by Ben Goldacre
138 were people: http://www.met.police.uk/pressbureau/Bur27/page01.htm
peaceful occupation of Fortnum & Mason: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/mar/28/cuts-protest-uk-uncut-fortnum
systematic review: http://www.bmj.com/content/340/bmj.c2369.full
sports participation in Barcelona: http://olympicstudies.uab.es/pdf/wp039_eng.pdf
being quietly dropped: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/mar/28/jeremy-hunt-london-2012-legacy
More Than Sixty Children Saved from Abuse
More than Sixty: http://www.badscience.net/2010/08/more-than-60-children-saved-from-abuse/
during its pilot: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-centre/news/child-protection-scheme
the Sun said: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3077347/Sarahs-Law-hailed-a-success-as-scheme-rolls-out-nationwide.html
an excellent report: http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/horr32c.pdf
Conrad Quilty-Harper in the Telegraph: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/conradquiltyharper/100049409/the-sarahs-law-trial-didnt-save-60-children-from-sex-offenders/
FullFact: http://www.fullfact.org/blogdetail/sarahs_law_the_story_behind_the_statistics
Home Taping Didn’t Kill Music
Home Taping: http://www.badscience.net/2009/06/home-taping-didnt-kill-music/
Costs Billions: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2454908/Downloading-costs-billions.html
Daily Mail was worried: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1189509/Illegal-file-sharing-downloads-cost-thousands-British-jobs-year.htm
also buy more music: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/apr/21/study-finds-pirates-buy-more-music
the original report: http://www.sabip.org.uk/sabip-ciberreport.pdf
called CIBER: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/infostudies/research/ciber/
called SABIP: http://www.sabip.org.uk/
full CIBER documents: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/infostudies/research/ciber/
2004 press release: http://www.iprights.com/publications/Alert_156.pdf
by a BBC journalist: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8073068.stm
Is This a Joke?
Is This a Joke: http://www.badscience.net/2009/07/is-this-a-joke/
published a consultation paper: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-2009-dna-database/
EVIDENCE-BASED POLICY
I’d Expect This from UKIP or the Daily Mail. Not from a Government Leaflet
I’d Expect This: http://www.badscience.net/2011/04/id-expect-this-from-ukip-or-the-daily-mail-not-from-a-government-leaflet/
For A Stronger NHS: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_125855.pdf
paper in the British Journal of Cancer: http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v101/n2s/full/6605401a.html
we’ve seen this a lot: http://www.badscience.net/2011/04/2011/02/why-is-evidence-so-hard-for-politicians/
NHS workforce data: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/010_Workforce/provisionalmonthlyhchsworkforce/Dec10/FINAL_Table_National.xls
NHS Information Centre figures: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/nhsworkforce
total number of doctors: http://www.ic.nhs.uk/webfiles/publications/010_Workforce/nhsstaff9909/NHS_Staff_1999_2009_Master_Table.xls
British Social Attitudes Survey: http://www.straightstatistics.org/blog/2011/03/29/kings-fund-rescue-social-attitudes-survey
Question 583: http://www.natcen.ac.uk/media/299809/bsa2007questionnaire.pdf
that costs £52: http://www.uk.sagepub.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book 233725
defies all reason: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/13/andrewlansley-health
Andrew Lansley and His Imaginary Evidence
Andrew Lansley: http://www.badscience.net/2011/02/andrew-lansley-and-his-imaginary-evidence/
NHS in thirty years: http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c3843.full
few of them properly studied: http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c3843.full
Kay in 2002: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1314221/
Greener and Mannion: http://www.bmj.com/content/333/7579/1168.full
In 1995 Coulter: http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/5/4/233.abstract
Petchley found: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736%2895%2991805-1
‘NHS Operating Framework’: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Managingyour organisation/Financeandplanning/Planningframework/index.htm
Working from first principles: http://www.niesr.ac.uk/event/propper.pdf
evidence on fixed-price competition: http://nedwards.posterous.com/competition-in-healthcare
death rate from heart attacks: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1360901/
while in the UK: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/cmpo/publications/papers/2010/abstract242.html
to take just two things: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736%2810%2961231-7
John Appleby: http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d566.full
Why Is Evidence So Hard for Politicians?
