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

[Allele]

if a couple of individuals send angry messages that constitutes a campaign of harassment from the ME

Yes, this is why they eventually pivoted to "highly vocal organised minority" or whatever whilst continuing their misinfo and diminishment of housebound bedbound sick people.

*edited for: greater accuracy

 

[Forbin]

Maybe there should be a prize for digging the deepest hole.

Or at least a music video...



[ Pretty great little animation. Turn on CC for lyrics. ]

 

[Barry]

There are millions of ill people who have good reason to be angry with Crawley, etc. It's only takes a couple of idiots to send e-mails that can then be used to try to discredit everyone else, and it wouldn't surprise me if there were a couple of idiots out there. That she's having to use the cover of a magazine article indicates that whatever she does get is still not ideal for her propaganda campaign though.

I think it likely a fair number of high profile scientists maybe receive some pretty nasty vitriol from nasty people - statistics and human nature make it inevitable unfortunately. There is one major difference though: Those confident in their science and committed to good scientific process, will not be accusing their genuine critics of harassment. I'm sure it would go against all they stand for. Totally unprincipled.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

As indicated previously, I wrote to Colin Blakemore to voice my concerns some time back. I then contacted the chair of the trustees, Paul Hardaker and have also copied in Lord Rees, who was on the panel with Blakemore and Tracey Brown, and Lord and Lady Taverne, who set up SAS.

I have had helpful responses from both Blakemore and Rees, indicating that they agree there are issues with making commendations on the basis of single testimonials from research associates. Blakemore indicated that he was not very happy with the procedure at the time and Rees agrees in retrospect that it needs to be reviewed. Hardaker made no specific comment but forwarded my correspondence to Tracey Brown indicating that I should expect a response from her. Maybe I should also contact Natasha Loder, although, unlike Blakemore and Rees she is not someone I have come into contact with.

 

[Allele]

As indicated previously, I wrote to Colin Blakemore to voice my concerns some time back. I then contacted the chair of the trustees, Paul Hardaker and have also copied in Lord Rees, who was on the panel with Blakemore and Tracey Brown, and Lord and Lady Taverne, who set up SAS.

I have had helpful responses from both Blakemore and Rees, indicating that they agree there are issues with making commendations on the basis of single testimonials from research associates. Blakemore indicated that he was not very happy with the procedure at the time and Rees agrees in retrospect that it needs to be reviewed. Hardaker made no specific comment but forwarded my correspondence to Tracey Brown indicating that I should expect a response from her. Maybe I should also contact Natasha Loder, although, unlike Blakemore and Rees she is not someone I have come into contact with.

Thank you so much for this, JE.

 

[BurnA]

Natasha Loder:

Natasha Loder, health-care correspondent, the Economist and judge commented, “Speaking truth against vested interests has never been more important.

This would be the ultimate test, is she brave enough to judge the organisation for which she is invited to adjudicate?

She was part of the panel discussion with Wessely last year.

Join three previous John Maddox Prize winners - Dr David Robert Grimes, Professor Elizabeth Loftus, Professor Sir Simon Wessely - and award-winning science journalist Natasha Loder as they discuss their experiences of overcoming adversity to talk about evidence. The discussion is chaired by Tracey Brown, managing director of Sense about Science.

 

[Esther12]

Maybe I should also contact Natasha Loder, although, unlike Blakemore and Rees she is not someone I have come into contact with.

[edit: Actually - it could have been Tracey Brown, and I got the wrong end of the stick at the time] I think that Loder was the 'facilitator' at the Sense About Science Maddox prize meeting where Wessely was being praised for his bravery, and it seemed that she was not interested in criticism of him there during the Q&A:

 

[BurnA]

I think that Loder was the 'facilitator' at the Sense About Science Maddox prize meeting where Wessely was being praised for his bravery, and it seemed that she was not interested in criticism of him there during the Q&A:

I got the impression she was on the panel not a facilitator.

If so I don't think i would interpret her silence in that passage as meaning she was not interested.

ETA I wasn't there so I don't know!

 

[Esther12]

I got the impression she was on the panel not a facilitator.

If so I don't think i would interpret her silence in that passage as meaning she was not interested.

ETA I wasn't there so I don't know!

Thanks - I've edited my comment. I was under the impression it was Loder, but now that I think back I have no idea where I first got that impression from.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

I have not seen this before from the inaugural award in 2012:

Fang Shi-min, a freelance science journalist based in Beijing, was awarded the Prize for his bravery and determination in standing up to threats to his life to uncover clinics promoting unproven treatments, and to bring a wide public readership to the importance of looking for evidence. Simon Wessely, Professor of Psychological Medicine at King’s College London, was awarded the Prize for his ambition and courage in the field of ME (chronic fatigue syndrome) and Gulf War syndrome, and the way he has dealt bravely with intimidation and harassment when speaking about his work and that of colleagues.

 

[BurnA]

I have not seen this before from the inaugural award in 2012:

Fang Shi-min uncovering clinics promoting unproven treatments, sharing a prize with Wessely, leading clinics promoting unproven treatments.

You couldn't make it up.

Maybe Fang should base himself in the UK for a while.

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

So it is now over a month since Colin Blakemore indicated that he would pass my concerns on to Tracey Brown and over a fortnight since hardcore did the same. I have heard nothing.

I have, however, heard from Lord and Lady Taverne (both), Colin Blakemore and Lord Rees, all of whom expressed concern that the commendation was not grounded in adequate assessment. Interestingly it looks as if a senior immunologist now involved in the CureMe project at London School of Hygiene worked with Janice Taverne when she was in the same department as Jo Cambridge and I thirty years ago. Janice was interested in what was going on at LSHTM.

Paul Hardaker, the chair of the board, expressed no comment and nor did Natasha Loder who just thanked me for keeping her informed.

I am not proposing to enquire again. I think I understand where everyone sits.

 

[BurnA]

Paul Hardaker, the chair of the board, expressed no comment and nor did Natasha Loder who just thanked me for keeping her informed.

I am not proposing to enquire again. I think I understand where everyone sits.

Thanks for trying.

So much for Natasha Loder.