1 in 6 NHS Patients Is Misdiagnosed: BBC Scotland Investigation
One in six patients in the NHS is misdiagnosed, according to an investigation by BBC Scotland. I’m surprised that this investigation into the extent of misdiagnosis in the NHS has not received more publicity. The figures being quoted are that 1 in 6 patients receives a misdiagnosis from a GP or a hospital Read the rest of this entry »
Science: So What Is Looking for a Dialogue Manager
From the Science: So What Campaign. A job opportunity for someone who shares their interests (it is a paid position but the hours and salary are unspecified here). [See update for some outline details.] Read the rest of this entry »
Alan Breen in praise of chiropractic and democracy
We were pleased to see a call from Prof Alan Breen (at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, and on two GCC committees) for a move beyond or supplement to evidence-based medicine in order to achieve a “more democratic and inclusive…age” in “musculoskeletal practice”. However, it is unfortunate that Breen fails to follow through on the implications of his demand. Read the rest of this entry »
The Telegraph runs uncritical articles discussing homoeopathy and unconventional theories about climate change
The Telegraph runs a lot of excellent articles. However, it is unfortunate that today they ran two that fell below their usual standards. Read the rest of this entry »
British Chiropractic Association and The Plethora of Evidence for Paediatric Asthma
British Chiropractic Association (BCA) has issued a third update in the matter of BCA v. Simon Singh. Leaving aside the BCA discussion of the legal aspects of the case, the BCA has risen to the challenge so famously issued by Professor Frank Frizelle when he was entrammelled in a dispute with chiropractors in New Zealand: “let’s hear your evidence not your legal muscle”. The BCA is to be commended for releasing the details of the research papers they rely upon for their stance that “chiropractic can help various childhood conditions” such as asthma. Read the rest of this entry »
Chiropractors accuse critics of “witch hunt” for examining evidence
The case of Simon Singh vs the BCA (British Chiropractic Association) is prompting calls for a re-examination of the UK’s libel laws. Bloggers are responding by scrutinising some of the chiropractic claims that triggered this case and this has already resulted in changes to what chiropractors are willing to claim. Read the rest of this entry »
Evidence Matters on UK political parties manifestos for the EU elections
ENERGY
OPEN ACCESS
STEM CELL RESEARCH
CHEMICALS
SPACE
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
GM FOOD AND RESEARCH
CLIMATE CHANGE
[...] we were pleasantly surprised by the main parties, who seem to have reached a consensus on a variety of scientific issues. One notable exception to this was in the area of alternative medicine, where there appears to be a crippling lack of action on government and opposition benches.The minor parties are a much more mixed bunch, and one wonders if voters seeking to register protest votes with the likes of UKIP and the Greens realise that they are supporting parties that apparently contain creationists and climate denialists (UKIP), and supporters of quackery (The Greens).
Evidence Matters can be contacted at
info@evidencematters.org
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Evidence Matters is an independent, loose association of bloggers with a special interest in accurate science coverage and the use of appropriate evidence in decision-making. At present it is a means of contacting organisations and letting people know about stories that aren’t being covered or gross distortions of particular issues.
C4 and the Lamentable Kitchen Pharmacy
Many of us have an anecdote or family story we’ve never checked into because we don’t want to learn that it isn’t true. Sometimes, the motives are that we want to avoid humiliation but frequently it’s because it’s a good story as it stands but would lose something in the re-telling if it were accurate. How many people acknowledge that Simon Singh’s version of 9 Million Bicycles is more rigorous and logical but still prefer Katie Melua’s version if only because it scans better?
C4 must like to believe that chlorophyll is just like haemoglobin. Read the rest of this entry »
Paul Flynn MP Early Day Motion on Dore (and bloggers)
Paul Flynn MP has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliarment, on the promotion of Dore. The Motion states:
That this House is appalled at the gullible uncritical promotion by the media of Dore, a claimed miracle cure for dyslexia, in the absence of scientific proof of its value; notes that there were five resignations from the editorial board of the journal Dyslexia in protest at false claims published in that journal on the efficacy of Dore; welcomes Ofcom’s finding that Dore’s television advertisement was in breach of its rules on evidence,; calls on the Jeremy Vine Show, Channel Five News, Radio Five Live, BBC London, ITV Central, ITV Yorkshire, the Daily Mail, the Daily Record, Scotland on Sunday, Tonight with Trevor McDonald and You and Yours to correct the false impressions they broadcast on an unproven treatment; and congratulates the bloggers and journalist Ben Goldacre for exposing this bad science and other exploitative snake oil salespeople.
That is an excellent Early Day Motion, and we hope that Parliament and the mainstream media take note.
Flynn asks “Will the media react and repent their gullibility”, and encourages readers of his (very interesting) blog to persuade their MPs to sign EDM 1770 (at the time of writing, the motion has five signatures). We would encourage our readers to do the same.
Translucent Science in the Guardian and ICWales
We’ve been seeing some nice media coverage of Translucent Science over the past few days. Ben Goldacre’s Guardian article on media and blog coverage of Dore references Translucent Science bloggers, and argues that:
I make no sweeping claims about blogs and mainstream media – both have their roles – but in this case it seems the bloggers win on timeliness, accuracy, relevance, effort, ethics, and stupid names.
Secondly, as Podblack notes, the South Wales Echo has reported on our criticisms of Dore:
sceptics such as Translucent Science – a loose association of science bloggers on the internet – have criticised the programme.
Watch this space over the next couple of weeks, for some more interesting stories.