Why is Evidence: http://www.badscience.net/2011/02/why-is-evidence-so-hard-for-politicians/
Last week we saw: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/05/lansley-use-word-evidence
misleading static figures: http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d566.full
Paul Burstow has kindly responded: http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/08/deconstruction-of-the-nhs-bill?INTCMP=SRCH
gap is closing so rapidly: http://www.bmj.com/content/342/bmj.d566.full
McKee and Nolte: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Publications/In-the-Literature/2008/Jan/Measuring-the-Health-of-Nations--Updating-an-Earlier-Analysis.aspx
‘overlooked the impact assessment’: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_123582.pdf
the four peer-reviewed academic papers: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1314221, http://www.bmj.com/content/333/7579/1168.extract, http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/5/4/233.abstract and http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0140673695918051
Politicians Can Divine Which Policy Works Best by Using Their Special Magic Politician Beam
Politicians Can Divine: http://www.badscience.net/2010/05/politicians-can-divine-which-policy-works-best-by-using-their-special-magic-politician-beam/
‘Programme for Government’: http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/documents/digitalasset/dg_187876.pdf
piloted in three cities: http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/r184.pdf
drug use is estimated: http://www.tdpf.org.uk/MediaNews_Fact ResearchGuide_prisons.htm
Pornography in Hospitals
Pornography in Hospitals: http://www.badscience.net/2010/09/pornography-in-hospitals/
angry about pornography: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3129151/Taxpayers-foot-bill-for-donors-porn-on-the-National-Health-Service-says-2020healthorg-report.html
Telegraph immediately followed suit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7988367/NHS-buys-porn-for-sperm-donors.html
Who said pornography was acceptable: http://www.2020health.org/research/porn.html
Hemsworth and Galloway: http://www.animalreproductionscience.com/article/0378-4320%2879%2990025-3/abstract
not present in rams: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0168-1591%2891%2990138-N
Mader and colleagues: http://jas.fass.org/cgi/content/abstract/59/2/294?ijkey=7e44681dab39ded34d438b6638e77eebc54cda3e& keytype2=tf_ipsecsha
Price and colleagues: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0168-1591%2884%2990054-6
Kerruish reported: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0950-5601%2855%2980049-4
Kilgallon and Simmons: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1617155/
Zbinden and colleagues: http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/content/15/1/137.full
Yamamoto and colleagues: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1439-0272.2000.tb02877.x/abstract
impossible to ejaculate: http://humrep.oxfordjournals.org/content/19/9/2088
.abstract
The Power of Ideas
Atheist’s Guide to Christmas: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0007322615?ie=UTF8&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&qid=1260957597&sr=1-1&linkCode=shr&camp=3194&creative=21330&tag=bs0b-21
‘Exams Are Getting Easier’
‘Exams are Getting Easier’: http://www.badscience.net/2010/08/exams-are-getting-easier/
‘The Flynn Effect’: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flynn_effect
‘The Five Decade Challenge’: http://www.rsc.org/images/ExamReport_tcm18-139067.pdf
study of just this: http://www.ons.gov.uk/about-statistics/ukcemga/work-areas/justice--education-and-children/changes-in-standards-at-gcse-and-a-level.doc
‘Measuring the Mathematics Problem’: http://www.engc.org.uk/ecukdocuments/internet/document library/Measuring the Mathematic Problems.pdf
Over There! An Eight-Mile-High Distraction Made of Posh Chocolate
Over There!: http://www.badscience.net/2009/08/check-me-out-i-bought-some-posh-chocolate-im-political/
two review papers: http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2009/jul/organic
in terms of composition: http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/organicreviewappendices.pdf
or health benefits: http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/organicreviewreport.pdf
blanket right of reply: http://news.google.co.uk/news?ned=uk&hl=en&ncl=d0-fIEkn R_72tGMiU0uORy7OgGBTM&cf=all
Don’t talk about that: http://www.badscience.net/2007/04/this-ageing-breadhead-guy-is-totally-angry-with-me/
pharmaceutical companies before it: http://www.badscience.net/2008/04/cliff-richard-gloria-hunniford-carole-caplin-the-60bn-food-supplement-industry-and-the-quantum-xrroid-dude-refute-a-cochrane-meta-analysis/
example from its press release: http://www.soilassociation.org/News/NewsItem/tabid/91/smid/463/ArticleID/97/reftab/57/t/Soil-Association-response-to-the-Food-Standards-Agency-s-Organic-Review/Default.aspx
