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Esther Crawley gets 'commendation' at 2017 Maddox Prize awards.

Discussion in 'General ME/CFS news' started by Esther12, Dec 1, 2017.

  1. Esther12

    Esther12 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I wonder if anyone from Sense About Science fancies trying to defend the SMILE trial?


    The judging panel consisted of Professor Colin Blakemore FRS, Tracey Brown OBE (Sense about Science), Sir Philip Campbell PhD (Nature) Lord Rees of Ludlow OM FRS, Natasha Loder (the Economist). The judges sat in a personal capacity and the choice of the award does not indicate the view of any organisation they are associated with. This year the prize received over 100 nominations from 25 countries. The judges were struck not only by the diverse circumstances in which nominees persevered with communicating science – which may indicate growing recognition among the international research community of the value of engaging in society – but by the often extreme and unsupportive conditions in which some do this. In many of the examples this year, and in previous years, the judges found a lack of institutional support, and in some cases that the behaviour of researchers’ institutions contributed to the problems they faced in public discussion.

    As a result, this year the judges have taken the unusual step of drawing attention to the challenges tackled by other nominees (see commendations below) and calling for researchers’ employers, government agencies, funders and scientific organisations to consider what action they should be taking to ensure that researchers are properly supported and the public continue to have access to their discussions about evidence.

    ...

    Commendations

    The judges have taken the unusual step this year of drawing attention to the challenges tackled by other nominees in order to recognise the wide range of issues people have to confront. In doing so they are calling for employers and institutions to ensure that their researchers are properly supported when engaging in public discussions of science and evidence.
    ...

    Esther Crawley: Professor Crawley is a consultant paediatrician and a professor of child health at the University of Bristol investigating the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. Professor Crawley works to promote a better understanding of CFS/ME in the face of complaints to her employer and professional bodies and accusations of fraud and misconduct.​

    http://senseaboutscience.org/activities/2017-john-maddox-prize/

    There's also this blog which mentions it. It comes as a surprise to no-one that the parody twitter account someone started is being used as an example of 'abuse', but the 'even' is a bit of a surprise there. I thought parody accounts were quite common on twitter?

    In the UK, Esther Crawley is one of a number of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) researchers to have been targeted with hate and vilification campaigns. Crawley has received numerous Freedom of Information complaints, slanderous comments and accusations of fraud and misconduct. Opponents even opened a false Twitter account in her name.​

    https://allianceforscience.cornell....ssault-worldwide-say-john-maddox-prize-judges
     
    ladycatlover, Inara, Simone and 16 others like this.
  2. chrisb

    chrisb Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Was not Colin Blakemore quoted in the infamous Sunday Times article. (That's a rhetorical question. He was.)

    So he can be taken as an objective judge.
     
    ladycatlover, Inara, Simone and 9 others like this.
  3. Cheshire

    Cheshire Moderator Staff Member

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    Yurk.
    The bully rewarded. Seriously?

    Hum, this element is missing to make Saint Esther a perfect marthyr figure.

    Btw this twitter account has allways been a bad idea, not funny and too easy a target...
     
    ladycatlover, Inara, Simone and 10 others like this.
  4. Viola

    Viola Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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  5. Valentijn

    Valentijn Guest

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    Wait, when did Esther Crawley start "engaging in public discussions of science and evidence"? All I've seen is her getting on a pulpit to deliver her sermon against patients, then resorting to personal accusations if anyone questions her work.

    They're FOI "requests", not complaints, and they aren't fucking harassment. Sense About Science is looking more like another anti-patient group and less like clueless bystanders when they repeat this nonsense.
     
  6. TiredSam

    TiredSam Committee Member

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    I reckon I might have a go at winning the Maddox Prize next year. All you have to do is make up shit about being a victim. It's not as if anyone ever checks.
     
    JemPD, Amw66, ladycatlover and 19 others like this.
  7. Esther12

    Esther12 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I fear that you may not be seen as being part of their 'in-group'.
     
    ladycatlover, Barry, Inara and 11 others like this.
  8. Arnie Pye

    Arnie Pye Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Which infamous Sunday Times article? Does anyone have a copy or a link?

    Edit : Apart from a couple of the biggest names I don't know who the good guys and the bad guys are.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2017
    ladycatlover and Inara like this.
  9. EzzieD

    EzzieD Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    Why are they called Sense About Science? Nonsense About Non-Science would be more apropos.

    Why is all this rubbish just reiterated uncritically and without any sort of reality check? Does it never, ever occur to these people that if there are so many complaints about fraud and misconduct regarding a particular 'researcher' that it might actually be for a good reason?
     
  10. Cheshire

    Cheshire Moderator Staff Member

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    ladycatlover, Barry, Inara and 11 others like this.
  11. Arnie Pye

    Arnie Pye Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    ladycatlover, Barry, Inara and 2 others like this.
  12. large donner

    large donner Guest

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    No surprise this is happening with the critical spotlight shining ever increasingly on Crawley. This is how they role, ignore the obvious questions and go on a PR jaunt, awarding each other certificates etc.

    It's amazing what one can knock up with Word and a Printer.

    How very predictable.
     
    ladycatlover, Barry, Inara and 7 others like this.
  13. Daisybell

    Daisybell Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    5A4409C2-C1EC-487B-AC9B-A8726D9E8F63.jpeg
    Edited to add - can you see the halo?
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2017
    zzz, Arnie Pye, ladycatlover and 6 others like this.
  14. Trish

    Trish Moderator Staff Member

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    I think we should nominate all ME sufferers in the world for next year's prize for coping in the face of gaslighting and vilification by Crawley and Wessely and the Maddox Prize.
     
    JemPD, Yessica, Indigophoton and 21 others like this.
  15. Sasha

    Sasha Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    http://senseaboutscience.org/activities/the-john-maddox-prize/

    Sounds like Alem Matthees to me. (Though I don't know how he'd feel about being nominated.)

    Or David Tuller, come to think of it.
     
  16. guest001

    guest001 Guest

    The Maddox Prize aka Badge of Dishonour. :trophy@:emoji_warning:
     
  17. Esther12

    Esther12 Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I was just looking at the Nature press release for this: http://www.nature.com/press_releases/john-maddox-2017.html

    Some funny bits:

     
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  18. arewenearlythereyet

    arewenearlythereyet Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    I've just read the opening post ...I'm not sure what to say ...I normally like to say something polite and constructive ...no. I actually am completely without words ...edited my expletives away. Just ridiculous gathering of self promoting victimisation BS.

    Think we should have some random prizes of our own.

    Perhaps one for the most solicitous gathering of likes on a forum

    I think a few trophies would be needed. Not sure but knob of the week might be appropriate?
     

    Attached Files:

  19. Sean

    Sean Moderator Staff Member

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    The Wessely-Crawley Perpetual Memorial Trophy for the Shameless Recycling of Blatant Falsehoods.
     
  20. Sasha

    Sasha Senior Member (Voting Rights)

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    'Alem Matthees' especially seems clearly written all over this.
     

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