personal testing of the BEMER Pro device, I decided to become a BEMER independent distributor. I do not speak on behalf of the company, but from my own personal point of view.
FROM an online website:
Prof. Dr. med. Rainer-Christian Klopp MD
Born in 1943.
From 1962 to 1970 he studied medicine at the Medical Faculty (Charité) of the Humboldt University in Berlin and completed additional studies in physics at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science of the Humboldt University in Berlin after graduating secondary school in 1961.
1970: Summa cum laude doctor’s thesis at the Medical Faculty of the Humboldt University of Berlin (Charité), 1971 monograph / dissertation (Johann Gottlieb Fichte Prize).
1970 – 1975 : Research Assistant and later Assistant Professor at the Institute of Physics and Biophysics at the Humboldt University in Berlin. Research in the areas of ultrasound physics, fluid mechanics and elasto-mechanics.
1975 – 1980: Deputy Director and head of undergraduate education at the Institute of Physics and Biophysics at the Humboldt University. Teaching qualification for physics and biophysics. Lectures, seminars and practical training in the fields elastomechanics, vibration and wave theory, fluid mechanics and thermodynamics as well as research on the effects of ionizing radiations.
1980 -1983: Senior physician at the Institute of Pathophysiology at the Medical Faculty of the Humboldt University of Berlin (Charité). Board certification. Teaching qualification for clinical pathophysiology. Main lectures and seminars in the field of clinical pathophysiology and functional diagnostics. Research in the field of cardiovascular diseases.
1983 – 1990: Senior physician at the Institute of Cardiovascular Diagnostics of the Medical Faculty of the Humboldt University of Berlin (Charité) and head of the independent University Department of Microcirculation. Pathophysiology seminars and main lecture on heart failure.
1991: Founded and directed the Institute for Microcirculation at the Charité, which has existed independently of the Charité since 1992 as an independent research institute. Research on microcirculation in the fields of biophysics, cardiology, angiology, oncology, internal medicine and dermatology.
Thx for the impressive comment. It deserves a complex answer, which I hope to write next Monday.
EDIT: It’s there – http://earlightswindle.com/gloom/2018/05/a-bemer-representative-answers/
Nancy Lucas,
I wholeheartedly agree. It is very sad news that recently, he died.
I don’t own a bemer. I have no fancy degrees after my name and I don’t claim to be an authority on anything so I’ve got no fear of being quackifide. So I will say this. Dude! you got all the way up to Dr Klopp’s door and you didn’t knock on it? You haven’t talked to the guy? If I was a qualified quackifier I rap you on the head with my quackery stick! That’s like getting all the way to the Moon, circling it, and saying “Yep! Now we know what it’s made of!” Instead of landing on it and scooping up some of the dirt.
Believe me, I stood there for a while and the decision was not easily made.
1. It was around Christmas
2. the man is 75 years old
3. I was stalked sometimes (also related to this blog)
It was still a bit unexpected to find myself in front of Klopp’s apartment and I had no questions prepared. My aim was only to find the “institute” and I showed there’s none.
Last not least it’s easy to contact him at any time, I don’t have to confront him like this. Everybody has a right for privacy.
Three is two over the top. Post grad work – usual.
Second and third PhDs – unusual.
I met Peter Gleim and De. Klopp this past weekend at BEMER’s 20 yr anniversary celebration in Orlando this past weekend. Many I know have also been to BEMER’s headquarters in LICHTENSTEIN. Not sure where you went. Also check out their patents. [Ie
Apparatus for stimulating local and higher homeostatic autoregulatory mechanisms in the organism
Patent number: 8808159] Those are not given to fake anything.
1.) I went where BEMER Group sent me: To find an university-level Institute for Microcirculation in Berlin, which they claim has developed the BEMER method and is doing research in the field. As I described here, and again etc.
It does not exist. Still, Klopp appears as it’s “director” in Orlando and elsewhere.
2.) Where was “the world’s foremost expert on microcirculation” and his “research” when the *real* microcirculation world congress was held? What do *real* researchers say?
3.) It is spelled LIECHTENSTEIN.
Around 2005-2010 or so I met Dr. Klopp a few times in a functional laboratory, his institute, with some employees, a -for my impression- rather large stable with rats he needed for his experiments. He said most of his microcirculation related work was done for the tobacco industry. He gave me excellent papers he wrote and live demonstrations about change in microcirculation under the influence of noise what was helpful in the fight against an airport near the village we lived. He was a very knowledgeable scientist, and there was a very active institute these days. Although I do not remember the precise address I know it was in the south east of Berlin, Germany. I do not remember any signs of Bermer, the whole institute appeared very independent. I did not have any contact afterwards.