www.qlif.org: http://www.qlif.org/
list of 120 papers: http://orgprints.org/view/projects/eu_qlif.html
immune parameters in rat: http://orgprints.org/12653/
Salmonella Infection Level: http://orgprints.org/13728/
As Far as I Understand Thinktanks …
As Far as I: http://www.badscience.net/2008/06/707/
Meaningful Debates Need Clear Information
Meaningful Debates: http://www.badscience.net/2007/10/557/
in the Independent: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article3084306.ece
and the Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/15/nabortion115.xml
on Channel 4: http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/health/abortion+limit+row+looming/924147
anything to declare: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2007/oct/15/sciencenews.medicineandhealth
Further references:
Here is the oral evidence: www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/science_and_technology_committee/scitechfm151007.cfm
Here are the memos, Prof Wyatt’s are the last two in this PDF, and one earlier one: www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/SDAevidence.pdf
Minority Report
Minority Report: http://www.badscience.net/2007/11/minority-retort/
published as an appendix: http://www.badscience.net/wp-content/uploads/hc-1045-i-final-abortion-report.pdf
where they talk about me: http://www.badscience.net/2007/10/oooooh-im-in-the-minority-report/
on 27 October an article: http://www.badscience.net/2007/10/557/
DRUGS
A Rock of Crack as Big as the Ritz
A Rock of Crack: http://www.badscience.net/2009/02/a-rock-of-crack-as-big-as-the-ritz/
Daily Mail headline: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1149207/How-using-Facebook-raise-risk-cancer.html
Facebook Could Raise your Risk: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2009/02February/Pages/Facebookhealthstudy.aspx
said the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/18/taliban-british-troops-drugs
In the Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/4681443/British-forces-in-Afghanistan-seize-50m-of-heroin-and-kill-20-Taliban.html
MoD press release: http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/MilitaryOperations/HelicopterborneTroopsStrikeAtTalibansDrugIndustry.htm
chemicals and vats: http://www.metimes.com/International/2008/05/14/converting_afghan_opium_into_heroin/3696/
2008 world report: http://www.unodc.org/documents/crop-monitoring/Afghanistan_Opium_Survey_2008.pdf
cheap and easy: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heroin/transform/
wholesale price fallen dramatically: http://www.unodc.org/documents/wdr/WDR_2008/WDR2008_Statistical_Annex_Prices.pdf
The Least Surrogate Outcome
The Least Surrogate: http://www.badscience.net/2008/04/the-least-surrogate-outcome/
aren’t very informative: http://www.jstor.org/pss/3552863
or reliable: http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/129/12/1066?ck=nck
Drugs: Protecting Families and Communities: http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/publication-search/drug-strategy/drug-action-plan-2008-2011?view=Binary
Public Service Agreement Delivery: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/B/1/pbr_csr07_psa25.pdf
Heroin on Prescription
Berridge, V., Edwards, G. (1981), Opium and the People, Harmondsworth: Penguin
Caplehorn, J.R., Irwig, L., Saunders, J.B., ‘Attitudes and beliefs of staff working in methadone maintenance clinics’, Subst Use Misuse, 1996 Mar; 31(4): 437–52
Clark, D. (1980), ‘Smack in the capital’, Time Out, no. 51, pp.11–13
Dole V.P., Nyswander, M. A., ‘medical treatment for diacetyl morphine (heroin) addiction’, JAMA 1965;193:80-4
Dorn, N., Baker, O., Seddon, T. (1994), ‘Paying for heroin: estimating the financial cost of acquisitive crime committed by dependent heroin users in England and Wales’, Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence (ISDD), London, 1994
European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS, 1996, cited in UNDCP 1997, p. 311
Follett et al., ‘HIV antibody in drug-abusers in the West of Scotland: the Edinburgh connection’, Lancet, 1986 i, 446
Gilman, M., Pearson, G., ‘Lifestyles and law enforcement’ in Policing and Prescribing: The British System of Drug Control, eds. Whynes, D.K., Bean, P.T. Macmillan: London, 1991
Glossop, M., ‘Verschreibung von Heroin und anderen injizierbaren Drogen an Ahbangige aus Britischer Sicht’, Sucht 1994; 5: 325-33 (translated in ‘report of the committee of the health council of the Netherlands’, 1995)
Gossop, M., Strang, J., Connell, P., ‘The response of outpatient opiate addicts to the provision of a temporary increase in their prescribed drugs’, Br J Psych 1982; 141: 338-43
Gossop, M., Strang, J. (1991), ‘A comparison of the withdrawal responses of heroin and methadone addicts dutin detoxification’, Br J Psych 1991; 158: 697-9
Harding-Pink, D., ‘Methadone: one person’s maintenance dose is another man’s poison’, Lancet 1996; 341.
