bignumber5 Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I'm sure I'm not the only fan of Ben Goldacre on the forum, what with the high incidence of Guardian reading tendencies about these parts (and, I hope, some of the raw common sense that he alludes to the need for), and so I thought I'd share the good word, so to speak.This is the ?missing chapter? about vitamin pill salesman Matthias Rath. Sadly I was unable to write about him at the time that book was initially published, as he was suing my ass in the High Court. The chapter is now available in the new paperback edition, and I?ve posted it here for free so that nobody loses out.Although the publishers make a slightly melodramatic fuss about this in the promo material, it is a very serious story about the dangers of pseudoscience, as I hope you?ll see, and it was also a pretty unpleasant episode, not just for me, but also for the many other people he?s tried to sue, including Medecins Sans Frontieres and more. If you?re ever looking for a warning sign that you?re on the wrong side of an argument, suing Medecins Sans Frontieres is probably a pretty good clue.Anyway, here it is, please steal it, print it, repost it, whatever, it?s free under a Creative Commons license, details at the end.So here it is. Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMacGabhann Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Good shout BN5 - I'll read that on the way home tonightA great book anyway, recommended heartily Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194271 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kells Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Seconded. I wanted to go to a lecture he gave recently at the IOP, but work got in the way :( Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194311 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMacGabhann Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Anybody catch the good doctor on Charlie Brooker's Newswipe last week? Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194319 Share on other sites More sharing options...
RosieH Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Indeed.The doctor spake and the doctor was good. Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194321 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huguenot Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Good for you BN5. It's an excellent tale. Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194436 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huguenot Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Actually, I'm being flippant.I'm sure that some guys might interpret some of my postings as being 'angry', but they're not, of course. Generally they're intellectual brigandry. I'm exploring ideas ;-)This issue (Matthias Rath and vitamins) makes me really angry. I become verbally incompetent.This kind of dishonorable behaviour (touting snake oil) is genocidal, and it takes a particular kind of psychopath to pull it off. Waterboarding is not good enough.It is not reasonable to lay the blame for embracing thse ideas at the door of Africa. If you haven't been there it would be difficult to explain the desperation and lack of education that these guys face in making everyday decisions.It was characterised to me once as 'these guys will follow a guy running down the street shaking a chicken', and whilst essentially a belittling generalisation, it says a lot about Rath. He was a guy running down the street shaking a chicken. Nevertheless, he had the knowledge and insight to recognise the error in his ways, and dismissed it when he chased his ego.And then he killed millions. Many more than Reinhard Heydrich. It's right under our noses.I share the frustration with mega-pharma that feeds his followers, but lemon juice is not the solution. Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194437 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huguenot Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 You won't mind, of course, if I draw parallels between Thabo Mbeki, Matthias Rath, Anthony Brink, and climate change denial. Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194441 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMacGabhann Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 That was my first thought upon reading the article as well H Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194445 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bignumber5 Posted April 22, 2009 Author Share Posted April 22, 2009 It's an excellent tale.**Actually, I'm being flippant. Sorry, H, I'm being a bit slow and I'm not the best at picking tone from posts - we are happy that Goldacre has brought the spotlight on to this issue, or we aren't? Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194512 Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMacGabhann Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 the former, BN5, most definitely Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194513 Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisiana Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Huguenot Wrote:-------------------------------------------------------> Actually, I'm being flippant.> > I'm sure that some guys might interpret some of my> postings as being 'angry', but they're not, of> course. Generally they're intellectual brigandry.> I'm exploring ideas ;-)> > This issue (Matthias Rath and vitamins) makes me> really angry. I become verbally incompetent.> > This kind of dishonorable behaviour (touting snake> oil) is genocidal, and it takes a particular kind> of psychopath to pull it off. Waterboarding is not> good enough.> > It is not reasonable to lay the blame for> embracing thse ideas at the door of Africa. If you> haven't been there it would be difficult to> explain the desperation and lack of education that> these guys face in making everyday decisions.> Yes, but... Mbeki was educated at the University of Sussex. Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194516 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huguenot Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Mbeki went to the University of Sussex, he clearly didn't receive an education. Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194523 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huguenot Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 To clarify, I thought I was being flippant in referring to it as an excellent tale. It's far more important than that! Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194524 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peckhamgatecrasher Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I confess to being confused by what owning a flat has anything to do with anything? Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194560 Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisiana Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 He can't be sued for its value. He has no assets. It would be a little tricky if being sued by some witch-doctor meant you lost your home. Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194561 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peckhamgatecrasher Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Ah, capiche. Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194562 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendan Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Bless you! Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194564 Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegalEagle-ish Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Good stuff Link to comment https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/topic/6057-bad-science-the-missing-chapter/#findComment-194674 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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