Ben Goldacre September 15, 2008
Posted by CamdenKiwi in : Camden,Miscellany , trackbackMy favourite Guardian columnist, Dr Ben Goldacre, has released a book, so tonight a couple of hundred fans packed into the downstairs bar at the Penderel’s Oak on High Holburn to hear him.
If you don’t know his work, look it up. He does a fantastic job of debunking the sillier myths of medical pseudoscience, particularly taking aim at institutions and explaining how evidence in medicine really works. Various ‘professional bodies’ in alternative medicine and quackery take regular beatings, a nice balance to the normal ‘wellbeing’ tripe which even the Guardian is inclined to peddle.
His basic theme is that most people can understand science if its explained properly, and it is the responsibility of professionals and the media to do that. He is particularly harsh on journalists who do science and health reporting without really understanding what they’re talking about.
Despite the overcrowding, and the lousy sound system, he’s worth hearing if only because his is a rare voice in the midst of the gullible silliness which passes for so much health news. For an added treat, he publishes his del.icio.us feed, so you can follow his wanderings around the web, with frequent gems.
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