HMSO Ministry of Health (1965), Drug Addiction: the second report of the inter-departmental committee. London: HMSO.
Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence (1994), Drug Misuse in Britain 1994. London: ISDD.
ISDD Druglink 1996: 11i p.6
Lewis, R., ‘Serious business: the global heroin economy’ in Henman, A., Lewis, R., Malyon, T. (eds.), The Big Deal. London: Pluto Press, 1985.
Marks, J.A., ‘The North Wind and the Sun’, Proc Roy Coll Phys Edin 1991 21(3); 319-327
Maudsley, G., Williams, E., ‘Inaccuracy in death certification: where are we now?’, J Public Health Med 1996; 18: 59-66
Mott, J. ‘Crime and Heroin Use’ in Policing and Prescribing: The British System of Drug Control, eds. Whynes, D.K., Bean, P.T. Macmillan: London, 1991.
Newcombe, R. (1992), ‘The reduction of drug-related harm: a conceptual framework for theory, practice, and research’ in O’Hare et al (eds.), The R
eduction of Drug Related Harm. London: Routledge, 1992
Newcombe, R., ISDD Druglink 1996: 11(i), pp.9–12
Newcombe R, Parker H., ‘Heroin use and acquisitive crime in an English Community’, Br J Sociol 1987, 38: 331–350
Payne-James, J.J., Dean, P.J., Keys, D.W. (1994), ‘Drug misusers in police custody’, J R Soc Med 1994; 87: 13–14
Plant, M.A., Drugs in Perspective. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1987
Robertson et al (1986), ‘Epidemic of AIDS-related virus infection among intravenous heroin users’, British Medical Journal 292, pp.527–9.
Sobell, L.C. (1990), ‘The aftermath of heresy: drinking and life events’, in Miller, W.R., Greeley, J.G. (eds.), Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on the Treatment of Addictive Behaviours (ICTAB-5). Sydney: Pergamon Press.
Spear, H.B. (1969), ‘The growth of heroin addiction in the UK’, British Journal of Addiction, 64, pp. 245–55
Stewart, T., The Heroin Users. Guernsey: Guernsey Press, 1987
Stimson, G.V., Oppenheimer, E., Thorley, A. (1978), ‘Seven year follow up of heroin addicts’, British Medical Journal, 1978: i 11
Stimson G.V., Oppenheimer E. (1982), Heroin Addiction. London: Tavistock Press
United Nations Drug Control Program, World Drug Report. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1997
Vaillant, G.E., ‘Centennial Address, Society for the Study of Addiction to Alcohol and Other Drugs’. Proc R Soc Med, November 1984
World Health Organisation, The HIV/AIDS Pandemic, 1994 Overview, WHO/GPA/TCO/SEF/94.4, 1994
LIBEL
NMT Is Suing Dr Peter Wilmshurst. So How Trustworthy Is This Company?Let’s Look at Its Website …
NMT is Suing: http://www.badscience.net/2010/12/nmt-are-suing-dr-wilmshurst-so-how-trustworthy-are-they/
MIST trial was funded: http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.727271v1
go to its website: http://www.nmtmedical.com/
outcome of MIST trial: http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.727271v1
really was negative: http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/short/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.727271v1
a lengthy correction: http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/120/9/e71
2005 NMT report: http://www.snl.com/IRWebLinkX/GenPage.aspx?IID=4148066&GKP=202513
