Dutch Defence Minister amongst quack award nominees

Dutch Defence Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert is a nominee.

During its 1 October symposium, the Dutch Society against Quackery, Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij, will announce who has won this year’s Master Quack Award (Meester Kackadorisprijs). Nominated are:

  1. The Donders Institute at Radboud University Nijmegen
    Because of a bad dissertation on acupuncture. See also
    Acupunctuurpromotie RU: niet meer dan placebo-effect volgens promotor Coenen (Dutch)
  2. Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Minister of Defence
    Military personnel has, without their knowledge, been given a health insurance, where alternative care has been included in basic care.
  3. Dutch Royal Society for Veterinary Medicine (KNMvD)
    The organisation lets alternatively operating vets, united in the Study Group for Complementarily Operating Vets, practice freely. Nominated for the third time.
  4. André Rouvoet, chair of VEKTIS
    VEKTIS registers alternative healthcare providers, which they require in order to be eligible for compensation by health insurance companies. According to the Society, VEKTIS’ assessment procedure is a farce.
  5. Huub Savelkoul, professor at Wageningen University
    Nominated for a second time, this year for his cooperation to a course on ‘orthomolecular dietetics’.

The prize is meant for the institute, person or enterprise that has contributed most to the spread of quackery in the Netherlands last year by means of act, word or writing. On skeptical blog KloptDatWel.nl, you can vote for whom you think should receive the 2016 ironic award until Friday 16:00 CET.