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David Tuller: My brief encounter with Prof Crawley

Countrygirl

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http://www.virology.ws/2017/11/20/trial-by-error-my-brief-encounter-with-professor-crawley/

Trial By Error: My Brief Encounter with Professor Crawley
20 NOVEMBER 2017
By David Tuller, DrPH

At noon last Friday, at the University of Exeter’s Mood Disorders Centre, Professor Esther Crawley gave a talk called “What is new in paediatric CFS/ME research.” When I saw a notice about the event the day before, I felt it might be my one chance to ask her directly about her concerns regarding my work and her accusation that I was writing “libellous blogs.” (If she were American, she would presumably have accused me of writing “libelous–one L–blogs”).
 

Countrygirl

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Jottings from my notes from the time David left the room. (I cannot quote each word exactly as I was scribbling as fast as I could)

As an aside, David forgot to mention that EC was introduced to us all as an 'outstanding scientist' who serves as a role model for the scientific community.

David left the room and was escorted from the building, but was able to get back in.............

(Meanwhile 'my colleague and I were torn...........we were going to march out in solidarity with David, but didn't want to stop filming and we wanted to hear how EC was going to respond.)

Questions from the audience:

What is it about this illness that makes people behave like this?

Why on earth do these people behave like this?

What a brilliant example of what you have to put up with!


Yes, said EC to the audience. Dreadful people or words to that effect...need to check the film if audible at that point.

‘Are there any more activists in the room’, demanded EC looking around.

I took an intense interest in the floor tiles and my colleague kept filming.

It got very hot.

I had to have a restraining ? order sent to his university said EC. The trouble is a defamation suit is so expensive.

Murmurs of sympathy from the audience.

Something about American lawyers.


I have gone/was told to go to the police over him.......

Lots of suggestions from the audience. So terrible and so, so brave. What a role model for us!!!.......

Man who escorted DT out headed for us.

Are you activists?

We both smiled sweetly. Well, he was a nice chap caught up in a situation he didn't understand.

My colleague raised his camera.

‘You must not mention any of this on social media or forums and you must not use that film.

He waited for an agreement.

Repeated it.

Said again Do you understand?

We both agreed that we understood what he was saying.

Well, we both speak English after all.

He got it!

We weren't agreeing to not posting.

Paedophiles and war criminals like to keep their crimes secret too just like people who abuse and damage families and children.


We told him we would like to invite Esther to have lunch with us to discuss the situation further.

We also invited him.

Strangely, both invitations were declined.
 

Molly98

Senior Member
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576
Good work @Countrygirl you well scary ME activist you ;)

I bet the security guy was trembling and shitting himself when he approached you, given the account he had just heard from EC he had probably called for armed police back up and was probably expecting you to bring out a knife from under your skirt and hold the whole audience hostage. :rofl::rofl::rofl:

I am surprised it did not make front page of Exeter's Express and Echo, now that would have shocked your neighbors, seeing your friendly face on their front page thinking you were a lovely friendly neighbor and all along you were an ME terrorist :nervous:
 

Large Donner

Senior Member
Messages
866
.


Questions from the audience:

What is it about this illness that makes people behave like this?


What makes people stand up in the Q and A and ask questions asking you to back up your claims with data?? Errr, Urmmm....the scientific method!

Why on earth do these people behave like this?

Indeed!

What a brilliant example of what you have to put up with!

Poor Esther makes up a pack of delusions and then some people ask her to back up her claims.
:rolleyes:


‘Are there any more activists in the room’, demanded EC looking around.

Wow.

"Get out if you are going to ask me questions in the Q and A I don't want people in the audience alerted to"?
 

Countrygirl

Senior Member
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5,425
Location
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A find by TGOP that has some relevance to this thread:

http://www.slate.com/articles/healt...cizing_a_scientist_s_work_isn_t_bullying.html



Cuddy’s story is an important story to tell: It is a story of a woman living in a misogynistic society, having to put up with internet bullies who I have no doubt have cruelly and unreasonably criticized her life and career. But it is also a story of a woman experiencing completely appropriate scientific criticism of a finding she published. Conflating those issues, and the people delivering the “attacks,” does a disservice to the fight for gender equality, and it does a disservice to science.
 

Marky90

Science breeds knowledge, opinion breeds ignorance
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1,253
1zp0g3.jpg
 

Countrygirl

Senior Member
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5,425
Location
UK
- Really? Would this be for adults this time, and do you have any details? eg. who is funding it? Thanks......

She didn't give any details, but it must be for children.

Interestingly, she said the children really didn't want to do LP.

The audience were puzzled by this.

EC explained that it was because it was so intensive and lasted three days which would be a struggle for them.

She repeated that she thought she would disprove that LP would work and was surprised that it enabled them to attend school 4 days a week eventually, rather than 3, which those who hadn't done LP were achieving.

I was struck by the fact that sick children were being pushed to do a three-day intensive course, which she recognised was overwhelming for them, while she expected the trial to fail to show positive results.
 
Last edited:

Countrygirl

Senior Member
Messages
5,425
Location
UK
Here are a few of my hastily scribbled notes (she talked very fast and I couldn't look up at the slides)

............she then carried on with the lecture for 45 minutes as I tried to keep up taking notes. She spoke very rapidly, so it was difficult. It was the usual stuff: Smile, Magenta and Fitnet. No mention of any biomedical scientific research.


CBT only proven successful treatment for children is proven by the Dutch research. (Yeah that research. )


Smile very successful. Has been awarded more grant money and is going to do a larger trial of LP..


Mention here of those terrible activists and all the harm they are doing to the research while she bravely continues.


GET is very successful as a treatment and has never done any harm.


In fact, children with ME do more 'rigorous exercise' everyday than healthy kids. !!!!!


They love it !


The activists have their own strange beliefs about exercise. It has never harmed anyone with ME...............


She cures 2/3 of children with ME as long as they follow her programme. Only 10% well after six months without her.


Adverse family life is greatest predictor of future ME. Drugs, poverty and mums with mood disorders.


Poor sleep leads to ME. (Interesting point here actually and not what you may think)


22% of adults recover with Gold standard Treatments!!!


Much talk about statistics and US very excited she is going to use a new system.
 

Countrygirl

Senior Member
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Location
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There was repeated mention of Mums pushing for more intensive treatments...GET/CBT etc.

EC also stated that she has found that when she Skypes the children that she finds it difficult to get them in view as they seem to hide elsewhere in the room.

She commented on the surprising discovery that children apparently don't like using skype with her.