Dec 11 2018
There are a number of charities who should take this as a clear sign that they need to review whether their actions align with this new guidance, and ask themselves what evidence they have to demonstrate that the therapies they promote and provide actually have the benefits they claim. If they find they cannot meet these new guidelines, they should refocus their activities and then amend what claims they make to patients and the public, to ensure that they are not in breach of charity law.
Nov 28 2018
Olivia Guo from Shrewsbury Concord College in Shrewsbury was today crowned the 2018 UK winner of Who Wants to Be a Mathematician, our annual search for the country’s top young mathematical mind. Olivia competed in the final earlier today, alongside fellow finalists Paul Scarr from Whitley Bay High School in Newcastle, Zaka Ahmed from King …
Nov 20 2018
A high-flying Shropshire student is through to the UK final of a competition for young mathematicians.
Nov 16 2018
November 2018 Newsletter: BBC upholds our complaint against homeopathy phone in; we report Goop over advertising breaches; and our maths comp final
Nov 08 2018
The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit has upheld our complaint against a homeopathy phone-in on Liz Green’s BBC Radio Leeds programme. Listeners were encouraged to call and text in to say whether homeopathy “has worked for them”. Two of the three callers interviewed were homeopaths, who were given significant air time and claimed that homeopathy is …
Oct 28 2018
Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand Goop has been reported to British regulators over 113 alleged breaches of UK advertising law. Good Thinking Society, a charity that promotes scientific thinking, has accused the Oscar-winning actress of presiding over a company that issues “potentially dangerous” advice related to “unproven” health products.
Oct 24 2018
The second round of Who Wants to Be a Mathematician is now complete, and we are delighted to be able to announce the four students, who will be taking part in the UK final next month: Zaka Ahmed from King Edward VI Aston, Birmingham Jordan Baillie from St Maurice’s High School, Cumbernauld Jingyi Guo from Concord College, …
Sep 19 2018
The BMJ’s report on fundraisers for alternative cancer treatments highlights media coverage as one of the key drivers in the money being raised to fund ineffective cancer therapies. According to the BMJ’s report: Newspaper and TV reports on people with cancer drive donors to the crowdfunding sites, sometimes attracting the attention of celebrities, who boost …
Sep 14 2018
Media stories about people with cancer seeking controversial cures are unwittingly bolstering unscientific and potentially harmful treatments, says Michael Marshall
Sep 12 2018
The BMJ today published the results of a year-long investigation by Good Thinking into crowdfunding appeals for ineffective cancer treatments. As part of the investigation, Good Thinking searched fundraising sites such as JustGiving and GoFundMe, looking for appeals from UK patients which referenced unproven or disproven cancer treatments, and identifying where these treatments were being …
