The Illusion of Proof: Confirmation bias and the Lucy Letby Case

10th September, 2024 16

Conspiracy theorists fall victim to a fundamental misunderstanding of how to evaluate and synthesise evidence. It’s not that they believe despite a lack of evidence, but rather that they fail to recognise how the evidence they possess is insufficient to support their improbable claims about the world. While conspiracy theorists actively seek out evidence, their first error is confirmation bias – the tendency to search for information that supports their [read more…]

What would an ethical clinical trial into puberty blockers look like?

15th July, 2024 1

In light of the Cass Review, the new use of puberty blockers for children is now pretty much restricted to those enrolled in clinical trials in the UK. The Cass Review underscored the lack of consensus and the significant gaps in knowledge surrounding the use of puberty blockers, prompting a more cautious and scientifically robust approach to their application, if they were ever to be used in the future. There [read more…]

Breaking Down Cass Review Myths and Misconceptions: What You Need to Know: Part 2

16th April, 2024 3

Continued from Breaking Down Cass Review Myths and Misconceptions: What You Need to Know: Part 1 The Myths (Part 1) … Myth 1: 98% of all studies in this area were ignoredMyth 2: Cass recommended no Trans Healthcare for Under 25s.Myth 3: Cass is demanding only Double Blind Randomised Controlled Trials be used as evidence in “Trans Healthcare”Myth 4: There were less than 10 detransitioners out of 3499 patients in [read more…]

Breaking Down Cass Review Myths and Misconceptions: What You Need to Know: Part 1

14th April, 2024 26

It has now been just little under a week since the publication of the long anticipated NHS independent review of gender identity services for children and young people, the Cass Review. The review recommends sweeping changes to child services in the NHS, not least the abandonment of what is known as the “affirmation model” and the associated use of puberty blockers and, later, cross-sex hormones. The evidence base could not [read more…]