Comments on: Betting on Quackery http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.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: Angela Bowler http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-14003 Angela Bowler Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:44:44 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-14003 I would like to say as a carer for my son who has Elhers Danlos Syndrome and is severely affected by pain, that I tried kriotherapy with him . we had at least 15 sessions and I was surprised at how much it lessened his pain and it lasted for at lest 5-6 months.. If i had the money i would certainly do it again. It was the first time he actually could manage his condition. I only wish they would do this on the N.H.S I would like to say as a carer for my son who has Elhers Danlos Syndrome and is severely affected by pain, that I tried kriotherapy with him . we had at least 15 sessions and I was surprised at how much it lessened his pain and it lasted for at lest 5-6 months.. If i had the money i would certainly do it again. It was the first time he actually could manage his condition. I only wish they would do this on the N.H.S

]]> By: johnpetersen http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-7095 johnpetersen Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:19:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-7095 The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration has banned this quackery, and the federal government has announced that it will provide the real meningococcal vaccine free to one-year-old children and 15- to 17-year-olds, the most vulnerable age groups. It appears that there is a worldwide shortage of the real vaccine, though the fake stuff is of course widely available to the unwary. There are only 100,000 doses of the real vaccine presently in Australia, so the scammers seized a wonderful opportunity, again, to victimize desperate people. And they've been defeated!<br/>---------<br/>johnpetersen<br/><a HREF="http://www.bettingchoice.co.uk/" REL="nofollow" rel="nofollow">online football betting tips, odds, news</a> The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration has banned this quackery, and the federal government has announced that it will provide the real meningococcal vaccine free to one-year-old children and 15- to 17-year-olds, the most vulnerable age groups. It appears that there is a worldwide shortage of the real vaccine, though the fake stuff is of course widely available to the unwary. There are only 100,000 doses of the real vaccine presently in Australia, so the scammers seized a wonderful opportunity, again, to victimize desperate people. And they’ve been defeated!
———
johnpetersen
online football betting tips, odds, news

]]> By: PhD scientist http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6047 PhD scientist Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:31:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6047 <i>Private Eye</i> mentioned this story briefly in the 7-20 March edition (No 1205).<br/><br/>According to the <i>Eye</i>, McCoy was apparently given his kriotherapy at Champneys at the kriotherapy centre there which is run by Charlie Brooks, ex racehourse trainer, racing journalist and current paramour of <i>Sun</i> editrix Rebekah Wade.<br/><br/>One might therefore regard disguised plugs for kriotherapy from the News International empire (like Sky), or in columns penned by Brooks (like this one in the <a HREF="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/02/25/shbroo125.xml" REL="nofollow" rel="nofollow"><i>Telegraph</i></a>) with a certain degree of, erm, cynicism. Private Eye mentioned this story briefly in the 7-20 March edition (No 1205).

According to the Eye, McCoy was apparently given his kriotherapy at Champneys at the kriotherapy centre there which is run by Charlie Brooks, ex racehourse trainer, racing journalist and current paramour of Sun editrix Rebekah Wade.

One might therefore regard disguised plugs for kriotherapy from the News International empire (like Sky), or in columns penned by Brooks (like this one in the Telegraph) with a certain degree of, erm, cynicism.

]]> By: bcpmoon http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6036 bcpmoon Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:47:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6036 <i>That must be almost as cold as liquid nitrogen!</i><br/>Not quite, it´s twice as warm as liquid nitrogen...<br/><br/>As nice as this cryo-thingy sounds, I think the main factor here is the amazing level surgery has reached nowadays. I fractured a vertebrae myself last summer, it looked as if somebody stepped on a cookie in the MRT and 24 hrs after the fall I could have walked around if not for the thorax drain. I am not an athlete like McCoy, but I still left hospital after 14 d and have felt fine ever since. So McCoy should thank his surgeon like I did.<br/>BTW, I suppose McCoy has quite some Titanium upgrades, so I wonder how those screws will like going for a ride... That must be almost as cold as liquid nitrogen!
Not quite, it´s twice as warm as liquid nitrogen…

As nice as this cryo-thingy sounds, I think the main factor here is the amazing level surgery has reached nowadays. I fractured a vertebrae myself last summer, it looked as if somebody stepped on a cookie in the MRT and 24 hrs after the fall I could have walked around if not for the thorax drain. I am not an athlete like McCoy, but I still left hospital after 14 d and have felt fine ever since. So McCoy should thank his surgeon like I did.
BTW, I suppose McCoy has quite some Titanium upgrades, so I wonder how those screws will like going for a ride…

