British Chiropractic Association v Simon Singh

[Blue Wode]

UPDATE:

Hearing date: 23 February 2010
Judges and court: Court of Appeal; Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger, Lord Justice Sedley.
http://www.indexoncensorship.org/201...c-association/

[Blue Wode]

In the last few minutes the hearing date seems to have been corrected:

Hearing date: 22 February 2010
Judges and court: Court of Appeal; Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge, Master of the Rolls Lord Neuberger, Lord Justice Sedley.

http://www.indexoncensorship.org/201...c-association/

[Blue Wode]

Here's an interesting development.

An Advertising Standards Authority ruling on a chiropractic clinic this week could have a potentially huge, detrimental effect on all chiropractors in the UK. Apparently any claims about "improving the function of the spine or nervous system" are not allowed - and that is basically what chiropractic is about.

More...
http://www.zenosblog.com/2010/01/discover-chiropractic/

[John Jackson]

I love the sign:



There seems to be a subluxation in the lettering.

[Blue Wode]

Excellent round up from Jack of Kent on the BCA v. Singh case ahead of Simon Singh going to the hearing at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, 23rd February 2010:
http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/2010/...of-appeal.html

[Blue Wode]

Round up of today's events at the Royal Courts of Justice:
http://www.indexoncensorship.org/201...-libel-appeal/

Not looking good for the BCA.

[bindeweede]

From "Sense about Science"

Simon said after the hearing: "First of all, thanks to everyone who came to the Court of Appeal today, and everyone who has been so supportive over the last two years. Without your goodwill, I probably would have caved in a long time ago.


I am delighted the Court of Appeal has decided to reconsider the meaning of my article about chiropractic, and I am particularly glad that three such eminent judges will make the ruling. They grilled both sides on all aspects of the appeal. However I should stress that whatever the outcome there is still a long way to go in this libel case. It has been almost two years since the article was published, and yet we are still at a preliminary stage of identifying the meaning of my article. It could easily take another two years before the case is resolved.



More important than my particular case is the case for libel reform and I know that you share my concern on this matter. My greatest desire is that journalists in future should not have to endure such an arduous and expensive libel process, which has already affected the careers of health journalists such as Ben Goldacre, and which is currently bearing down on the eminent cardiologist Peter Wilmshurst. If Peter loses his case then he will be bankrupted. Please continue to spread the word about libel reform."

[Blue Wode]

Jack of Kent has now blogged on today's court hearing:
http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/2010/...-in-court.html

Crispian Jago, too:
http://crispian-jago.blogspot.com/20...-feb-2010.html

[Blue Wode]

First we had the BCA's 'plethora' of evidence, now we have the GCC's, as blogged by Zeno:
http://www.zenosblog.com/2010/02/the-gccs-plethora/

[Blue Wode]

Martin Robbins in today's Guardian:

Furious backlash from Simon Singh libel case puts chiropractors on ropes
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/mar/01/simon-singh-libel-case-chiropractors

Now even the General Chiropractic Council has disowned the claims of the BCA...

[Blue Wode]

Jack of Kent has now posted all 42,000+ words of Appeal transcript:
http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/2010/...of-appeal.html

[bindeweede]

Simon says goodbye to his Guardian column.

The crippling and prohibitive financial cost of defending a libel case is often highlighted, but the equally terrible cost in terms of time and stress is rarely mentioned.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/20...e-libel-reform

[Blue Wode]

A couple of new blog posts relating to the BCA v. Singh case:

Talking the talk
http://www.zenosblog.com/2010/03/talking-the-talk/

Chiropractic: Evidence, claims and a willingness to change …
http://skepticbarista.wordpress.com/...ess-to-change/