Is the promotion of dubious therapies a charitable activity? The Charity Commission wants to know

We have discussed this notorious problem before: numerous charities (such as one that treats HIV and malaria with homeopathy in Botswana, or the one claiming that homeopathy can reverse cancer) are a clear danger to public health. I have previously chosen the example of ‘YES TO LIFE’ and explained that they promote unproven and disproven alternative therapies as cures for cancer (and if you want to get really sickened, look who act as their supporters and advisors). It is clear to me that such behaviour can hasten the death of many vulnerable patients.

Yet, many such charities get tax and reputational benefits by being registered charities in the UK. The question is CAN THIS SITUATION BE JUSTIFIED?

Currently, the UK Charity commission want to answer it. Specifically, they are asking you the following questions […]

Read the rest here: Is the promotion of dubious therapies a charitable activity? The Charity Commission wants to know

The Charity Commission – from bad to worse | Majikthyse

It’s well over a year since I complained to the Commission about charities that promote homeopathy. The total lack of progress with that was documented recently. So far I have learned nothing about the Commission’s undertaking to review its policy on the public benefit obligation of such charities. To test whether anything has changed, on 30th July I sent in another complaint, this time against Homeopathy In Africa (charity number 1125981). Here is the complaint as I entered it on the Commission’s website (using their headings)...

Read the rest here: The Charity Commission – from bad to worse | Majikthyse

Scientists Have Found A Way To Kill HIV in vitro

A newly created "can opener" molecule is capable of opening HIV and allowing the body's own immune system to kill the infection.

anarchic_teapot's insight:
Usual caveats apply. The molecule has yet to be tested in a living being.

See it on Scoop.it, via Vaxfax Monitor

via IFTTT

Why is HIV/AIDS so deadly?

FYI… This is the fifth of ten posts that have nothing to do with vaccines.

Once in a while, a new loon is pointed out to me, and I read their insanity. This is the story of such an occasion: Why is HIV/AIDS so deadly? According to the World Health Organization, AIDS kills about 1.6 million people per year. We know what causes AIDS. We know that HIV infection can be prevented through safe sex, no sex, proper screening of the blood supply, administering drugs to HIV-positive people to lower their virus counts. We have very good screening tests to administer to people and make sure they get the care that they need. And we can explain all this to millions at a time through the use of all sorts of media.

So what gives? […]

Read more at: Why is HIV/AIDS so deadly? by Reuben

HIV leads to AIDS, plain and simple

FYI: This is the second of ten posts that will not be related with vaccines.

Back in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, there was a lot of scientific confusion as to what the relationship was between Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and a newly discovered retrovirus first known as HTLV-III and then renamed to HIV. Thirty-plus years and millions of dollars later, we have come to understand that HIV infection, if left untreated, progresses on to AIDS. We came to understand this because we observed people with HIV and people without it. Then we went one more step further and observed people infected with HIV who were treated and those who were not treated. We did these observations in real-world situations and also in controlled situations. We also did these observations in animal models....

Read more at: HIV leads to AIDS, plain and simple by Reuben

Natural News: A Truly Deadly Brand of Pseudoscience | Big Think | Neurobonkers

If there was an award for the single greatest hub of pseudoscience on the internet, the website Natural News would well and truly take the crown tin foil hat. Expect to find anti-vaccine paranoia which extends not only to your garden variety antivaxxer favorites such as the debunked link to autism but to crackpot claims that vaccines caused the "cancer epidemic" and were even responsible for the "origin" of AIDS. According to Natural News, Microsoft is developing "eugenics vaccines that target specific races and nationalities with infertility-inducing pharmaceuticals". Alongside this you'll also find full blown AIDS denialism (emphasis mine)...

Read the rest here: Natural News: A Truly Deadly Brand of Pseudoscience | Big Think | Neurobonkers

Ottolenghi and the Quack HIV Homeopaths in Africa | The Quackometer Blog

This blog has been a long term critic of the Society of Homeopaths, and other British Homeopathic organisations, who support their members who practice homeopathy in Africa on people with life threatening conditions such as malaria, HIV and TB. Indeed, the Society of Homeopaths threatened to sue me and my web hosts for pointing out that the Society did nothing to stop these dangerous
practices, despite their Code of Ethics suggesting they should and despite the fact that treating people with homeopathic sugar pills could kill them if it interfered with real medical attention.

The subject has received its fair share of media attention too, with BBC Newsnight performing ‘secret camera’ investigations into UK homeopaths who give travellers sugar pills instead of malaria tablets when travelling to Africa. The BBC also found Neal’s Yard Remedies offering similar lethal advice.


The Independent,working with the Kenyan Standard newspaper and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, found UK-funded homeopathy groups telling people with HIV they will not need ARV drugs if they take homeopathy – lethal advice.

Read more about this horrific exploitation of a serious chronic illness by evangelistic quacks here: Ottolenghi and the Quack HIV Homeopaths in Africa | The Quackometer Blog

HIV/AIDS, and recognition of some of the worst “Science” I have ever unfortunately laid my weary eyes on.

After last week’s battle with a group of HIV and AIDS denialists, I thought this would be the opportune moment to pick apart this prime example of not only bad science, but downright dangerous and hypocritical cult, umlingo wamaNgcolosi.

I think it is necessary to first give a little background on HIV and AIDS for those who don’t know a lot about it, if you’re not interested or already have an adequate understanding skip this section. This is the first article I have written that I am actually a semi-expert on (or so I like to think!); you may or may not know that HIV is my research specialism, so I welcome any questions you may have on this topic and will attempt to answer them as best I can. I do not like to pass judgement on other people’s personal beliefs, funnily enough, however, when they have the potential to harm others then I have no qualms in absolutely tearing them to pieces for the benefit of others who may be on the fence...

Read the full post: HIV/AIDS, and recognition of some of the worst “Science” I have ever unfortunately laid my weary eyes on.