Andy L – Page 40 – The Quackometer Blog

Should Cochrane Call for More Research Into Homeopathy?

1st March, 2008 14

The Cochrane Collaboration is an independent network of volunteers, funded only by donations, that collate systematic reviews of the evidence base for healthcare interventions. You can go online and view for yourself the current best thinking on how effective various treatments are. It is an important resource. (And you can help making it free throughout the EU by signing here.)Cochrane does not just cover conventional treatments, but also reviews alternative [read more…]

The Empire of Homeopaths Strike Back

25th February, 2008 10

We know it is going to be a fun year for watching Homeopaths. The fight is well and truly on for who gets to pretend to regulate the profession. The beleaguered Society of Homeopaths have today gone on the offensive for total and unyielding control. The year started off with Prince Charles and the Foundation for Integrated Health announcing the arrival on the scene of the government backed Complementary and [read more…]

Netcetera are Recreant Milquetoasts and Poltroons. Positive Internet Stand Tall.

23rd February, 2008 19

So, the Quackometer has been up and running for 24 hours now and most systems have been restored. A bit more to go though. For the technically inclined, this has involved a move from cuddly cotton wool children’s Microsoft servers to grown up, open source, Apache/Unix servers where a missed semi-colon can kill faster than a homeopath dishing out malaria pills. It’s been a bit of a bother, but I [read more…]

The Black Duck and its Phoenix like Powers

21st February, 2008 16

Please bear with me as the new quackometer goes through its re-birthing pangs. Transfering to a new, better, more helpful and cuddlier hosting provider is taking time. The Quackometer Engine and other facilities may well be out of action for a short while. Features will come on line over the next few days. Expect bugs and wierd behaviour. Repsek goes out to the Positive Internet crew who have been amazingly [read more…]

Homeopathy Research Institute – The Highest Scientific Standards…

16th February, 2008 19

The Homeopathy Research Institute (HRI) has been set up by homeopaths Alex Tournier (who apparently works for Cancer Research UK) and Clare Relton (who is based at the University of Sheffield). The Alliance of Registered Homeopaths in one of their rare press statements have made much of it. They say, The aim of the Homeopathy Research Institute is to promote and facilitate high-quality scientific research in the field of homeopathy. [read more…]

You are Taking Part in a Randomised Controlled Trial Right Now

2nd February, 2008 30

Double Blind Randomised Controlled Trials (DBRCTs) are not the preserve of medical science. Increasingly, corporations are using them to enter into a new world of Evidence Based Marketing where massive, continuous and automated trials are being run on us in order find out how to sell more stuff and become more profitable. What does this mean for medicine and our lives? Our beliefs are our internal models of the outside [read more…]

Google Advertises Busted Triamazon Cancer Cure

1st February, 2008 3

After yesterday’s raids by the MHRA on suspect dodgy pill sellers and their ‘Internet Day of Action’, perhaps one of the largest profiteers from such schemes will get away with it. Google has been quite happy to take money from triamazon.com to show adverts for the site and the hugely overpriced food supplement pretending to be a miracle cancer cure. This is despite the fact that Google has a clear [read more…]

Triamazon Cancer Pill Scam Busted

31st January, 2008 23

You know, I do not believe that most of the people that feature on this site are fraudsters. No, the truth is far worse than that – most homeopaths, reiki practitioners and herbalists actually believe what they say and that makes then particularly dangerous. But there are people whose motives are particularly hard to believe are just plain deluded. I fear 2008 is going to feature quite a number of [read more…]

Joseph and Andrew Obi: International Men of Mystery

24th January, 2008 35

So, another vague and preposterous legal threat and my web hosts have caved like bullied ginger children. Pages have been taken down and then immediately duplicated to over 30 (at last count) web sites all over the world. The web tends to react like that. This situation will not last. The Society of Homeopaths did not get away with it and nor will more minor bullies. To be told to [read more…]

More Threats to the Quackometer

22nd January, 2008 24

Another page or two goes missing. You can read more about this here: I’m not sure that’s ethical and here:Legal threats and extortion to suppress the truth Orac is on the case. Bless him. The BadScience Forum has more details and discussion as does the Randi Forum A few more people looking at the issues raised by this: Science and ProgressRich Speaks…No Nonsense!Ambri–guousThinking is DangerousRich ScopieBrain DuckSoberishSkepticoA day at the [read more…]