A Few Things Ill Considered

Medicinal mavericks

Posted by coby on November 29, 2010
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Consensus is a dirty word when it comes to climate change experts, but put in just about any other context, expert consensus is what we all would want. This Marc Roberts cartoon casts that issue in the best light:

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Just imagine getting medical assistance from Lord Cristopher Monckton… Oh look! We don’t have to imagine.

I began to think that Viscount Monckton might be a formidable opponent during the debate. Then he told me that he has discovered a new drug that is a complete cure for two-thirds of known diseases – and that he expects it to go into clinical trials soon. I asked him whether his miracle cure was chiefly effective against viruses or bacterial diseases? “Both”, he said, “and prions”. At this point I felt a little more relaxed about the forthcoming debate.

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Comments

  1. #1 GGMcGready
    November 29, 2010

    I’m no fan of Monckton, but fairness requires me to add what is given at the close of the Financial Times blog report you linked to Coby (“A night at the Oxford Union”):

    “Late update – Added on November 9th. Viscount Monckton felt that I had unfairly misrepresented our conversation. I am happy to print a response and clarification from him, which appears below:
    Lord Monckton has pointed out an inadvertent inaccuracy and unfairness in my account of the medical invention on which he is working. Though there is a substantial body of theoretical and empirical evidence that his invention may prove efficacious against multiple infectious and auto-immune diseases, he did not and does not make any claim that the invention will prove efficacious. That is precisely why, as he told me when we met at Oxford, a series of appropriately sceptical clinical trials will commence shortly in the United States.”

    Of course, many of Monckton’s other pronouncements stated in theage.com article Coby linked to do show him to be somewhat flaky!

  2. #2 Ian Forrester
    November 29, 2010

    Quoted from Moncton’s response:

    Lord Monckton has pointed out an inadvertent inaccuracy and unfairness in my account of the medical invention on which he is working. Though there is a substantial body of theoretical and empirical evidence that his invention may prove efficacious against multiple infectious and auto-immune diseases, he did not and does not make any claim that the invention will prove efficacious.

    Quoted from Monckton’s CV from UK Independence Party:

    2008-present: RESURREXI Pharmaceutical: Director responsible for invention and development of a broad-spectrum cure for infectious diseases. Patents have now been filed. Patients have been cured of various infectious diseases, including Graves’ Disease, multiple sclerosis, influenza, and herpes simplex VI. Our first HIV patient had his viral titre reduced by 38% in five days, with no side-effects. Tests continue.

    Why are AGW deniers also pathological liars (see also the lies told by an AGW denier in the thread with over 400 posts).?

  3. #3 laursaurus
    December 6, 2010

    Uranus is not part of the human body. It’s a planet in our solar system.Or is astrology park of the humor? Hospitals don’t permit visitors to perform procedures.
    Jokes that mimmick reality are funny. Made up non-sense, especially on a so-called scienceblog, usually goes over like a lead balloon.

  4. #4 pough
    December 6, 2010

    Uranus is not part of the human body.

    Ha ha ha! Coby, laursaurus has unintentionally raised an excellent point, which is that unintentional comedy is also very funny.

    More funny, laursaurus! More!

  5. #5 laursaurus
    December 7, 2010

    Uranus is not part of the human body. It’s a planet in our solar system.Or is astrology park of the humor? Hospitals don’t permit visitors to perform procedures.
    Jokes that mimick reality are funny. Made up non-sense, especially on a so-called scienceblog, is not.