List of shortlisted candidates for "Lame Duck Award 2012"
Edzard Ernst [Quack Ex-Professor (Against CAM) and an anti-homeopath]
Edzard Ernst himself admitted that he tried learning homeopathy, acupuncture, herbalism and chiropractic but never completed any course on them. He had 2 months of classes and 6 months of homeopathy training in Germany. In Germany, where homeopathy is regulated, it is a prerequisite to pass an exam by a Governing Medical Council, which he did not do. He had never wrote an exam. He has zero qualifications in homeopathic medicine but still falsely claims that he has been trained as a homeopath.
Without having a required medical qualification, he illegally practiced Homeopathy and admitted in a national newspaper (UK Guardian, 3/4/2012) that he was "....impressed with the results achieved by Homeopathy. Many of my patients seemed to improved dramatically....".
Edzard Ernst published two papers in favour of homeopathy
1. Phlebology
“Complementary Treatment of Varicose Veins: A Randomised, Placebo-controlled, Double-blind Trial”
Edzard Ernst, T. Saradeth, K.L. Resch, 1990, 157-163.
Three doses of a popular German combination of eight homeopathic medicines were given daily for 24 days. Measures were venous filling time, leg volume, and subjective symptoms. The study found that venous filling time improved in those given the homeopathic medicines by 44%, while it deteriorated in the placebo group by 18%. Other measures also had significant differences.
Linde OR=2.6 in favour of homeopathy, Linde Quality=1
2. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
Homeopathy for post-operative ileus (1997)
Barnes, Edzard Ernst
6 trials, 776 patients, medicines: Opium, Arnica, Raphanus sativus, China, Pyrogenum. Two of the four studies that also measured time to first faeces reported a positive effect for homeopathy. A meta-analysis of all six included studies revealed a statistically significant effect in favour of homeopathy for time to first flatus. This effect remained even with the exclusion of the two low quality studies. A significant effect in favour of homeopathy was also found for time to first flatus when a homeopathic remedy of less than 12C potency was used.
Conclusion: “There is some evidence to support the administration of a homeopathic remedy immediately after surgery to reduce the duration of ileus”
4 out of 6 trials are of best quality. AMSTAR score=6/11
By fraud he became a Professor of Complementary medicine in University of Exeter (an accredited University in UK) in 1993 by fooling them (How can you become a Professor of Complementary medicine when you have zero qualifications in complementary medicine?). It would be interesting to know who appointed Edzard as Professor. Did he tell porky pies to get the job?
Some called him a failed Homeopath. Fear of failure made him skeptic. Fate made him 'skeptic without k', get famous as an authority after failing as CAMventional practitioner. He co-authored a book "Trick or Treatment". It was full of half-truths which were exposed in a book by William Alderson titled 'Halloween Science'.
His downfall started in 2005 when "Ernst breached the professional code of scientific behaviour by leaking under-review paper before publication" (as a reviewer of a Journal Lancet). It was deplored by the journal and the scientific community.
He was exposed in year 2007 by Alliance for Natural Health. He is considered to be The Rachel Maddow of Alternative Health
He got potentised when he was forced to put down his papers at University of Exeter as Professor of Complementary Medicine in 2011, two years ahead of his official retirement. Immediately after his retirement, a homeopathy clinic was established in the University.
He was removed from editorial board of a reputed Elsevier Journal in 2013. It was a fall from grace.
He is fighting a losing battle against Prince Charles who is going to have the last laugh.
Chris Wilkinson has dedicated a law in his name titled "Ernst First Law". It says, "Endlessly repeat what they want to hear and the septics will keep sending me their blessings and I shall be king."
More about him at http://safe-medicine.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/the-contribution-of-professor-edzard.html
Santa Singh
He does have a degree in mathematics but claims his expertise in advance studies like homeopathy in which he has no knowledge. His book "trick and tick" was full of lies which were exposed by Wills. He threatens anyone who publishes a magazine on complementary medicine. His double standards were exposed by JamPole who tears into his hypocrisy.
Of late, he has been trying to be in limelight and news by resorting to unfair, underhand tactic to discredit natural medicine modalities like herbal and other science-based medicine on his website. He has named the corporation after the name of a person who was a supporter of homeopathic medicines. He has a teapot in his corporation who reminds us of anarchy. Singh continues to promote and show more respect to 'synthetic chemical drugs' aka conmed (read quackery) whose adverse effects far exceeds the good effects; but he never criticizes weakness of the drug market.
Lately he has changed his gravity-defy hair style and first name to look more like an Englishman. His first name is popular in many countries as a legendary Christmas folk hero for children who brings Christmas gifts/presents. In India the name evokes humourous cartoon stereotypes.
His parents have used Ayurvedic Medicines.
His views on global warming and climate change are bizarre to say the least.
He was involved in a lawsuit with BritChiro Assoc. He not only lost money but also faced wrath from the scientific community.
He is a very self-conscious person.
Denial Calhoun
He is a man of conmed pharma and consider everything else including science-based medicine as quackery. He is anti-science. He considers conmed as AC probability Science. No one knows what does it mean. He smokes nicotine pipe.
He has targeted science and complementary medicine in universities. He often mis-represent science on his website confusing the readers. He was accused by the herbalist of inappropriate use of his official position by targeting natural medicine on university website and misuse of university resources. He was forced to remove the content from the university website around 5 years back. He was dismissed from a committee of council of natural healthcare.
He is known for sending a series of unpleasant and vindictive comments if the article in a journal is not to his liking.
He was forced to remove his defamatory post upon legal advice.
He considers himself a senior scientist and prefer calling himself as a Professor of Pharmacology.
He is an atheist.
