If we think we live in a land of free speech and information, we are truly wrong, or perhaps it depends what you want to speak about.
It seems that unfair, misleading and down right untruths are allowed and that these can be delivered by a person/persons hiding behind a pseudonym.
They can call for information to be removed or seek to have views and opinions squashed, which in turn prevents information and choice being available to the public and still not identify themselves.
In October 2012, Cichealth has planned a convention that will bring together various therapies and techniques that are currently being used and developed that may be able to help support healthy tissue
Clearly according to the 1939 Cancer Act, we are not allowed to say that any therapy can treat a person for cancer or provide a cure, but no one can promise a cure, be it allopathic medicine or a more complementary/naturopathic approach.
Our speakers at the convention have attracted the attention of a most insidious website that calls itself the Quackometer. I will give you the full route to find it as we at Cichealth have nothing to hide and are more than happy for any reader to view the ridiculous writings of the 'Le canard noir'
www.quackometer.net
The convention would welcome the participation of a representative from the Quackometer site if they could offer something constructive and agree to appear as themselves or may be they choose to hide.
I find it ludicrous that any one should want to hide behind a pseudonym, let alone one as ridiculous as 'Le canard noir' oh please!!
Still, some seem to have free speech and can write whatever without revealing who they are. They can slate professionals and never reveal themselves, yet the public are not allowed to have anyone aim treatments at them, with any indication that those treatments may help in the treatment of cancer.
Are we to assume the public are too stupid to discern a path way for themselves or perhaps seek to further their own knowledge on treatments that are available. Interesting appraisal on the public in general.
Does a law protect and if so who? Is it the 'stupid' public or the interests of the NHS and all that it entails, drug companies and other vested financial interests.
Cancer is a vast industry world wide, So many jobs depend on it and it alone! From those that have specialised in it as a career, the drug companies with there new patents on yet another drug for it all the way to the huge charity organisations that fund raise for the research and supporting of the sufferers.
It must bring in the highest amount of money from charity than any other illness and that is because it is an illness with such fear around it. That is a fact that is played on to extract money from the public to help in the research into cancer, yet where are the results for the vast sums that the public so generously poor into it?
The cancer act is obviously there to protect the public at vulnerable times, if we are to assume that the public at large can not be objective, yet there are no laws that say you can not prey on people for their money with such emotive tactics.
I found it disgusting that while my sister was in hospital on a cancer ward, that one of the cancer charities box came round. For a donation, you could have a daffodil pin or pink ribbon etc etc.
If you are not allowed to inform the public what is available that may help in the treatment of disease, then should it be allowed that money tins are rattled under the noses of those suffering with the very disease you are collecting for or play on the emotions of the relatives at that time?
The answer to the 'cure' of cancer is not singular. It could be assumed that is is as different as there are people that contract it.
Is the word 'cure' too positive? Aiming for a cure? Far too positive it seems. We are only allowed to aim for remission! Well that's great! I like to think if I was struck with this problem, I would be aiming for a cure and not a remission, but then there is no money in curing cancer or any disease. Money in ill health but not in health!
Who makes the most money in this? Well we don't need to look beyond drug companies for the answer to that and we all know how desperate they can be.
Great play is made of the money that the so called 'alternative' treatments charge, but is that true? I know many excellent therapists that most certainly do not charge excessively for their skills and very often in treating cancer either charge less or give their time voluntarily.
I don't think drug companies are handing over free drugs or oncologists not taking their salaries.
In life we should be allowed to be informed of what ever is available and as long as nothing is deemed as a cure then let the information be out there and debated/discussed and questioned by the public.
I just happen to believe that we the public are not silly and can be informed of things and then make considered judgements. Better to know what may be available and how it may benefit before a problem in the health arises, they may even discover how to prevent illness such as potentially serious ones in the first place.
Why is cancer so different to other ills in terms of the law. Perhaps its because the NHS make it so fear based that they themselves make the sufferer vulnerable rather than empowered. It is easier to get a patient to comply if they are coming from a base of fear rather than one of taking control.
It does seem that the public are denied choice under this act though, as how would your everyday person in the street know what is out there if other methods are not allowed to be given an opportunity to be heard
Cichealth make no claim that any of the treatments being discussed are a cure for treating any person for cancer as the act states, neither do we say they are a cure in themselves.
It is an opportunity to hear and debate the treatments and nothing more.
That must surely be allowed in a country that prides itself on free speech and education.
The speakers are of the highest calibre and all professionals, so lets respect that and give all the opportunity to hear views.
If you can be bothered to visit the Quackometer site, and I do urge you to, as you will no doubt see the ridiculous way information can become misinformation by what I'm sure the author considers himself to be skilful in.
Patricia Peat has given an invitation to her critics to go and speak with her, but of course that may reveal the truth and clearly Quackometer are not so keen on that.
Bill Bradford has most certainly never claimed that Meditherm's thermal imaging is a replacement for mammography and I would like to see where Le canard noir can prove otherwise from Bill.
Re Steve Hickey, It is easy to throw suspicion on to a speaker by claiming that there is no record of that person working at a particular organisation...pity they don't add that they did, but have moved on to other areas as we all do in our work. Some how it doesn't have the same sinister 'suggesting of a lie' about it.
I could go through all our speakers and correct the misinformation that this Quackometer site has deemed to write, but given all our speakers are of the utmost professional being, they really do not need me to do that. Their work speaks for them.
So Le canard noir, cheap tricks in your writings are just that and our far from stupid members of the public see right through them.
For more information on the convention www.cichealth.org.uk click on 'Cancer Convention'
Please visit the Quackometer site and as you do keep a large pinch of salt handy!