pseudoscience » Matharu's Rants and Raves

British MPs displaying ignorance?

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Mar 122010

DC’s Improbable Science has an article http://www.dcscience.net/?p=2829 titled “A handy list of dimwitted members of parliament” which starts:

An‘early day motion1 (EDM 908) has been tabled in parliament which opposes the conclusions of the science and technology committee report on the evidence for homeopathy. After two weeks it has been signed by an amazing 55 MPs. That is 8.5% of all 646 MPs. Nothing shows more clearly the scientific illiteracy that prevails in the House of Commons (and, perhaps, the results of the mass mailing of MPs by homeopaths, who are clutching at straws)..

These MPs are all people who have difficulty with the idea that pills which contain nothing can have no effect above placebo. It isn’t rocket science.

Are these MPs displaying their ignorance of the scientific process by supporting a demonstrable pseudoscience? You decide.

Here’s the current list of these MPs (republished from DC’s Improbable Science):

Tredinnick, David	Con
Simpson, Alan	Lab
Russell, Bob	LibDem
Pound, Stephen	Lab
Dismore, Andrew	Lab
Simpson, David	Democratic unionist
McDonnell, John	Lab
Campbell, Gregory	Democratic unionist
Cohen, Harry	Lab
Corbyn, Jeremy	Lab
Drew, David	Lab
Gray, James	Con
Hancock, Mike	LibDem
Hermon, Lady	Ulster unionist
Key, Robert	Con
Hemming, John	LibDem
Bone, Peter	Con
Davies, Dai	Independent
Mates, Michael	Con
Dodds, Nigel	Democratic unionist
Wyatt, Derek	Lab
Sarwar, Mohammad	Lab
Hamilton, Fabian	Lab
Winterton, Nicholas	Con
Davies, Philip	Con
Leigh, Edward	Con
Barlow, Celia	Lab
Ellwood, Tobias	Con
Leech, John	Lib Dem
Main, Anne	Lab
Robinson, Peter	Democratic unionist
McCrea, Dr William	Democratic unionist
Paisley, Ian	Democratic unionist
Brady, Graham	Con
Cook, Frank	Lab
Hall, Patrick	Lab
Binley, Brian	Con
Pugh, John	Lib dem
Davey, Edward	Lib dem
Weir, Mike	Scottish Nationalist
Sharma, Virendra Kumar	Lab
Abbott, Diane	Lab
Williams, Mark	Lib dem
Horam, John	Con
Widdecombe, Ann	Con
Browne, Jeremy	Lib dem
Spicer, Michael	Con
Maclean, David	Con
McCafferty, Chris	Lab
Buck, Karen	Lab
George, Andrew	Lib Dem
Vis, Rudi	Lab
Walter, Robert	Lab
Whittingdale, John	Con
Farron, Timothy	Lib Dem

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2010

Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council – Ofquack!

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Mar 232009

Quackery The Quackometer has an interesting article about the financial state of the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC) humorously known as Ofquack:

http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2009/03/will-government-bail-out-ofquack.html

It shouldn’t have surprised me but, in hindsight it now seems obvious, Ofquack is very much dependent upon fees from particular practitioners of pseudoscience…the dreaded witch-doctors known as homeopaths.

Ofquack is a meaningless entity, regulating meaningless practices. Well, that’s not actually true. Some of these practices are dangerous, and I somehow doubt that this council can regulate these practices…rather the council is all up for actively promoting such nonsense.

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2009

Royal firm’s adverts ‘misleading’

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Mar 212009

Some progress, of sorts http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7956378.stm

The MHRA has upheld the complaint about the wording used to advertise the medical efficacy of Prince Charles’s Dutchy Originals "Duchy Herbals Echina-Relief Tincture" and "Duchy Herbals Hyperi-Lift Tincture".

Now, I’m no fan of the MHRA as they are not fully transparent and have washed their hands in dealing with certain products. But at least the MHRA announcement, and the BBC’s reporting of it, will reach a wider audience and act as a warning to those that may otherwise have fallen victim for the disingenuous antics of Prince Charles’s company and other promoters of quackery and pseudoscience.

It’s a pity that the BBC didn’t mention the good work done by The Quackometer, DC’s Improbable Science, and other websites.

Further background information is here:

Article by Kulvinder Singh Matharu – 2009

The shaky foundations of Chiropractic

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Feb 012009

Although I have generally focused on homeopaths, and even though there has been some progress in addressing pseudoscience in some UK universities, Quackometer reminded me that there are a bunch of other pseudosciences out there that appear to be accepted by the public at large. In particular, Quackometer’s article discusses the current status of chiropractic.

The problem with chiropractic is that its foundations are based on non-scientific ideas; ideas which are still taught. Current chiropractors either don’t care or sincerely believe in what they’ve been taught even though there is no scientific evidential support, and studies show no real benefit in the practice. Either way, both scenarios scare me, especially as X-rays are being used.

I would not want to be treated by a chiropractor. Would you?

Small victory for science and common sense

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Aug 272008

The article University abandons homeopathy “degree” over at DC’s Improbable Science site explains how the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) dropped the “BSc” course on pseudoscience known as homeopathy.

However, it seems clear from Kate Chatfield’s e-mail and the clarification that DC provides that the e-mail is highly misleading and seems to demonstrate a lack of understanding of why homeopathy is not a subject that should be given degree status. Homeopathy, as a pseudoscience, abandons the scientific process and promotes unclear thinking…it opens the door to superstition.

The New Witch Doctors

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Jul 132008

I recently received some comments from a reader regarding my articles on homeopathy and my criticism of this pseudoscience. The reader asked if I had ever met anyone who had been treated using homeopathy and that I also should temper my vehemence; the implication being that homeopathy provided a valuable service which delivered positive results and comforted patients. My immediate reaction was that any perceived vehemence was misplaced especially in comparison to someone like PZ Myers! But the questions being raised on the value of homeopathy deserved debate.

After much consideration, I can only reinforce my opposition to the pseudoscience that is homeopathy and my exasperation at the idiocy of homeopathy’s support. Despite the claims made by the practitioners of homeopathy, there is no evidence that there is anything but a placebo at work. As a placebo, homeopathy will provide improvements for some patients within a very narrow band of illnesses. Simplistically, the benefits of positive thought. It certainly wouldn’t be able to successfully treat illnesses such as malaria for example.

The statements made by homeopaths explaining the mechanisms of how homeopathy is allegedly claimed to work have been shown to be incorrect. Yet homeopaths are unable to accept this. They have abandoned critical thinking and have deluded themselves into accepting the extraordinary when all credible evidence shows that their claims are without foundation.

So why should I care? Why should we all care? After all, the placebo effect certainly provides some benefits to some people. I’ll tell you why.

By accepting homeopathy we make it difficult to demonstrate to society the benefits of critical thinking. Without critical thinking we are saying that it’s OK to accept extraordinary claims without evidence; that it’s OK to accept pseudoscience, to accept astrology, to accept perpetual-motion machines. In short, that it’s OK to be bamboozled.

Our enlightenment, our knowledge, striving to seek the truth; this is what advances us. And critical thinking is the most powerful tool to achieve that. Without it we will be burdened by superstition and witch doctors.

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