Comments on: Unanswered Questions http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html Experiments and Thoughts on Quackery, Health Beliefs and Pseudoscience Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:47:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Au Revior, Paula Ross | The Quackometer http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-11449 Au Revior, Paula Ross | The Quackometer Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:01:26 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-11449 [...] my web hosts got in contact with me, I immediately wrote to Paul Ross to ask what the problem was. Ross ignored my letter, and instead I got a letter from [...] [...] my web hosts got in contact with me, I immediately wrote to Paul Ross to ask what the problem was. Ross ignored my letter, and instead I got a letter from [...]

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5251 Anonymous Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:51:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5251 Not sure where to post this comment, but any advice would be welcome. How do you answer someone who is insistent that they were cured by alternative medicine such as homeopathy, touching or even reciting some words in a prescribed manner? What questions should we ask such people? Not sure where to post this comment, but any advice would be welcome. How do you answer someone who is insistent that they were cured by alternative medicine such as homeopathy, touching or even reciting some words in a prescribed manner? What questions should we ask such people?

]]> By: RichieJames http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5236 RichieJames Tue, 23 Oct 2007 08:51:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5236 Following your link to the Society of Homeopaths I perused their website & downloaded their fascinating 'Overview of Positive Homeopathy Research Surveys'. Despite extensive searching I was unable to find the useful summary of 'Overview of Negative Homeopathy Research' which, in the name of balance, I'm sure exists but would probably exceed my datacap should I attempt to download it.<br/><br/>Anyway, on page 16, under the heading 'Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever', the administration of 'Dengueinum30' (crazy name, crazy drug) was described to 'at least' 39,200 (I always like it when n='at least') with a follow up of 23,520 people 10 days later (why the 40% loss to follow up?) showed 'only 5 people' had developd mild symptoms with 'the rest showing no signs or symptoms of the disease'. This amazing recovery is put in context by quoting WHO saying 'attack rates... may reach 80-90%). So there you have it - science in action. An unspecified number of patients, 40% lost to follow up, no end point defined, no control group, no randomisation. And the reference? CCRH News 1996-1997<br/>Well that does it for me. Pass me the Arnica, I'm off the chemo.<br/><br/>The trouble with this compilation 'paper' of course is it lends homeopathy the scientific credibility that it's practitioners so obviously crave (whilst simultaneously criticising it) that a casual reader may take as a body of evidence that memory water actually works. Pure unadulterated nonsense. And dangerous at that. Glad to see your article mirrored absolutely everywhere anyway (I found you via badscience) Following your link to the Society of Homeopaths I perused their website & downloaded their fascinating ‘Overview of Positive Homeopathy Research Surveys’. Despite extensive searching I was unable to find the useful summary of ‘Overview of Negative Homeopathy Research’ which, in the name of balance, I’m sure exists but would probably exceed my datacap should I attempt to download it.

Anyway, on page 16, under the heading ‘Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever’, the administration of ‘Dengueinum30′ (crazy name, crazy drug) was described to ‘at least’ 39,200 (I always like it when n=’at least’) with a follow up of 23,520 people 10 days later (why the 40% loss to follow up?) showed ‘only 5 people’ had developd mild symptoms with ‘the rest showing no signs or symptoms of the disease’. This amazing recovery is put in context by quoting WHO saying ‘attack rates… may reach 80-90%). So there you have it – science in action. An unspecified number of patients, 40% lost to follow up, no end point defined, no control group, no randomisation. And the reference? CCRH News 1996-1997
Well that does it for me. Pass me the Arnica, I’m off the chemo.

The trouble with this compilation ‘paper’ of course is it lends homeopathy the scientific credibility that it’s practitioners so obviously crave (whilst simultaneously criticising it) that a casual reader may take as a body of evidence that memory water actually works. Pure unadulterated nonsense. And dangerous at that. Glad to see your article mirrored absolutely everywhere anyway (I found you via badscience)

]]> By: . http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5232 . Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:13:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5232 Q<br/><br/>If you would like to host your material in a safe place, please pass it onto us. <br/><br/>While many host companies dither, ours doesn't. It is important that your free speech is not curbed. <br/><br/>Always happy to assist [ usual compliments of the day as described per email] :)<br/><br/>Rita Pal<br/>www.nhsexposed.com<br/>www.nhsexposedblog.blogspot.com Q

If you would like to host your material in a safe place, please pass it onto us.

While many host companies dither, ours doesn’t. It is important that your free speech is not curbed.

Always happy to assist [ usual compliments of the day as described per email] :)

Rita Pal
http://www.nhsexposed.com
http://www.nhsexposedblog.blogspot.com

]]> By: wendyk http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5230 wendyk Mon, 22 Oct 2007 06:20:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5230 I fear your good manners may not result in a response;having said that,an excellent letter. I fear your good manners may not result in a response;having said that,an excellent letter.

]]> By: woodchopper http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5228 woodchopper Sun, 21 Oct 2007 16:22:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5228 Thats a very polite letter. Lets see if the SoH are capable of behaving as professionally Thats a very polite letter. Lets see if the SoH are capable of behaving as professionally

]]> By: Valueaddedwater http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5227 Valueaddedwater Sun, 21 Oct 2007 15:32:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2007/10/unanswered-questions.html#comment-5227 Polite and non-controntational, however,I wouldn't be holding your breath for too long for a reasoned and sensible reply<br/><br/>(Or am I an old fashioned cynic in my declining years) Polite and non-controntational, however,I wouldn’t be holding your breath for too long for a reasoned and sensible reply

(Or am I an old fashioned cynic in my declining years)

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