NVAO wins quackery award

For its approval of a bachelor’s degree programme in osteopathy, the Dutch-Flemish accreditation organisation NVAO was awarded the Meester Kackadoris Prize by the Dutch Association Against Quackery on Saturday.

The NVAO oversees the quality of higher education in the Netherlands and Flanders. Without the NVAO’s approval, the private osteopathy programme would not be allowed to issue recognised bachelor’s degrees. However, this approval was indeed granted.

A panel comprising two osteopaths, an educational expert, and a medical student gave a positive recommendation, which the NVAO adopted. The programme at the private institution Thim costs 9,900 euros per year. Graduates receive a Bachelor of Science title.

“The NVAO clearly hasn’t learned from its nomination in 2017”, the jury commented. At that time, the accreditation body was nominated for approving three master’s programmes in manual therapy.

Theology

NVAO chair Arnold Jonk did not collect the award in person but responded to the association in writing. He explained that the NVAO assesses the quality of education but does not evaluate the ‘content-based merits’ of programmes.

Jonk stated: “I wouldn’t even know where to begin or end in doing so. I fear there would be no consensus within our organisation, the government, or society on the evidence-based nature of a theology programme. In the medical field, the discussion is ongoing, with numerous programmes — even within the medical community — being debated for their validity.”

Prize

The satirical award is given to people or organisations that promote quackery when they should know better. Quacks themselves are not eligible. Other contenders this year included the doctors’ federation KNMG and the Ministry of Defence.

The prize is named after a 1596 play in which Master Kackadoris tricks peasants into believing he can cure their ailments. He treats toothache by applying pepper to the backside.