Skeptics in the Pub Online
While the current pandemic restrictions are in force, there are no live Skeptics in the Pub
meetings being held anywhere as far as we know. Skeptics in the Pub Online is the result of the
collaborative efforts of several SitP groups and hosts Thursday evening talks present by
authoritative speakers on topics of skeptical interest. Regularly check their Facebook page for upcoming talks.
Online Course in using the Freedom of Information Act
The course, by the Campaign for the Freedom of Information, is scheduled for Tuesday 2nd March.
'It is designed to help campaigners, researchers, journalists and others make the most of the
Act and the parallel Environmental Information Regulations. It explains the legislation, shows how
to draft clear and effective requests and describes how to challenge unjustified refusals. The
course's interactive sessions will encourage you to test your own FOI drafting skills. The
course is aimed at both beginners and those who are already using the Act but want to do so more
effectively.' For further information click here.
Professional Standards Authority suspends Accreditation of the Society of Homeopaths
The Professional Standards Authority has suspended the accreditation of the Society of
Homeopaths (SoH) following its failure to meet Conditions set by the Authority during 2020. ... In
February 2020 accreditation was renewed, subject to a Condition that included making its position
statements clear that registrants must not practise CEASE, practise or advertise adjunctive
therapies that are incompatible with Society registration, or provide advice on vaccination. ... We
undertook an in-year review of the SoH during the summer of 2020, after concerns were raised in
relation to the appointment of a key official. As set out in the outcome of our in-year review
three further Conditions were issued, the first two of which were due in October 2020. In December
2020, a Panel met to consider whether these had been met. We found the Conditions were not met and
that the SoH did not fully meet a number of our Standards. In view of the recurrent nature of the
concerns, and that several Conditions had already been imposed on the SoH since February 2020, we
decided to suspend accreditation.'
Informed choice
From 'MD' (aka Phil Hammond) in Private Eye, 18 December 2020, headed 'Brains needs
BRAUNS':
Informed choice for any medical intervention requires BRAUNS. You need to know and understand
the Benefits, Risks, Alternatives, Unknowns, what if I did Nothing?, and Safety net if something
goes wrong.
The John Maddox Prize
On 14th December, Sense About Science announced that 'The John Maddox Prize was awardedto
Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), and
Salim S. Abdool Karim, an infectious diseases epidemiologist and director of the Centre for the
AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, in recognition of their exceptional communication of
the complex and rapidly evolving science behind the COVID-19 pandemic. The judges awarded a further
prize for communicating sound science at an early career stage to Anne Abbott, an Australian
neurologist who persistently challenged the established treatment for carotid artery disease, with
new evidence that showed the potential to avoid unnecessary surgical procedures. You can see the
winners' reactions and comments here.
The Sandy Hook School Shooting
There is an ongoing conspiracy theory in the US that the mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary
school, Newtown, Connecticut, on December 14, 2012, in which 26 people were killed, never took
place and was a hoax perpetrated by campaigners for greater gun-control legislation. Parents of the
deceased children have been subject to harassment and accused of being actors. In a recent
television interview, Lenny Pozner, whose 6-year-old son Noah was killed at the shooting, had to be
disguised by theatrical make-up artists for his own safety. He has been conducting a systematic
campaign against those promoting the conspiracy theory, who have retaliated by publishing his home
address, his social security number, and photographs of every flat he has lived in for the past
twenty years. He and his family have had to move house seven times. A Florida woman has served a
prison sentence for leaving death threats on his answerphone. Reported
here.
From Studiekring voor de Kritische Evaluatie van Pseudowetenschap en het Paranormale
(the Belgian skeptical society)
May I bring this call for help from your Belgian colleagues of SKEPP to your attention? Two of
our authors are being sued by a multimillionaire business "coach" with deep pockets. Some
of you received a mail from me about this two weeks ago. In the meantime we have updated our
website to make the information and fundraiser page easier to access in English and French. Please
find the call for help and fundraiser page
here.
The Debunking Handbook 2020
The Debunking Handbook 2020 summarises the current state of the science of misinformation and
its debunking. It was written by a team of 22 prominent scholars of misinformation and its
debunking, and it represents the current consensus on the science of debunking for engaged
citizens, policymakers, journalists, and other practitioners. It may be downloaded here.
UK Skeptics 'Rusty Razor' award 2020
The French microbiologist Didier Raoult has today been named the 2020 recipient of the
'Rusty Razor' award, the prize given by The Skeptic to the year’s worst promoters of
pseudoscience. The scientist made headlines around the world earlier this year for his study
promoting the use of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19.
Pseudoscience in Medicine
'Among scientists and health personnel, 2,750 from 44 countries have joined the first
international manifesto against pseudosciences in health. The manifesto has been organized by 11
associations in an international collaboration and is written in 11 languages.'
This is the initiative of the Spanish group 'Association to Protect the Sick
from Pseudoscientific Therapies' and may be downloaded
here.
