Trial By Error: Re-Visiting My Questions for the Science Media Centre about Bristol’s LP Study
3 JUNE 2019
By David Tuller, DrPH
The recent publication of a review of pediatric “CFS/ME” that promoted the Lightning Process as “effective” has triggered renewed concern–well, ok, I’ve triggered much of that renewed concern–about the 2017 study on which this specious claim is based. That study, from an experienced team from Bristol University, was published by Archives of Disease in Childhood, a BMJ journal, even though the investigators violated multiple ethical and methodological principles of scientific research.
I have been concerned that some members of the committee currently developing new guidelines for ME/CFS, under the auspices of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, might somehow consider this “science” involving the Lightning Process to be trustworthy. First, it appeared in a purportedly high-quality journal. Second, it was heavily promoted by the UK’s Science Media Centre, which appears to have widespread credibility among the credulous. People who should have known better–example-in-chief: Professor Dorothy Bishop, the Oxford University neuropsychologist–donated their integrity to the cause by publicly praising the study. Positive articles about these “scientific” findings appeared in many respectable British media outlets.
I first busted the Lightning Process study in a long post on December 13, 2017, after having read some smart comments and observations on the Science For ME forum. Five days later, I posted a blog–“My Questions for the Science Media Centre”–about how the SMC pushed it out into the media-sphere. Now that the paper is under much more intense scrutiny, I thought it would be interesting to re-post that blog. The questions I asked at that point generally seem to hold up. The SMC has never provided answers, as far as I know.
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Trial By Error: My Questions for the Science Media Centre
December 18, 2017
