Skepticism, evidence, science, mythbusting, consumer protection
News headlines from Europe about skeptical activism, mythbusting, science related policy decisions, consumer protection, frauds, health scams, alternative medicine, bad scientific practices, pseudoscience etc.
In a blog by the UK Health Security Agency it is reported that in 2024 there were 2,911 laboratory confirmed measles cases in England, the highest number of cases recorded annually since 2012. Most of these cases were in unvaccinated children under the age of 10. The agency further reports that more than 1 in 10 eligible children under the age of 5 have not had the Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine or are only partially vaccinated, indicating a decline in vaccination rate over the last 15 years. ‘Vaccinations remain the best defence against infection, so it is very important that children attend their routine vaccination appointments and catch up on any they may have missed.’
The current UK Labour government faces significant concerns about the rising percentage of the population diagnosed with disabilities, leading to an increased number of individuals registered as unable to work. This surge places a substantial strain on benefit costs, hampering government efforts to reduce borrowing and stimulate economic growth. In response, the government plans to introduce more stringent criteria for disability diagnosis and to increase support for rehabilitation programs to help more people return to work . Meanwhile, these concerns have been echoed for many years now by some medical professionals worried about over-diagnosis and the growing tendency to medicalise everyday life problems, especially in the field of psychiatry. This discourse is reflected in the publication this year of least three books in the UK, addressing these concerns:
• No More Normal: Mental Health in an Age of Over-Diagnosis by Alistair Santhouse.
• Searching for Normal: A New Approach to Understanding Distress and Neurodiversity. by Sami Timimi.
• The Age of Diagnosis: Sickness, Health and Why Medicine Has Gone Too Far by Suzanne O’Sullivan.
A national patient survey conducted by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) on the experiences of 1,500 fertility-treatment patients in the UK has found that three quarters of patients are being offered unnecessary add-on treatments that ‘are not proven to increase the change of having a baby’. In fact, this has been happening for several years now and in 2016 was the subject of both a Panorama undercover investigation on BBC 1 television and a paper published in the online journal BMJ Open.
A 2.5 day conference bringing together an international group of experts representing different constituencies to discuss what should be done about the growing problem of research fraud.
‘Fostering Accountability for the Integrity of Research Studies’ (FAIRS) Oxford, 7-9th April, 2025. For programme and other details see: https://www.sjcfairsmeeting.com/ (switch off VPN if it fails to load). The website has the programme and a link to the booking form; registration including meals is £180, or for online attendance, £20. There are some in-person places reserved for students etc at a cheaper rate.
From UK’s Sense About Science: ‘This year’s Evidence Week in Parliament brought together more MPs, Peers, researchers and voters than ever before to discuss how evidence is used and scrutinised at Westminster. Evidence Week empowers parliamentarians to ask the right questions of policy evidence – what works, what doesn’t and what vital information is missing. It is important that legislators recognise how much the public value evidence, and what better way to do this than to have members of the public open Evidence Week? …. Evidence Week welcomed more researchers than ever before into Parliament to deliver quick-fire policy briefings on a variety of topics including AI, health, climate change and pollution. Over two days, researchers from top UK institutions shared their latest findings with the offices of over 80 MPs and 14 Peers, creating over 300 new conversations and connections – engaging 45% more parliamentarians than the previous year! Hundreds of supporters submit questions for Committee Chairs, and hundreds more people watched our Reverse Committee hearing broadcast from Parliament, where committee chairs respond to members of the public on topics ranging from paternity leave and restorative justice to child poverty and transport spending. View the meeting.’
This year, the vibrant city of Lyon, France, will host the long-awaited 20th European Skeptics Congress, organised by the dedicated local committee of AFIS from 31 May to 2 June. We expect around 200 curious minds from across Europe to engage in stimulating round tables, insightful conferences, and thought-provoking debates.
For more information see the full press release here!
In 2020, a clinical trial of homeopathic adjunctive treatment for patients with advanced lung cancer was published in the prestigious medical journal The Oncologist. It seemed to reveal sensational results: Patients treated with homeopathy lived about 70% longer than placebo-treated patients, and also gained significantly in quality of life.
Now, an in-depth analysis by an independent German-Austrian working group has revealed numerous indications that the data could have been manipulated and falsified. Problems include:
The conclusion of the review of the study reads:
Several of the results can only be explained by data manipulation or falsification. The publication is not a fair representation of the study.
The full press release in English from Information Network Homeopathy can be downloaded here.
Dear skeptics in Europe and in the World,
it is with sorrow that we bring the news of the sudden death of Lisa-Maria Kellermayr.
Dr. Kellermayr, an Austrian medical doctor and science communicator, committed suicide after relentless bullying from anti-vaccine activists and conspiracy theorists.
Her death has brought up a new wave of conspiracies, stating that her passing was linked to her discovering the “truth about vaccines.”
We are appalled and disgusted by the twisted way her death is being abused by those whose ilk drove her to it.
We know that many of you reading this have been the target of bullying, threats of bodily harm, sexual abuse, harm to your loved ones, and death threats. Please, we implore you to be vocal when this happens to you. Do not let this become your norm or your life – even if it often happens, repeat to yourself that this is not normal, this is not all right. Rely on your family, friends, and colleagues. Share this abuse online, so the abusers do not have the luxury of shadows. Report the abuse – to the social media provider, to the police, to whomever you can.
Please, if you feel overwhelmed, speak to those close to you. If that is not an option, here is a list of national crisis lines you can call.
Board of ECSO
If you want to remind yourself of all the thought-provoking talks and lectures delivered at the 18th ESC, or, if you weren’t there and want to know what was said, here’s your chance!
The talks are now on YouTube for your viewing enjoyment and education.
Over the weekend, a new board has been elected to lead the Hungarian Skeptic Society (HSS) in the next 5 years. Gábor Hraskó, who was also chair of ECSO between 2013 and 2017, has headed the organisation since 2009, but he decided not to run again this time. András Gábor Pintér has been elected as his successor as the chair of the association.
András has been very active in the international skeptic movement, both as the initiator, producer and co-host of the award-winning European Skeptics Podcast and a board member of the European Council of Skeptical Organisations (ECSO) since 2017.
Other newly elected board members of the HSS are police officer Laura Csécsi, IT-specialist Dániel Péterfi and plant biologist/biotechnology expert János Györgyey.