A traditional Chinese medicine physician who accepted a challenge to diagnose pregnancies using a disputed method denied on Friday claims that he had withdrawn from the contest.

Yang Zhen, an associate professor at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, publicly agreed to take the challenge posed by Ning Fanggang, a doctor of Western medicine at Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, to determine solely by taking their pulse whether 80 percent of a group of women were pregnant.

Ning offered any senior doctor of traditional Chinese medicine at a reputable hospital who could pull off the feat 50,000 yuan ($8,160), an amount soon increased to 100,000 yuan through Internet users' donations.