 Psychiatrist Elisabeth Targ, a preeminent researcher in the
field of mind/body medicine, died July 18, 2002 of a brain tumor
at the age of 40. Dr. Targ was a practicing physician, Professor
of Medicine at the University of California at San Francisco,
and Director of The Complementary Medicine Research Institute at
California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.
Dr. Targ was a kind, brilliant, and beautiful woman, devoted to
helping reduce human suffering and exploring the frontiers of
human knowledge. Described as an "out-of-the-box scientist
before the phrase became popular," she took on some of the most
challenging conditions known to science and society. Her
interests spanned an uncommon range of issues including
schizophrenia, psychoneuroimmunology, learned helplessness in
mental health, and the health benefits of meditation and
contemplative prayer. According to her colleagues, Dr. Targ's
aim in conducting rigorous research was never to provide final
or definite answers, but to create question generating
hypotheses, bringing new horizons of science into view.
Having practiced medicine as a Professor of Clinical Medicine at
the University of California, San Francisco early in her career,
Dr. Targ's studies drew her to probe the possible role of the
mind-body-spirit connection involved in medical healing. She
began her formal inquiry through a peer-reviewed study on the
complementary use of alternative medicine in the treatment of
women with late-stage breast cancer. Based upon the success of
the study, she helped create a center sponsored by the
Department of Defense at the University of California, San
Francisco, which she helped direct.
No project captured her enthusiasm and commitment, however, more
than her continuing study of the possible efficacy of prayer in
healing. Through randomized double-blind clinical trials, she
and her colleagues found strong evidence that HIV positive AIDS
patients, who received prayers from distant healers of a variety
of faiths, had significantly better medical outcomes than
patients who did not receive supportive prayers. This
groundbreaking study was published in the Western Journal of
Medicine in 1999, and was discussed in diverse forums ranging
from Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The News Hour with
Jim Lehrer, and a soon to be published article in Oprah
Magazine. Her monthly column in Spirituality and Health
Magazine, "Open Mind - Open Heart," helped translate research
findings into a popular medium.
In 1997, Dr. Targ designed a study and secured funding from the
National Institutes of Health to explore distant healing and
prayer as trainable skills that nurses and other health
professionals might integrate into their healing work.
Principally, the study examines the efficacy of prayer on
patients with a rare form of brain cancer, glioblastoma. Shortly
after receiving funding from the NIH, Dr. Targ herself was
diagnosed with this same form of cancer.
Elisabeth received her M.D. and Russian language translator's
certificate from Stanford University, where she also received a
master's degree in Neuropharmacology, and bachelor's degrees in
biology and Slavic languages. She was born in New York City. Dr.
Targ was the wife of futurist Mark Comings; daughter of the late
computer educator, Joan Fischer Targ, and writer and laser
pioneer Russell Targ; the niece of world chess champion Bobby
Fischer; and the granddaughter of the late William Targ,
editor-in-chief of G. P. Putnams and Sons publishers.
She is survived by her husband, Mark; father Russell;
brother Alexander, a physician in Palo Alto; three nieces Sasha,
Sonia, and Sylvia; and brother Nicholas, an attorney in
Washington DC. The family suggests that remembrances be directed
towards the support of her ongoing study of love and healing,
through the
Institute of Noetic Sciences in Petaluma, California where
Elisabeth was a research fellow.
http://www.etarg.net
http://www.etarg.org
The Institute
of Noetic Sciences and the California Pacific Medical Center announce
creation of the Elisabeth Targ, M.D. Memorial Fund to help
support research on the spiritual dimensions of healing.
Contributions made to this fund will be used to support a
specific research project, conceived by Dr. Targ, entitled:
Effects of a Compassionate/Loving Intention as a Therapeutic
Intervention by Partners of Breast Cancer Patients: A Randomized
Controlled Trial. HTML PDF (Requires Acrobat Reader)
Tax-deductible donations to continue this healing research
are currently being accepted at the following address:
Institute of Noetic Sciences
Dept. of Research/ETarg Fund
101 San Antonio Road
Petaluma, CA 94952
USA
Fax: 1-707-781-7420
If you wish to donate by check, please make it out to
"IONS", and put "ETarg Fund" in the memo
line. Donation forms for checks may be printed
here.
Selected References
Sicher F., Targ E., & Moore D 2nd., & Smith HS. A randomized
double-blind study of the effect of distant healing in a
population with advanced AIDS. Report of a small scale study.
Western Journal of Medicine 169(6):356-63, 1998.
Full paper
Targ E., & Thomson KS. Can prayer and intentionality be
researched? Should they be? Alternative Therapies in Health &
Medicine 3(6):92-6, 1997.
Targ E. Evaluating distant healing: a research review.
Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine 3(6):74-8, 1997.
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