Avilian reproduces this very interesting post by John Stone 4.8.10 (UK Editor for Age of Autism) from the Age of Autism website without prejudice:

After years of secrecy on the matter, confirmation has finally come to light that Guardian ‘Bad Science’ journalist Ben Goldacre is the son of Oxford professor of public health  Michael  J Goldacre (HERE).

Prof Goldacre has been director since 1986 of the UK Department Health funded Unit of Healthcare Epidemiology (HERE).  The family relationship is mentioned in a review of Goldacre junior’s Bad Science book in the peer-review journal Medicine, Conflict and Survival (25, p.255-7, 2009)by Dr Ian Fairlie, but there has been a long term lack of candour about the matter.

Read Martin J Walker Cultural Dwarfs and Junk Journalism – against Ben Goldacre

Read more about Evan Harris and his dark dealings

Read about Edzard Ernst Exposed

Read about Quackbusters and what’s in it for them!

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With thanks to Ian Quinn at Pulse Today 26.7.10

The Government has strongly rejected demands by MPs for the funding of homeopathy on the NHS to be withdrawn, claiming it would fly in the face of patient choice and local decision-making.

In its response to a report from the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, which issued a damning verdict on the practice and called for GPs to be barred from referring patients under the NHS, the Department of Heath said it would not be stepping in – despite MPs’ concerns over the lack of evidence and regulation of homeopathic treatments. Read the rest of this entry »

With thanks to You Tube:

The Plural of Denial is not Science – see Carboy Olce’s defence of homeopathy

With thanks to vonsyhomeopath27.2.10:

Read more about Evan Harris and Phil Willis’s friends in Sense About Science

Read more about what’s behind Ben Goldacre and how Evan Harris is involved behind the scenes

As predicted the media produced the expected snow – every national paper, every TV channel ran the story along similar lines: “Homeopathy should not be funded on the NHS, say MPs”.

The Mail and Telegraph ran stories on Sunday night, which was interesting since the Science and Technology Committee were adamant that details of the report should not be released to the public until after 11am Monday.

Bloggers had already written detailed posts directly quoting the report and published them at precisely 11am.

Leaked?

Surely not,

Patients’ Voice Purposefully Excluded From Homeopathy Kangaroo Court

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With thanks to the Independent 26.2.10:

“Save NHS homeopathy”, it says. Another poster urges supporters to join a lobby of parliament. Long before MPs from the cross party Commons committee on science and technology gave the thumbs down to homeopathy on Monday, people here knew what was coming. The remedies worked no better than a placebo, the committee said, and the NHS should cease funding.

Read about more scientific research into homeopathy

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Evaluation of a CAM Pilot Project in Northern Ireland (2008) Department of Health and Social Secutiry Evaluation Complementary And Alternative Medicines Pilot Project Donal McDade.

This report presents the findings from an evaluation of a pilot project which provided patients with access to a range of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) through their GP practice.

Overall 713 patients were referred to the project by their GP. Patients presenting to their health centre with musculoskeletal and mental health conditions, were referred for a range of CAM therapies including acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, homeopathy, reflexology, aromatherapy and massage.

The project was commissioned by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety with a view to exploring the potential for CAM within existing primary care services in Northern Ireland.

Homeopathy was an integral part of this CAM Pilot Project

Read more about Scientific Research into homeopathy

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With thanks to The Times Online 26.2.10:

Sara Eames, President of the Faculty of Homeopathy says YES.

Homeopathy should be available on the NHS. I am a trained doctor and I have used homeopathy in general practice and in a homeopathic hospital. I am able to help more patients with an appropriate mixture of homeopathy and conventional medicine than with either system alone.

Homeopathy has been practised safely and effectively for more than 200 years. It has been part of the NHS since its inception in 1948. Read the rest of this entry »

With thanks to the Guardian 25.2.10:

A cross-party group of MPs this week agreed that homeopathy should not be funded by the NHS: nobody has yet agreed, ­however, the extent to which the health service is funding homeopathy.

The Society of Homeopaths estimates £4m a year; health minister Mike O’Brien put the spend at £152,000 a year.

Is that the whole problem here?

Can homeopaths just not count? Read the rest of this entry »