]]> By: Dr Aust http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6020 Dr Aust Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:16:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6020 Dr Soyer's bio <a HREF="http://www.thegardenclinic.net/anthony-soyer.php" REL="nofollow" rel="nofollow">here</a> does not exactly inspire confidence, mentioning as it does the <a HREF="http://www.pennybrohncancercare.org/indexf502.html?o=1001" REL="nofollow" rel="nofollow">Bristol Cancer Help Centre</a> (who I'm pretty sure are faves of Prince Charles). One CAM website lists Soyer as having been "resident doctor" there. He does have a proper medical degree (MBBS Sydney 1981, according to the medical register), though he is not a registered specialist or GP.<br/><br/>Anyway, Dr Soyer is clearly a CAM "lifer". <br/> <br/>To quote from his Garden Clinic bio:<br/><br/><i>"Dr Soyer is now primarily involved in research and fund raising for a TV documentary series on ancient knowledge and traditional healing methods. His ongoing research examines healers, meditation, nutritional patterns, food supplements and intensive exercise methods for an upcoming book and documentary on Preventative Medicine"</i><br/><br/>None of which inspires much confidence in the medical bona fides of kriotherapy.<br/><br/>By the way, an initial 2-hr consultation with Doc Soyer will set you back £ 300.<br/><br/>The bio is worth a read, and would set my alarm bells ringing. I would predict a score of several canards. Dr Soyer’s bio here does not exactly inspire confidence, mentioning as it does the Bristol Cancer Help Centre (who I’m pretty sure are faves of Prince Charles). One CAM website lists Soyer as having been “resident doctor” there. He does have a proper medical degree (MBBS Sydney 1981, according to the medical register), though he is not a registered specialist or GP.

Anyway, Dr Soyer is clearly a CAM “lifer”.

To quote from his Garden Clinic bio:

“Dr Soyer is now primarily involved in research and fund raising for a TV documentary series on ancient knowledge and traditional healing methods. His ongoing research examines healers, meditation, nutritional patterns, food supplements and intensive exercise methods for an upcoming book and documentary on Preventative Medicine”

None of which inspires much confidence in the medical bona fides of kriotherapy.

By the way, an initial 2-hr consultation with Doc Soyer will set you back £ 300.

The bio is worth a read, and would set my alarm bells ringing. I would predict a score of several canards.

]]> By: paulC http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6019 paulC Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:25:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6019 May I be the first to say that Krio (obviously much stronger than mere cryo) therapy leaves me cold. But there may be a small element of method in this madness; Vijay Kakkar, who founded the Thrombosis Research Instititute, published a few papers a while back on cold exposure / acclimatisation on hematological and a few metabolic parameters, the almost equally eminent Pirkko Huttunen at Oulu U. has published on hypothermia-induced upregulation of BAT, and there are quite a few others working in this chilly but interesting field. Whether Anthony Soyer is aware of this, I have no idea. <br/><br/>I don't like the blanket claims made by many in the CAM field, but nor should we be uncritically sceptical; especially when, unlike homeopathy, there is a potentially plausible and certainly testable mechanism of action. May I be the first to say that Krio (obviously much stronger than mere cryo) therapy leaves me cold. But there may be a small element of method in this madness; Vijay Kakkar, who founded the Thrombosis Research Instititute, published a few papers a while back on cold exposure / acclimatisation on hematological and a few metabolic parameters, the almost equally eminent Pirkko Huttunen at Oulu U. has published on hypothermia-induced upregulation of BAT, and there are quite a few others working in this chilly but interesting field. Whether Anthony Soyer is aware of this, I have no idea.

I don’t like the blanket claims made by many in the CAM field, but nor should we be uncritically sceptical; especially when, unlike homeopathy, there is a potentially plausible and certainly testable mechanism of action.

]]> By: Dr* T http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6018 Dr* T Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:45:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6018 "the treatment effectively shocks the body into getting better."<br/><br/>Indeed, and that is why I can't understand why would-be doctors need to go on a 5 year university course to learn how to be doctors. <br/><br/>All that nonsense about "T-cells" and "lymphocytes" is all a bit pie in the sky. <br/><br/>What I really can't understand is why he is only person who has "got better" (another deeply technical term).<br/><br/>T “the treatment effectively shocks the body into getting better.”

Indeed, and that is why I can’t understand why would-be doctors need to go on a 5 year university course to learn how to be doctors.

All that nonsense about “T-cells” and “lymphocytes” is all a bit pie in the sky.

What I really can’t understand is why he is only person who has “got better” (another deeply technical term).

T

]]> By: Robert Saunders http://www.quackometer.net/blog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6017 Robert Saunders Tue, 11 Mar 2008 05:52:00 +0000 http://www.quackometer.net/wpblog/2008/03/betting-on-quackery.html#comment-6017 How the heck to they make a chamber at -130 degrees C? That must be almost as cold as liquid nitrogen! How the heck to they make a chamber at -130 degrees C? That must be almost as cold as liquid nitrogen!

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