Guest guest Posted March 26, 2006 Report Posted March 26, 2006 This seems to be a pet gripe from UCL who host the " quackbusters " web page referred to in an earlier posting. Worth a look to see how much prejudice against us there is among some scientists. A bad example of bias if you ask me! Also see Ben Goldacre's bad Science website, where they are constantly referring to " snake oil " salesmen. Sally > In today's Times there is an article about the 'scientific' response > to the Alternative Medicine programmes on BBC 2 recently. > Colquhoun complains and said the BBC was 'peddling quack > science'. He goes on to particularly critise the HM programme as > mysticism. > Aparently the Royal Society is holding a meeting next month when they > intent to raise the concerns over the number of degree courses now > available in alternative medicine which are 'beginnig to erode > intellectual standrads at real universities'! > Ernst has also slammed it, even though he was a scientific advisor on > the programme - apparently he feels abused by the programme makers. > I think this needs a robust response from the Institute, and I will > be writing. Perhaps we all should. > > > Quote
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2006 Report Posted March 26, 2006 Hello all, Based on this line of thought, I have another question. Here in Canada, we tend to receive BBC programming the season after it is aired in the UK. This past week I watched the final episode of a series entitled, " Born and Bred " : a fictional account of life in Lancashire in the 1950s. This episode held yet another instance of the stereotyping of herbal medicine. A new character appeared; a window washer who had wanted to train as a doctor in his youth but was denied the opportunity. Instead, he took on a self-study programme and began dispensing herbal medicines about the countryside. Not only did the bulk of his prescriptions result in " serious allergic reactions " but he was depicted as having a huge chip on his shoulder via his continuous statements that his training was as good if not better than the resident doctors'. To top this off, the editor of the local paper devoted a two page article to the window washer and his herbal remedies for which she was roundly chastised in her free publicity of a risky and useless therapy. As for the " herbalist " , he was treated as a " quack " and a dangerous menace. In the end, he was diagnosed with sub-acute glaucoma (by the doctors) and conventional medicine won the day. Now, I don't remember any talk on the ukherbal-list about this gross misinterpretation of the practice of herbal medicine and its general use. I feel this form of insidious stereotyping is just as threatening in its own right as any damning newspaper article. The former may be " all done in fun " , but the message is clear: See your doctor. Do not patronise any of those other unqualified and dangerous practitioners. And most certainly use nothing but conventional drugs and surgery. Was there a response to this programme by the PR department or someone else on the list? Cheers, Kerry Sally Owen wrote: >This seems to be a pet gripe from UCL who host the " quackbusters " web >page referred to in an earlier posting. Worth a look to see how much >prejudice against us there is among some scientists. A bad example of >bias if you ask me! Also see Ben Goldacre's bad Science website, where >they are constantly referring to " snake oil " salesmen. >Sally > > > > >>In today's Times there is an article about the 'scientific' response >>to the Alternative Medicine programmes on BBC 2 recently. >> Colquhoun complains and said the BBC was 'peddling quack >>science'. He goes on to particularly critise the HM programme as >>mysticism. >> Aparently the Royal Society is holding a meeting next month when they >>intent to raise the concerns over the number of degree courses now >>available in alternative medicine which are 'beginnig to erode >>intellectual standrads at real universities'! >> Ernst has also slammed it, even though he was a scientific advisor on >>the programme - apparently he feels abused by the programme makers. >> I think this needs a robust response from the Institute, and I will >>be writing. Perhaps we all should. >> >> >> Quote
Guest guest Posted March 26, 2006 Report Posted March 26, 2006 I have to admit I missed that one Kerry, but I did send a complaint about a very similar story line recently on Doc , another GP in a small town series. Perhaps it is time we tried to get a 'soap' set in a Complementary clinic along the lines of Emergency Ward 10 ( as your mothers!) - as far as I can remember, the first TV programme to be set in the NHS. Quote
Guest guest Posted March 28, 2006 Report Posted March 28, 2006 Dear , Thanks very much for the alert. Do you have any more info about the Royal Society Meeting which I could pass on to colleagues? Am I just imagining it or does Ernst slam EVERYTHING? Isn't he a prof of CAM at Peninsula? He must hate his job if he really thinks so little of every form of CAM as the media makes out! Jay Message: 2 Date: Sat, 25 Mar 2006 22:26:45 -1200 From: " DAVID JONES " Subject: Sunday Times Article In today's Times there is an article about the 'scientific' response to the Alternative Medicine programmes on BBC 2 recently. Colquhoun complains and said the BBC was 'peddling quack science'. He goes on to particularly critise the HM programme as mysticism. Aparently the Royal Society is holding a meeting next month when they intent to raise the concerns over the number of degree courses now available in alternative medicine which are 'beginnig to erode intellectual standrads at real universities'! Ernst has also slammed it, even though he was a scientific advisor on the programme - apparently he feels abused by the programme makers. I think this needs a robust response from the Institute, and I will be writing. Perhaps we all should. --------------------------------- Yahoo! Photos – NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 8p a photo. Quote
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2006 Report Posted March 29, 2006 Hi Do you want me to copy this to PR group to see if they will respond? chris Sunday Times Article In today's Times there is an article about the 'scientific' response to the Alternative Medicine programmes on BBC 2 recently. Colquhoun complains and said the BBC was 'peddling quack science'. He goes on to particularly critise the HM programme as mysticism. Aparently the Royal Society is holding a meeting next month when they intent to raise the concerns over the number of degree courses now available in alternative medicine which are 'beginnig to erode intellectual standrads at real universities'! Ernst has also slammed it, even though he was a scientific advisor on the programme - apparently he feels abused by the programme makers. I think this needs a robust response from the Institute, and I will be writing. Perhaps we all should. Quote
Guest guest Posted March 29, 2006 Report Posted March 29, 2006 Please - that would be great. Sunday Times Article > > > In today's Times there is an article about the 'scientific' response to > the Alternative Medicine programmes on BBC 2 recently. > Colquhoun complains and said the BBC was 'peddling quack science'. > He goes on to particularly critise the HM programme as mysticism. > Aparently the Royal Society is holding a meeting next month when they > intent to raise the concerns over the number of degree courses now > available in alternative medicine which are 'beginnig to erode > intellectual standrads at real universities'! > Ernst has also slammed it, even though he was a scientific advisor on the > programme - apparently he feels abused by the programme makers. > I think this needs a robust response from the Institute, and I will be > writing. Perhaps we all should. > > > Quote
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