Keep journalism free

I attended a talk by science writer Simon Singh last night, which was excellent. He spoke briefly, then answered questions at length about his latest book, Trick or Treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial, co-written with the world’s first professor of complementary medicine, Edzard Ernst. I’ve written and blogged about Trick or Treatment? before but, to recap, it’s a fair-minded but unequivocal look at all the research into alternative therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic, homeopathy and herbal medicine, explaining what works, what doesn’t, what’s safe and what should be avoided. Anyone interested in health, either that of the general populace or their own, should read it. And anyone currently being treated by an alternative therapist or considering it should definitely read it. Know the facts before you submit to, at best, inefective and, at worst, dangerous treatment. Simon also spoke about his recent libel case involving the British Chiropractic Association (BCA). He is being sued by the BCA for an article he wrote in the Guardian, criticising the BCA for supporting members who claim that chiropractic treatments can treat conditions like colic and childhood asthma. He described the treatments as ‘bogus’ and criticised the BCA for ‘happily promoting’ them. The fact that he could be sued for libel for expressing these opinions (which anyone with even a shred of scientific or medical knowledge would find wholly reasonable – how can you treat asthma by manipulating the spine?) is disgraceful. It also represents a threat to journalistic free speech, such as it is. To support Simon and register your protest at the use of the legal system to squash irksome stories, visit Sense About Science and sign the petition.