Paul Offit: The Sense And Nonsense Of Alternative Medicine

[LazyGun]

Dr. Paul Offit is doing a talk in London this coming thursday (27th June 2013). Eminently qualified in Vaccines ( Professor of Paediatrics, Director of the Vaccine Education Centre, Professor of Vaccinology and inventor of the rotavirus vaccine).

I have listened to him before and been impressed, and am planning to attend. Any other ABers planning on going, out of curiosity?

http://sohojune.eventbrite.co.uk/

[jim360]

Couldn't make it even if I wanted to.

[chakka35]

What is there to talk about? Is he also going to discuss snake oil and dancing round a mushroom ring at midnight to cure tennis elbow?

[LazyGun]

No idea, chakka, which is one reason I intend going :) I would imagine he has a pretty interesting perspective, particularly on the anti-vaccination movement that developed in the US.

[chakka35]

I suppose you're right, Lazygun, but I can't imagine what he could say except that it's all a load of dishonest codswallop, and that shouldn't take long.

I'm reminded of the pact that Richard Dawkins and Steven Jay Gould made that they would never debate with creationists in public. Their reason was that it would give creationism a sort of respectability and would lead the ignorant to suppose that there "must be something" in this creation business for it to be debated by such people.

I feel that Dr Offit might be doing something similar.

(Incidentally, there is no such thing as 'alternative medicine'. If it works it's normal medicine. If it doesn't it's not medicine.)

Nevertheless I'd be grateful to hear whether I've been proved wrong after you've attended the talk today. Cheers.

[vetuste_ennemi]

Dr. Offit's main theme, Chakka, was the regulation of the vitamen and food supplement industry in the US: like there isn’t any. He made the point specifically that there was evidence that what he called mega-vitamens (very high doses)could actually be harmful. Quite frightening when you see how powerful lobbies in the States (i.e. industries on the make + politicians on the make + people who are ill-informed and easily duped) can still act contrary to the public interest. The ID crowd have had a few set-backs recently. These barbarians still haven’t shut up and certainly they won’t lie down.
Revelation of the night was that "alternative medicine" was endorsed by “Pig Farmer”.