Sign for Singh

Image via Wikipedia

Simon Singh, that is, the UK journalist being sued by the British Chiropractic Association.

Quoting from Mail Online:

Dr Singh wrote in the Guardian last year that the British Chiropractic Association was ‘the respectable face of the chiropractic profession and yet it happily promotes bogus treatments’.

The association sued for libel, demanding an apology and a retraction. In a preliminary ruling last month Mr Justice Eady said the use of the word ‘bogus’ meant Mr Singh had accused the association of dishonesty and supporting treatment it knew would not work.

Richard Dawkins comented with his usual directness.

‘The English libel laws are ridiculed as an international charter for litigious mountebanks, and the effects are especially pernicious where science is concerned.

The petition to change the libel laws has passed the 12k signature mark.  Please add yours here.

This justice Eady seems a fool, and this isn’t the first time he’s decided against free speech. This nonsense puts a real chill on scientific debate.

And speaking of chill, the suit has sent one through the chiropractic profession as well, which has chosen not to challenge Singh on the scientific validity of chiropractic (because they can’t – there is none), and now seems on the run as to the bogus (there, I’ve said it too) health claims on their various websites. They’re shutting them down left and right on instructions from chiropractic organizations

Check out an astounding  example of those instructions on Quackometer, an immensely informative website.