That were most likely the premises in Wolfener Str 32-34 (which is actually in the north-east of Berlin, do you remember the concrete housing desert all around?). I described the different stages of the institute there.
Thanks for the information that Klopp worked for the tobacco industry. This fits with the rest of the picture. Acceptance of tobacco “blood money” is usually seen as despicable and potentially career-ending in the medical research community.
Hopefully people aren’t turned off by this so called “research”! I’ve been using the Bemer in my clinic for the past 3 years and the results are beyond amazing. I love when skeptics come in and are blown away when they cant help but experience the results even though they are doubting it the entire time right up to the point where their condition gets better and they cant deny it as placebo. Amazing product and company! There is a reason they are selling over a 1000 a month and it’s because it simply works. Life is in the blood!
This blog has a long-standing tradition of publishing comments regardless of their quality or intellectual adequacy.
Agreed. As a pharmacist I only tried it in order to debunk it. Much to my surprise it truly affects the body. The science is real. It is not a cure,nor does it pretend to be. The things I’ve experienced in the last few weeks have been impressive enough to want to continue.
Strange comment.
Because one cannot “debunk” it by trying, and certainly would not try it if familiar with the matter, this is a suspicious statement.
I see by your own latest comment, that- yes – this blog publishes comments “regardless of their quality or intellectual accuracy.” Time to look in the mirror.
Yep, Q.E.D.
Perhaps she simply used incorrect language. Nonetheless, her experience and result should not be ignored or shaded just because.
I have never heard of Bemer until I was recently offered to try it. I try to be open-minded, so I did. My issue was my breathing difficulties that I struggled with for nearly half a year. 30 minutes on the machine and I noticed a considerable change. I didn’t want to succumb to a “placebo effect” and continued being aware of my breathing. If you’ve ever suffered any breathing issues for a prolonged period of time, you will not be able to ignore the ease in which you can breathe when it finally happens. And it did for me. With one treatment.
Whatever the purpose of your research, result was real for me regardless.
Hi. I am an osteopath and looking into getting a Bener. Could you tell me a little more about your experience using it in your practice.
Thanks, Nathalie
This is a very confusing discussion, and there is a lot of room for fraud. The article Klopp, Niemer, & Schmidt (2013) on Fibromyalgia reads like a shame. An impact factor of 1.2, that is low (if not exagerated). I believe Multanen et al. that Bemer probably has no effect on Multanen. On the other hand, a study by Benedetti, et al., 2018 on complex regional pain syndrome is more believable. If they obtained a significant effect with a few subject, that is generally believed. (With fewer subjects you are less likely to get a significant effect). There are a string of RECENT articles by Klopp that reference the “Institut fur
Mikrozirkulation,” and I am not sure if I believe any of them. This needs independent researchers and competitive journals.
Sir,
you’re mixing up effect size, statistical power and predictive values.
You are correct in that [EFFECT SIZE] x [SAMPLE SIZE] = [SIGNIFICANCE], i.e. an effect is more meaningful if found with small sample size, while with high numbers of participants one can “prove” virtually any random claim.
However, that holds nothing about the reliability/probability of the results being true. Small studies are especially prone to a type I error, also known as α.
In this present case, you point at Benedetti et al. (2018), which has at first glimpse 15 participants per group.
“Noise” is amplified herein basically in the same way as effect size: The smaller a study, the more likely is it to find a false significance. (To illustrate my point: if you’ve got 5 participants per group, outlier results for 2 will give you strong significance while it may be simply due to chance.) – Note that the finnish study found NO EFFECT, with high sample size. That’s different from falsely finding an effect due to high sample size.
Therefore, bigger studies are more reliable in that such chance errors are minimized. Every result, nonetheless, warrants critical interpretation – especially if such a controversial treatment is contested.
well explained, Nancy Lucas! I too visited the headquarters in Leichtenstein, and met the Gleim family. most impressive individuals and operation. this investigator should do a much better job before writing such CRAP!! I’ve owned my device for 3 yrs and it is nothing short of miraculous, although the body is the miracle!
