Saturday 6 February 2010

Retracted: Wakefield study which started the 'vaccines cause autism' idiocy

Rebecca Watson of the Sceptics Guide to the Universe gives a quick run-down of the situation



The Times article can be found here - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/health/article7009882.ece

Tuesday 26 January 2010

10:23 Homeopathic ‘Overdose’ Campaign


Consumers in Leeds to take part in nationwide homeopathic ‘overdose’ protest against Boots’ continued endorsement and sale of homeopathic products, despite the company admitting they have no evidence the ‘treatments’ work.

Leeds-based Consumer rights activists will be taking part in the protests on January 30th, culminating in a mass homeopathic ‘overdose’ taking place in towns across Britain as well as in other locations across the globe. The intention is to demonstrate to the public that the homeopathic remedies sold by Boots are nothing but sugar pills, and put pressure on Britain’s leading pharmacist to live up to its responsibilities and ensure that the products it sells to customers are genuine.

The protest, organized by Leeds Skeptics as part of the 10:23 Campaign, comes after a Boots representative, Paul Bennett, attracted ridicule from the national press after admitting to a parliamentary select committee last November that Boots sells homeopathic remedies to the public even though they have no evidence the ‘treatments’ work. The Science and Technology Select Committee are due to release their report on homeopathy around the time of the protest, at the end of January.

The 10:23 Campaign is a national movement headed by the Merseyside Skeptics Society, which aims to raise awareness of homeopathy, a multi-million pound industry based on a long-discredited 18th century ritual, selling remedies to the public which have no scientific basis and no credible evidence for their efficacy beyond the placebo effect.

While dispensing sugar pills may seem harmless, in reality the endorsement of homeopathic potions by leading health providers can have grave consequences. As well as potentially undermining trust in medicine and medical advice, customers may be misled into believing that they are treating their illness – for example a 2006 Newsnight investigation revealed that homeopaths were advising customers to take ineffective ‘preparations’ in place of anti-malarial drugs. In extreme cases, such as the ‘healing therapist’ Russell Jenkins, deaths have occurred.

The Boots brand is synonymous with health care in the United Kingdom, and they speak proudly their role as a health care provider and their commitment to deliver exceptional patient care. Michael Marshall, a spokesman for the 10:23 Campaign, said the following:

“We do not expect the nation’s leading pharmacist to sell us remedies that do not work. The sale of homeopathic remedies is defended on the basis of allowing customer choice, but choice relies on clear information, and misleading customers by endorsing homeopathic brands restricts their ability to make good health choices.”

Ahead of the protests, an open letter to Boots has been published online and signed by thousands of unhappy customers from across the UK and beyond.


Saturday 9 January 2010

Evangelical Christian Stephen Baldwin versus Prof. Richard Dawkins

I don't really watch this kind of TV programmes, but I was tempted to see the first episode of Celebrity Big Brother. As soon as Stephen Baldwin was introduced as an evangelical Christian I made a prediction that he will be using the show as a preaching opportunity.

The nightmare came true, and a video recording of Stephen Baldwin that proves his ignorance towards science was found by me whilst browsing Reddit.



via Badrelligion.co.uk | Youtube chanel

(If the video is becomes unavailable on Youtube, please click here or here.)