Dr Stephen Barrett runs Quackwatch, a much consulted website reporting on medical fraud. He is being sued by an organisation called Doctor’s Data, who are after US$10 million in damages and an injunction against further criticism.
by Dr Stephen Basser
The concept of informed consent is an important one in medicine. Modern science based health care is a complex entity and it is the responsibility of those who dispense health care, or communicate about it, to present evidence regarding medical treatments and procedures in a balanced way. This means objectively discussing benefits and risks to assist consumers of health care to make informed decisions about their care. View More The Health Care Complaints Commission's Enquiry into the Australian Vaccination Network
Graeme Hanigan of “The Celestial Teapot” reviews Homeopathy. Graeme writes:
The following explanation for homoeopathy is taken from the Australian Homeopathic Association.
Homeopathy is a complete system of medicine developed by German physician and chemist, Dr Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843), based on the principle of “let likes cure likes”. This law or principle is based on a long held belief as far back as Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, and other ancient healers such as Paracelsus, that substances that produce symptoms in a healthy individual can be used to treat similar symptoms in a sick person.
Let’s take a critical look at this statement.
Homeopathy is a complete system of medicine
This is an extraordinary claim requiring extraordinary evidence to support it.
… developed by German physician and chemist, Dr Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843).
This statement is supported by historical data and can be considered View More A Critical Look at Homeopathy
Many active skeptics will have seen Simon Taylor before, so you’ll already know how good and entertaining he is.
For those of you who haven’t seen him before let me tell you that he is very good and very entertaining.
He was a big hit at the Global Atheists’ Convention Dinner and more than held his own with other high profile entertainers.
We, (the Victorian Skeptics via Australian Skeptics) supported his two week show at Melbourne Uni’s Guild Theatre last year and it was a great show and with some nights being sold out.
Simon just seems to be getting better and better and so the show, at Darebin Arts Centre on 27th of August, promises to be a great night. Recommended for skeptics and non skeptics alike. Take your family and friends. If they don’t get the skeptical message (and there is one) they’ll at least have a good time and the show won’t end at the final curtain because there will be lingering conversations along the lines of “How did he do that?” …or even “I think I can work out how he did that one…” usually you can’t.
Cheers,
Terry
Remember Darryl Cunningham’s excellent graphical treatment of The Wakefield Saga?
Well, Daryl’s done it again … this time tackling Homeopathy in his insightful and entertaining fashion.
It includes a nice summary of the basics of homeopathy, as well as revealing why it’s so ridiculous and how it can actually be dangerous.
This is essential reading!
Vic Skeptics received this via email a few months ago.
Hello, I’m interested in your organisation but wonder why you choose to use the U.S spelling of sceptic? Surely, this is not the norm in Australia and for pedants such as myself is quite off-putting.
John
The following is based on the considered replies that the question prompted.
View More Liza with a zee?
The questions and comments went on much longer than normal for one of our 3rd Monday events (21st of June). It was a measure of how much everyone enjoyed Dr Ken Harvey’s talk. For those that might want to revisit Ken’s talk, he has kindly made available his presentation slides.
The Victorian Skeptics were asked by the distributor to review this newly released DVD; Steve Roberts writes:
I approached this material with an open mind but also with caution, as the outer packaging implies that Tony – a brilliant comic actor and presenter whom, until now, I have admired – will be presenting various superstitious beliefs in a credulous fashion. “Unlocking information about the past using psychic techniques” skites the cover, alarmingly. “Tony Robinson and science journalist Becky McCall step into the unknown to investigate whether past paranormal events should be taken seriously or dumped into history’s litterbin.” Well, at least there’s a scientist in it; she can hold the lid open.
In each episode Tony starts off by saying “when you look at the past, everything should have a rational explanation”, which is a bit odd; where did Beethoven’s 9th Symphony come from? The three episodes deal respectively (and respectfully) with: the excavation of Glastonbury in the 1910’s, a séance in World War Two where the ghost revealed startling new information, and a whole group of people – actually two whole groups of people – who all believed that they were reincarnations of a whole group View More Unexplained
This article first appeared as a Vic Skeptics discussion pamphlet.
The full range of our discussion pamphlets can be downloaded here: http://www.skeptics.com.au/resources/educational/
or by clicking on the “Useful Info” link at the top of this page.
People are all different, with different personalities, talents and desires. Numerology probably harks back to pre-Christian Hebrew mystic writing. That’s not surprising, as back then, the first letter of their alphabet also stood for the number one, and so on. View More Australian Skeptics Guide to Numerology
As previously reported, The Amazing Meeting Australia will be held at the Sydney Masonic Centre, November 26-28.
The offical website has been launched at tamaustralia.org, and a raft of guests have been confirmed.
The guest list is a who’s-who of internationally-renowned skeptics and freethinkers, including (the Amazing) James Randi, JREF president D.J. Grothe, the entire cast of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com, musician George Hrab, Dr Eugenie Scott, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, previous Vic Skeptics guest Dr Simon Singh, winner of the inaugural Shorty Award for health Dr Rachael Dunlop, and many many more.
Members of the James Randi Educational Foundation and subscribers to “The Skeptic” will be able to buy early-bird tickets from 9am on Sunday June 20. That’s this weekend!
Tickets for the general public will be available from July 5.
This is going to be a major event in the 2010 skeptical calendar, and tickets will sell fast. Don’t miss out!