BTW, There are over 100+ approved studies in the US , in just the last 1.5 years, which can be found on http://www.pubmed.org. (900+ over seas)
Nevermind, Mr. Reinholtz,
I. there are exactly 2 (-two-) studies in the last 1,5 years: 1 small, low-quality, hinting at an effect, and 1 large, high-quality, strongly refuting any effect;
II. they are found in the PubMed database under http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ and not under the fake link you made up;
III. it is still spelled LIECHTENSTEIN.
So much for the CRAP, as you messed to call the facts.
Sincerely,
-ed.
Ah, Mr. Editor.
Now, since you only have your insistence that you’re right to count on you’ve changed the game when it comes to studies: now you are insisting that currency is the key. You’ve maneuvered your argument to encompass ONLY studies within the last 1.5 years. I’m sure this little bit of manipulation in your argument somehow in your mind makes you right. But the fact remains that studies older than 1.5 years DO count. Time is not a relevant filter in this case.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
BTW, Q.E.D
In case you missed it:
That was a reply to the comment above, which said (reproduced here again for your convenience)
“BTW, There are over 100+ approved studies in the US , in just the last 1.5 years, which can be found on http://www.pubmed.org. (900+ over seas)”
Sincerely, etc.
Ps. The difference between 2 and “100+” is …well… about 100.
You must just be a sad man, that has not reached nothing for himself so far, thats why you try bashing other people and companys who got big (and this for a reason: hard work, research and just doing it – BEMER DOES work!)…
I like such comments, where one can directly tell where these come from.
Germany!
Keep yr heads up over there, and btw I’m fine and perfectly happy since I left that country. Can recommend that.
Lucky me I am NOT from Germany…… You should at least do better research. The institut DOES exist and Mr. Klopp is a great Professor. You will never reach his level!
I have been using the bemer for only one week. The first day I tried it I had not more back pain. I hope it last, it is so wonderful not to have any pain and that is all I know about it.
How does this relate to my topic?
Like a siberian hamster.
I’ll have to create an extra post where these spam comments are rounded up.
I have personally used BEMER for 6 1/2 years and I am very happy with the results. (I am 74). Everyone in my family uses it as do many of my friends. It does what it say it will do…increase circulation. The rest is dependent upon the individual. Everyone recovers at a different speed, but if you combine it with good diet and exercise, the results will be more evident sooner. It ONLY increases circulation. Your body does the work of healing. But it promotes healing. You obviously missed the point of the research.
It is my understanding that Bemer has a contract with NASA . Check it out.
Checked it out long ago and now again, it’s still nothing to be especially proud of. Everybody can look it up and it’s nothing great. No development, no funds exchanged. “Contract” just for marketing BS.
https://www.nasa.gov/partnerships/about.html
Many others have written of this before, it’s a well-known BEMER Int. …well… creative description of reality.
But how does this relate to our topic?!
Voi vitt*! typical jealous criticism from frustrated Finnish bored-life man.
Get a life, your envy blinds you, stop being jealous, live and let live,
🙂
I’m not finnish, not bored (quite the opposite) and have a wonderful life, too busy may be. Don’t understand, how could I be jealous for what – Bemer? You?
Just to find some substance in the least quality comments: I noticed repeatedly, that criticism in Finland is answered with “you’re only jealous”, usually there is no reason at all to be jealous. Why are people saying that?
It was the same with the ASMO Charger: all critics were just jealous, until it became clear that they’re more than right, and the company folded. It was said also about Valkee, just jealous stupid and misguided critics, until it was mainstream to call it a scam. I heard it from the BioHit investors. It’s in the comments section of Iltalehti articles, wherever.
So what’s the problem here, are you projecting own shortcomings? Are you jealous of others’ achievements and therefore other people have to be, too? Or is it simply that you have no other answers or arguments? Would really like to hear answers.
This Technology must work for people or it would be heard about. All I see is how people love this device. I agree with you that if the company is all made up then why? The machines are sold now all across the world. Who is putting them out and why?
I am an M.D. with an open mind and was “lured” to an introduction session about BEMER. It felt more like a religious revival (with testimonials) than a scientific explanation of something. People are gullible, the placebo effect works, and every now and then there is a break-through that brings real change.
I agree with the person who wondered why you went through all this trouble and then didn’t knock on the door and have a civil conversation with Dr. Klopp? He was a lifelong scholar who would have spoke kindly to you. I understand your desire to be right but don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. In fact, there are plenty of other highly regarded physicians & PhD’s using BEMER who are still alive and can help you understand it better:
USA cardiologist Dr. Judson Millhon.
