Science writer wins libel appeal.
01-04-2010, 13:16
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#1
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Science writer wins libel appeal.
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A science writer has won the right to rely on the defence of fair comment in a libel action, in a landmark ruling at the Court of Appeal.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8598472.stm
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01-04-2010, 13:27
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#2
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The Dark Satanic Mills
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Re: Science writer wins libel appeal.
Looks like a victory for common sense, but a hard fought victory nontheless
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01-04-2010, 13:55
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#3
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laeva recumbens anguis
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Re: Science writer wins libel appeal.
Excellent news.
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01-04-2010, 15:36
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#4
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Re: Science writer wins libel appeal.
Very good news 
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01-04-2010, 16:39
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#5
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Re: Science writer wins libel appeal.
Actually, it isn't good. He made some horrible statements about my profession in the course of advertising his new book and refused to retract them when asked to.
I personally don't think the BCA should have taken it any further......but thats life. 
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01-04-2010, 19:35
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#6
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laeva recumbens anguis
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Re: Science writer wins libel appeal.
To be fair, what he actually said was
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In the article in April 2008, Dr Singh suggested there was a lack of evidence for the claims some chiropractors made on treating certain childhood conditions such as colic and asthma
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If the evidence was available, why wasn't it shown/used?
I have used chiropractors in the past, and found them helpful - but that isn't what this was about.
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02-04-2010, 18:48
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#7
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Re: Science writer wins libel appeal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by foreverwar
If the evidence was available, why wasn't it shown/used?.
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I have no idea why Singh didn't use the medical evidence (the evidence was however used in court which is why the BCA won it's initial libel case. Singh has appealed on the grounds that he claims he wasn't stating fact but his personal opinion-which happened to be reported as fact in the national press). AFAIK, he was asked if he had actually read the medical evidence that he claimed didn't exist. He hadn't. It was supplied to him for his perusal, he refused to read it (or possibly read it and refused to change his stance-I can't remember). He was asked to retract his statements, he refused. He was therefore sued for libel. 
There is a background to all this. Singh is mates with Ernzt who is the "UKs only professor of alternative medicine" and who really dislikes chiropractors. We don't know why he dislikes only chiropractors amongst all the people who provide joint manipulation as a therapy. Ernzt always bangs on about chiropractic manipulation as being dangerous whilst bizarrely ignoring osteopaths, physiotherapists, consultants, lay manipulators and Turkish barbers who all are known to provide joint manipulation to greater in lesser degrees.
Anyway, Singh and Ernzt wrote a book trashing (rightly or wrongly) various alternative therapies and Singh made some claims which are untrue whilst publicizing the book........which kicked all this off.
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15-04-2010, 12:09
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#8
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Re: Science writer wins libel appeal.
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15-04-2010, 16:42
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#9
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Re: Science writer wins libel appeal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Osem
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Not quite:
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Simon Singh:“The case is not quite over, because we still have to argue over costs. Having backed down and dropped the case, I expect the British Chiropractic Association to pay my legal bill of 200,000 pounds. I fully expect the BCA to argue that they should not pay all my costs, but I think it is the very least that they should do because this entire legal battle has been instigated by the BCA...
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http://www.libelreform.org/news/452-...st-simon-singh
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16-04-2010, 09:38
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#10
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Re: Science writer wins libel appeal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Osem
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Thank goodness for that. Should never have been started in the first place.......
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