Philadelphia Inquirer Profiles Study Examining Effects of Reiki on People With AIDS

The Philadelphia Inquirer yesterday profiled the first federally funded study examining the effect of reiki therapy -- a Japanese therapy "that claims to transmit healing energy through the hands" -- on people living with AIDS. The $400,000 study, which is funded by NIH's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, is being conducted by the Center for Urban Health Policy and Research at the Philadelphia-based Albert Einstein Healthcare Network. "We want to see whether reiki decreases pain, anxiety and depression and increases quality of life and spiritual well-being for patients with advanced AIDS," Gala True, Einstein's assistant director of medical ethics, who is also the principal investigator for the study, said (Campbell, Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/3). The full article is available online.