A long list of Ophtamologists, Optometrists, MDs, DCs: Dr. Lindell, Dr. Perich, Dr. Mary VanHoy, Dr. Dana Dean, Dr. Slotnick, Dr, Todd Wylie, surgeons @St. Lukes Cataract & Laser Institute, Dr. John Brimhall, Dr. Linda Huxtable, Dr. Alicia Brown, Dr. Katia Meier, Dr. Doug DiOrio, Dr. Kristen Reynolds, etc.
Denists: Dr. Stephen Chan, Dr. George Grobins, etc.
Vets: Dr. Gus Brooks, Dr. John Simon, Dr. Lewter, Dr. Sarah Urban, Dr. Margo Roman, etc.
Plus other well-known & respected people: Paul St. John (green beret & founder of Neuromuscular Therapies), Linda-Tellington Jones (a legend of the equine world) and, just for fun, Brooke Burke from Dancing With the Stars not to mention many athletes like the USA cyclists who broke several world records in 2018 at the Race Across America using BEMER (and finished a whole day ahead when they first starting using it in 2016!).
These are only the ones I know of personally. I actually don’t get out much but, like Dr. Klopp, I care about health, science and the practice of medicine.
Thank you in advance for posting my comment.
Very interesting information, I cannot comment on if the device works or not as I did not try it long enough to see any results, however doing some research I have found what appears to be some deep corruption in the organization with a group leader from Surrey B.C. Canada. Apparently she has multiple complaints against her but no action has been taken.
If this is the case then it looks like it is all about greed and not helping people. One distributor, who wishes to remain nameless, told me their story.
What they said should be enough to have this G.L. terminated, yet she is still there, I believe because she is making money for her upline so they look the other way. It also appears that she is protected by compliance.
Glad I stayed away,thanks for the site!
There is another phantom institute that was run or payed by bemer. It was run by Horst Michaelis and is called “Akademie für Bioenergetik – Internationale Lehr- und Forschungsanstalt im Fürstentum Liechtenstein”.
Mr. Michaelis has written an article in german that is very prominent on google germany (Search for bemer therapie). The article was posted on a somehow shady website run by a seller of mattresses and reffers to the “Studies” of Mr. Klopp. (https://www.tipps-vom-experten.de/magnetfeldtherapie-wirkung/)
The institute claims to be located in Liechtenstein (Schliessa 12 FL-9495 Triesen). Just beneeth Bemer – what a coincidence. And again, their website is down (www.afb.li).
Just for fun I looked it up on wayback and found a funny bug they had in 2010. Their website was redirecting to bemer ;-)(https://web.archive.org/web/20100730102819/http://www.afb.li/)
Do I perhaps sense an unwillingness on the part of the major domo to enter into serious consideration of all the very positive BEMER healing experiences from rather well-qualified physicians and studies?
I could add my name to that list but until the editor evinces openness to consider hearing positive as well as negative reports, I’ll just continue lurking in lieu of participation in a straw man interchange.
If I can pass on a suggestion (I was born the same year as Dr Klopp and am co owner of a small holistic clinic) it would be for the sleuthing editor to retrace his steps this time looking not for what he deems a chimera, but actual people who have been willing to spend 6000USD on a BEMER and would do so again.
Thanx for listening to my well meant advice, sir.
Pardon please, I forgot one important piece of information on my last post.
The original patent by Dr Wolf A Kafka in 1998 (EP 0 995 463 A1) is the true origin of the now multiply-patented signal that bears, not Kafka’s name, but the current patent owner.
You can find Dr Kafka (born Nov 20 1939) either at the Max Planck Institute or search for president of the Intl Assn for Research on the Physiological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields Under Normal and Extreme Conditions (EMPHYSPACE).
I am aware of Kafka’s involvement, as well as of many other details, which are never presented here because that would render my texts unreadable. My postings are already challenging to many, especially lay readers (some with conflicting interests) which often find simple evidence assessment offending, although very basic scientific methods are in question.
Rule of a thumb, often repeated but still not clear to most:
If a certain treatment (device, method) claims to be backed by science, but is marketed using testimonials and user experience, it is usually a scam.
If its marketing builds on scientific findings, then these have to be judged by scientific standards.
Hello Editor,
I posted several years ago and find myself here again while researching Dr. Kafka, the inventor of the BEMER signal.
