Am I not speaking clearly enough?

From this week's edition of The Millenium Project

http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles/

Am I not speaking clearly enough? (3/9/2005)

I received the following emails this week. In both cases it appears
that the writers have seriously misunderstood what this site is about
and what I say in it.

I am interested in getting in contact with Dr. Boyd Haley. I would
like my son to be part of his potential study in gold salts".

I replied:

I'm sorry, but my conscience will not allow me to assist anyone to be
exploited and deceived by Dr Haley. If your son has a problem then no
likely resolution can come from someone who makes a living out of
distorting the facts about the causes of autism.

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I happen to be a chemist with a sister who was diagnosed stage 4
cervical cancer. She is very interested in Burzynski and I am very
interested in finding out how effective Burzynski's stuff is
against say Sloan Ketterings cure rates. Would you happen to
know how to get that information?

Rather than have Sloan treat her, she has opted for a hospital
in a small town with 4 or 5 tier doctors treating her. And the
oncologist she is using I am told gives up on patients if she
thinks they are not going to make it. So far the treatment she
has received doesn't disabuse me of that. A faith healer told
her Sloan is a meat market".

I replied:

My brother is an expert on the early detection of cervical cancer.
When Burzynski had the protocols for his "clinical trials" available
on his web site we examined the one related to cervical cancer. It was
rubbish, and at one stage even managed to confuse the cervix with an
ovary. Burzynski has been carrying out these "trials" for many years
and has yet to produce any results other than testimonials. This is
the case even though the trial process is corrupted in a blatant
attempt to produce positive results.

You say that you are a chemist, which implies that you have some
academic qualifications. Burzynski claims to have a PhD, but he didn't
have it when he migrated to the USA and there is no official record of
him receiving the degree since. If he lies about his academic record,
why should you believe him when he says that he can cure cancer in
exchange for your life savings. People with advanced cancer, like your
sister, are the bread and butter for charlatans like Burzynski. There
is nothing people like him like to see more than someone with little
hope and lots of money.

Comparing Sloan Kettering to Burzynski is quite simple. If Sloan have
never managed to produce any cures at all, then Burzynski is twice as
successful as Sloan. Twice nothing is still nothing. If, however,
Sloan can point to just one successful case they are well ahead of the
quack. As for the comments of the faith healer, what would you expect
someone like that to say? They can only continue to exist (and to make
money) if they put down the competition. There is no such thing as
"faith healing", and anybody who tells you that they can do it is a
liar.

Your sister has a serious, advanced illness and there is probably very
little that anyone can do for her other than to make her remaining
time on earth and with her family as comfortable and as pleasant as
possible. You will not help her by dragging her to Texas so that she
can suffer indignities while being robbed. I realise that desperation
can make any possibility seen attractive, but sometimes there just is
no answer.

My thoughts are with you and your sister. I know that in the same
situation I would be tempted to waste time and money on chasing a
hopeless dream, but I hope I could resist the temptation and provide
the love and support which is really the best care available.
--
Peter Bowditch aa #2243
The Millenium Project http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles
Australian Council Against Health Fraud http://www.acahf.org.au
Australian Skeptics http://www.skeptics.com.au
To email me use my first name only at ratbags.com

"Peter Bowditch" wrote

----snip---

Cue for Richard H Jacobson/akaRich..@.. to post with his usual stalking and
attacking me.
Just watch. Just like clockwork.
Sorry to belabor the obvious.

Somethings are so predictable

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Best defense to logic is ignorance

"LadyLollipop" wrote in message
news%HSe.309686$_o.201622@attbi_s71...


Jan, haven't you ever heard the advice, "If you have nothing to say, say
nothing at all"? If you have nothing of value to contribute to this
newsgroup, why are you here at all? Just to satisfy a pathological need to
call people liars?
--


--Rich

Recommended websites:

http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles
http://www.acahf.org.au
http://www.quackwatch.org/
http://www.skeptic.com/
http://www.csicop.org/

"Rich" wrote in message
...

"LadyLollipop" wrote in message
news%HSe.309686$_o.201622@attbi_s71...


Rich, haven't you ever heard the advice, "If you have nothing to say, say
nothing at all"? If you have nothing of value to contribute to this
newsgroup, why are you here at all? Just to satisfy a pathological need
harass.
--


--Rich

"LadyLollipop" wrote in message
news:wOJSe.308571$x96.92155@attbi_s72...

"Rich" wrote in message
...

"LadyLollipop" wrote in message
news%HSe.309686$_o.201622@attbi_s71...


Rich, haven't you ever heard the advice, "If you have nothing to say, say
nothing at all"? If you have nothing of value to contribute to this
newsgroup, why are you here at all? Just to satisfy a pathological need
harass.

I contribute to this ng often. What contribution have you made since your
dubous "check the teeth" advice? All you do anymore is rant against those
you have falsely branded "liars", and it's getting tiresome. Say something
useful for a change.
--


--Rich

Recommended websites:

http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles
http://www.acahf.org.au
http://www.quackwatch.org/
http://www.skeptic.com/
http://www.csicop.org/

"Rich" wrote in message
...

"LadyLollipop" wrote in message
news:wOJSe.308571$x96.92155@attbi_s72...

"Rich" wrote in message
...

"LadyLollipop" wrote in message
news%HSe.309686$_o.201622@attbi_s71...


Rich, haven't you ever heard the advice, "If you have nothing to say, say
nothing at all"? If you have nothing of value to contribute to this
newsgroup, why are you here at all? Just to satisfy a pathological need to
harass.