Junk science

A recent news.com headline: "Herbal medicine 'cures lung cancer'".

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,7933513%255E1702,00.html

"A Sydney lung cancer sufferer used herbal medicine exclusively to cure her of the disease, Chinese medicine researchers heard today.

The 51-year-old woman was diagnosed with lung cancer eight years ago and was given less than a 10 per cent chance of survival, RMIT University Head of Chinese Medicine Associate Professor Charlie Xue said."

GAAAAAH!

Let's get this straight: we're talking about one patient, who was given a "less than 10 per cent chance of survival" - which, you will note, is not the same as "zero chance". Herbal medicine is used, and she recovers.

Now, this is the point at which any half-competent scientist - and any journalist covering scientific news - should be asking "And what evidence do you have that these two things are related?"

AFAICT from RMIT's (slightly more cautious) press release, the sum total of the evidence is that "the patient maintained that the eight-year regression of her lung cancer was due to the use of herbal medicine."

Now, I'm sure traditional medicine has some genuine benefits. This is where things like aspirin come from, after all. And if a patient with poor prospects makes a good recovery after receiving such treatment, then that might well be worthy of further investigation. But to issue a press release even suggesting a 'cancer cure' on the basis of ONE PATIENT going into remission...

Gah. In any branch of science, that's inexcusably sloppy. In this particular branch, it's offering what's most likely false hope to people who are desperate for a cure. And that is unforgivably cruel.

More mini pics

Added some more photos to the miniatures directory. This time taken by Rey, whose photographic skills are better than mine :-)

More of the blood and pyre elementals, and the sarcophagus. Two of the electricity elemental, and a couple of group shots of the shinyshinyelves team.