Where is the scientific data to back up your claim that “If a certain treatment (device, method) claims to be backed up by science, but is marketed using testimonials and user experience, it is usually a scam”? Your hypothesis is based on your personal experience and has no scientific standard. 😉 No disrespect intended but I hope you see the point. Why obsess over a closed research facility once run by a now-deceased (respected) physician?? Thou doth protest too much, methinks.
A very good friend of mine just came out of a medical trial for BEMER at Wake Forest University Health Sciences. She tried many other conventional & natural treatments over many years but her condition only worsened. BEMER is the only thing that gave her noticeable improvement (fast).
The distributor/MLM business model is an unfortunate choice if you want to be a respectable company. It adds unnecessary cost and raises skepticism (my own as well). However, a good product cannot be denied. I’ve saved myself a ridiculous amount of time, money and suffering over the years by choosing BEMER. The cost efficiency is off the charts CHEAP for an FDA Class II home medical device when compared to regular medical visits, insurance, and chiropractic tools like lasers ($8000), Hylo/Elevation tables ($8000), or even a GYROSTIM ($250,000)!
I’ll repeat my suggestion that you contact an experienced physician who uses BEMER personally and/or in practice. Or we can just cut to the chase and I’ll give you (or someone you love) a free 3 month trial on BEMER. Contact me, my editor-in-friend!
My primary reason for reading this blog is that I am trying to assess the validity of claims regarding the medical benefits of PEMF. I recently read a July 23, 2020 piece by Bill Sickert, a former executive with BEMER in the U.S. , and it left me with a sour taste. He concludes, “there is little positive information in the future for BEMER.” True, he seems to be concerned about the impact of recent developments, or lack thereof, on folks distributing BEMER devices, rather than on the scientific/medical benefits per se, but the piece hardly promotes confidence in the company or its products.
Cynics, I am one, generally look for hard evidence that either corroborates or contradicts claims made by sellers of a product. I have neighbors who swear that BEMER has improved the quality of their lives, but I also see that there is little peer reviewed scientific research that supports BEMER claims, and also little that refutes them.
I generally operate under the principal of caveat emptor, or buyer beware, so anyone contemplating shelling out over $4,000 for a product whose importation value according to US customs is less than $500 (according to Sickert, who should know) should certainly think twice. In addition, cognitive bias, or post purchase rationalization, could well explain some of the positive feedback from BEMER users, though I am not convinced such psychological processes explain all of the good feedback.
Some of the users and sellers who have commented in this thread are clearly heavily invested in the product, so it is no surprise that they attack the editor’s investigative tactics and credibility. My chiropractor, who I no longer see because of his reckless disregard for Covid precautions, loves machines, and spends a lot of money (meaning his patients do) on devices such as the Pro Adjuster, Power plate, and laser therapy. Since the peer reviewed scientific support for such devices is mixed at best, those who promote, use, or sell them should not be surprised if cynics question their honesty, integrity, or motives. On the other hand, there are also many folks with no monetary motive who swear to the benefits of a particular treatment, regardless of scientific evidence. The billion-dollar supplement business is another case in point.
Anyway, please keep up the good work! The exchange is fascinating.
Thank you so much!
Wishing we could all zoom about this.
1. As skeptical as our editor I found it impossible to deter my wife from following her MD, .D.C. D.O.’s advice to try it since HIS injections of hyaluronic acid only gave temporary relief from her 50 yr old knee pain. A skilled Yogi she realized it was running she didn’t need and, with the BEMER, healed quickly for now 3 years. The Pros were very upfront with the infancy of the understanding the combined effect of microcirculation, increased white blood cell penetration and some generalized nervous system calming. I watched a 29 yr old man with severe palsy have it disappear slowly but completely when the Dr. Had him maximize the treatment for a hour. We were attending the lengthy seminar for distributors. Many testimonials were shared but most of the advice was to follow the guidelines to gradually allow the body first to detoxify, then expect old problems to improve slowly. New trauma could be addressed more aggressively. And really the best you can hope for is the function you once had. Enter A new administration and FDA and the company was on ice til approval could be repeated. The effects have been noted since Tesla and the invention of radio. The mysterious fading of the effect after a few months was the puzzle apparently solved by the patented wave form tech. Fibromylasia is something this does not promise help with. But Yoga and tart cherry juice sure helped me with serious arthritic changes. The bemer twice a day for 8 minutes has helped me maintain the vitality of a person half my age. So don’t let pain make you a Critic.