Bad Science: Jeni Barnett MMR and vaccination slot on LBC radio, 2009
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- Release date
- February 5, 2009
Summary
Ben Goldacre is a Guardian columnist who runs the site Bad Science, which exposes poor science journalism and science-related frauds. According to our source, Dr. Goldacre has received legal threats to remove a radio broadcast from LBC radio station, which he used as evidence in his latest article. Some excerpts from the article, titled "Bad Science Bingo, with Jeni Barnett", appear below:
- Sorry I had no column in the paper this week, there's some very good fun stuff coming in the next month if I can pull it together safely. Meanwhile, in case any of you are feeling complacent, I offer you this truly magnificent performance on MMR by Jeni Barnett from LBC Radio. I hope you enjoy this clip as much as I do.
- It is my view that in this extended broadcast Jeni exemplifies every single canard ever uttered by the antivaccination movement. "It's a conspiracy by the pharmaceutical industry." "Science always changes so you can believe what you like." "It's a debate and a controversy." "Measles was never that bad anyway." "Immune systems are damaged by being understimulated." "Immune systems are damaged by being overstimulated." And so on.
- I invite you to document the rest below (the bit about empirical experience is particularly enjoyable) and maybe we can get the full list of canards together for the definitive numbers set of Bad Science Bingo. In fact, if there is an anti-vaxxer canard in existence which is not in this broadcast, I want to know about it, signed copy of some book for the best one.
- This scare, as you can see, will never end. Bravo Jeni.
Contact Ben Goldacre via: ben@badscience.net
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Further information
- Context
- United Kingdom
- Company
- LBC radio
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