Author Archives:
MMR doctor, ‘unethical, callous and dishonest’
One of the poster boys of the global anti-vaccination movement, Dr Andrew Wakefield, has been found guilty of being dishonest, irresponsible and misleading, with the possibility of being struck off the medical register. Wakefield was a senior lecturer in the Departments of Medicine and Histopathology at the Royal Free Hospital and a reader in experimental gastroenterology. He … Read on »
Action taken against Homeopathy websites for misleading advertising
Two websites run by Homeopathy Plus! have been ordered to remove misleading and unverified information pertaining to homeopathic immunisation and flu treatment, following a ruling by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. The rulings were passed down in response to a complaint made by Dr Ken Harvey of the LaTrobe School of Public Health in Melbourne. Dr Harvey objected … Read on »
Death of girl denied chemo for clay therapy?
Rumours are circulating that Tamar Stitt, the 10 year old girl who was smuggled out of Australia to avoid chemotherapy to treat her hepatoblastoma, a type of virulent liver cancer, has died. Tamar’s story was reported by Channel 7s Sunday Night programme several months ago, and recent promos for a follow-up Today Tonight story suggested she … Read on »
Mysterious death after taking miracle cure
A woman has died after taking an alternative medicine supplement known as Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) a form of bleach (chlorine dioxide) marketed as a miracle cure-all. The supplement was invented by American Jim Humble, who describes himself variously as a scientist, prospector and saviour of the human race who discovered the substance’s powers while looking for … Read on »
What really gets taught in homeopathy school
Three years ago, David Colquhoun, Professor of Pharmacology at University College London and blogger at Improbable Science, requested course information from the University of Central Lancashire, UK about the contents of their homeopathy classes. His request was denied by the University, but this was recently overturned by the Information Commissioner who ruled that the reasons … Read on »
Announcing the 2009 Darwin Awards
The Darwin Awards, named after the evolutionary biologist, are given ever year to honour those “do a service to Humanity by removing themselves from the gene pool”. For the first time ever this year, a woman was one of the runners-up. Rosanne T, aged 50, drove her moped through a police road block and into a swollen … Read on »
Richard Saunders talks astrology on Sunrise
Do you read your horoscope? Do you think the stars can predict your future? Perhaps you think your astrologer is incredibly accurate? Richard Saunders Vice President, goes head to head with Milton Black, “Australia’s Leading Astrologer and Psychic” (ref) on Sunrise and challenges claims that they can “navigate you through the sea of life”. Watch … Read on »
Meryl Dorey and the AVN win 2009 Bent Spoon
The Australian Skeptics Bent Spoon Award was presented last night at the annual Skeptics’ Convention at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. The Bent Spoon is awarded annually for the perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal or pseudo-scientific piffle and is chosen from a list of public nominations submitted to the Australian Sceptics. The … Read on »
Skepticism on Australian High-School Exams
Skeptical content on school exams has always been of interest to the Australian Skeptics, whether it is favourable or not-so-complimentary to the goals of investigating paranormal or pseudoscientific claims rationally. Back in 2003, the Victorian Skeptics voiced their concern over a question on the VCE, which requested students of Psychology to explain how an ‘altered state of … Read on »
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