How much does willpower have to do with good health? If, for example, we have pursued a life of booze, fags and indolence, can we reverse the damage if we choose to? Or have our prior actions, and our genes, already determined our fate? Some philosophers, particularly the chain-smoking kind, may accept the idea of […]
Continue Reading →What do Jo Brand, Martin Amis and Lord Rees have in common?
They are all signatories to an open letter (as are FT Science Editor Clive Cookson and myself), condemning the use of English libel law to silence the critical discussion of medical practice and scientific evidence. This is in response to the Simon Singh case, where the British Chiropractic Association has sued him for libel: he has announced that he is to appeal.
Continue Reading →Getting to the point
Unfortunately, last week’s column of acupuncture seems to have upset a few people. On the one hand, those who believe in acupuncture have accused me of being unfair to complementary medicine. At the other end of the scale, alternative medicine sceptics have said I am too interested in what acupuncture has to offer. In order to solve this long-running debate once and for all, I’d like […]
Continue Reading →Acupuncturing a myth: column
Britain’s backs are in terrible shape. We spend more time off work because of back pain than for any other ailment, according to the NHS. So it’s not surprising that we are keen to relieve our suffering. A new study on acupuncture and back pain tries to do just this, though in truth it is […]
Continue Reading →What is ‘Bogus’?
Simon Singh, as mentioned before, was in the High Court last week facing the British Chiropractic Association over an article he wrote for the Guardian (which is no longer available to read on their website.) In court, the Judge held that the phrase Singh used – ”happily promotes bogus treatments” – was capable of bearing the meaning that […]
Continue Reading →Eye surgery? My view
Squeamishness is relative. I am unfazed by childbirth, urinary catheters and vomit. I am less good with injuries to the ends of fingers or toes, which always make me want to look away. My biggest fear, however, is of eyes. Operative ophthalmology, in particular, sets me on edge – the eyelid clamped back, the surrounds […]
Continue Reading →Weight gain
The ritual of weekly baby weighing clinics is unlikely to end anytime soon, and so I am delighted to learn that – at last- the old World Health Organisation baby weight charts are being ditched in favour of more evidence-based ones. Previously, the charts “smoothed over” the differences in normal childrens’ weight gain in the first […]
Continue Reading →Masking the problem?
We are living in uncertain times. Circumstances will probably have changed by the time this column appears, but whatever happens, swine flu will probably still be making headlines. People don’t like uncertainty, either as patients or doctors. It would be easier if we could predict the spread of disease reliably, or the effect of medications […]
Continue Reading →Simon Singh vs the British Chiropractic Association
This starts in the Royal Courts of Justice today. There are restrictions on what can be reported currently. I am reliably informed that this legal blog http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/ will have updates. Best wishes, Simon.
Continue Reading →Protect and perfect and not at all convinced
Boots the chemist are making much of research just published in the British Journal of Dermatology. It involves their Protect and Perfect product, which is on sale in my local store, where there are signs saying that customers are allowed to buy only 6 bottles. Clearly they are anticipating great demand. In 2007, the BBC […]
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