MEA requests meeting with Science Media Centre on PACE trial

[Sasha]

This is interesting - haven't seen it posted anywhere else, forgive me if it's a duplicate. Dr Charles Shepherd of the MEA has written to the Science Media Centre (who put out a cheerleading account of the PACE trial to the UK media) criticising their biased approach and requesting a meeting. Here's the link. Glad to see someone taking the fight to them.

 

[Enid]

Thanks Sasha, hadn't looked into MEA recently. Also noted their quick survey (508) showing over 92% - Pace trials will affect NHS management of ME - worse/much worse. Dr Shepherd continues his long fight.

 

[Sasha]

Hi Enid - yes, that's a useful poll. I've just added my vote ("much worse"!). The poll is on their homepage - scroll down and find it on the right.

 

[Enid]

Thanks Sasha, all signed in - much worse of course. Much looking forward to the Invest in ME Conference in May - all the Experts (with capital E) coming and Hillary Johnson and BMJ at last.

 

[Uno]

Thanks for sharing Sasha, interesting that the MEA now finally decide enough is enough over the dispicible hold Wessely has over the British media. I hear a campaign to the Press Complaints Commission is on the cards.

 

[Sasha]

Hi Uno - that would be good to get the PCC involved. That's a good idea, whoever's it was!

 

[Dolphin]

Well done to the MEA on this.

I just read this document http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/uploadDir/536adminconsultation_report.pdf which somebody highlighted on a list.

I thought these quotes could be useful if making points to the Science Media Centre:

The Centre will operate like a newsroom, reacting to the news agenda while proactively promoting a spectrum of scientific opinion.

Dont think they did that with the PACE Trial press release.

Similarly:

However, the Centre will be free of any particular agenda within science and will always strive to promote a broad spectrum of scientific opinion especially where there are clear divisions within science.

It will not shy away from promoting voices that are critical of particular aspects of science.

There may be similar quotes on the SMC website somewhere e.g. a search for spectrum might reveal them.

 

[Ian McLachlan]

If they say they are not prepared to accept that they were censoring information and that there is not a need to widen the range of medical opinion? Have the MEA said what they will do next? Can for example we expect a robust campaign from them? I doubt it.

 

[Angela Kennedy]

If they say they are not prepared to accept that they were censoring information and that there is not a need to widen the range of medical opinion? Have the MEA said what they will do next? Can for example we expect a robust campaign from them? I doubt it.

Me too, unfortunately.

For example, the PCC only take complaints from singular people where they have been misrepresented etc. by the media. I know this because I complained against Victor Lewis Smith.

The MEA seem very naive about these things at best.

 

[Mark]

It's great to see the MEA focusing on this issue. I very much doubt they will make any progress with the SMC but their approach is one of engagement and that has its place, and it is very good that they are focusing on such an important strategic issue.

Has anyone seen any news about what became of this meeting? Has it happened yet?

 

[taniaaust1]

I too think it is great to see organisations like the MEA.. trying to bring change. (I myself cant see them as being naive if they are generally stuck just due to how things are, they probably are aware of things. Dealing with the huge issues around CFS is like a David and Golliath battle and many small organisations have been battling it for many years, Im grateful they havent given up the struggle).

 

[insearchof]

Hi Angela

I have being doing some research into the PCC and it appears that they can and do, take complaints from members of the public regarding factual inaccuracies. You do not need to be the subject of the article itself to presently lodge a complaint of this nature.

However, it appears the PCC has a discretion as to whether they will hear such matters. Public interest considerations and resource allocation might have a bearing on the exercise of the discretion, I cannot recall as it has been a little while since I read the documents ( rules, articles of association etc ) provided to me by the PCC, but if your interested, I am quite happy to provide you with copies ( or anyone else interested in unfair reporting of ME and CFS matters in the UK) Just drop me a PM.

Knowing this, might enable you to push the matter further next time and or demand reasons for their exercising of the discretion not to proceed with a complaint.


ISO

 

[Dolphin]

Leela Play pointed out on Facebook that Simon Wessely is now on the board of trustees:
http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/about-us/governance/

 

[Esther12]

@charles shepherd - is there any publicly available correspondance from the SMC on this? Thanks.

 

[Wildcat]

.
And on the Science Media Centre Advisory Committee now is Jeremy Laurance, Former Health Editor of the Independent, author of the Independent newspaper review of PACE in 2011 entitled 'Got ME? Just get out and exercise, say scientists'
http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/about-us/governance/

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...-out-and-exercise-say-scientists-2218377.html
.

 

[jimells]

Leela Play pointed out on Facebook that Simon Wessely is now on the board of trustees:
http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/about-us/governance/

I recall that he is actually a founding member and brags about it. I can't remember the source for this right now...

 

[Wildcat]

.

.
http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/about-us/governance/


The Science Media Centre Trustees and Advisory Board

governance



Trustees

The board of Trustees is the major decision-making body of the Science Media Centre and meets at least three times a year. Trustees are distinguished in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, journalism, communications, finance, law and policy.

Jonathan Baker (Chair) Professor of Journalism, University of Essex, (ex-Head of Newsgathering, BBC)

Marshall Davies (Treasurer)
Former President of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Julian Hitchcock Counsel, Denoon Legal

Dr Helen Jamison
Head of Media Relations, Wellcome Trust

Prof. Ottoline Leyser Director & Professor of Plant Development, Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge University

Prof. Sir Mike Rawlins Former Chair of NICE

Jo RevillChief Executive, British Society for Immunology

Mark Sudbury
Director of Communications and Marketing, University College London

Fran Unsworth
Director World Service Group, BBC

Prof. Sir Simon Wessely
Professor of Psychological Medicine, Kings College London




Advisory Committee

The Trustees are guided by a voluntary group of advisors from the fields of science, engineering, medicine, journalism and communications, who provide expertise and advice, and also meet three times a year.

Prof. Wendy BarclayChair in Influenza Virology, Imperial College London

Steve BatesChief Executive, BioIndustry Association

Dr Helen Bedford Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Epidemiology, UCL Institute of Child Health

Prof. Dorothy Bishop Professor Developmental Neuropsychology, University of Oxford

Adrian Bull External Relations Director, National Nuclear Laboratory

Dariel Burdass
Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Strategy and Communications, Society for General Microbiology

Prof. Chris Chambers Senior Research Fellow in Psychology, Cardiff University

Lord Paul Drayson Entrepreneur and former Science Minister

James Gallagher
Health Editor, BBC News

Jeremy LauranceFormer Health Editor, The Independent and the i

Prof. Robin Lovell-BadgeHead of Developmental Genetics, MRC National Institute for Medical Research

Lawrence McGinty
Former Science Editor, ITV News

Fay Schlesinger Home Editor, The Times

.

 

[Chrisb]

Declarations of interest should make interesting reading then.

 

[Chrisb]

I know nothing about the SMC and how it is constituted, and do not have the capacity to find out, but it would seem reasonable to presume that it has charitable status, having education as its charitable purpose. There has been mention of the PCC as a regulatory body but it seems likely that the Charity Commission has more teeth. In the circumstances, as one might expect an unfavourable response from the SMC, one would hope that there is an awareness of the duties of the trustees both under their constitution and general law, in case it should be necessary to consider complaint to that body.

 

[eafw]

The role of the SMC needs dragging into the daylight along with everything else surrounding the promotion of PACE.

I wonder if the journalist George Monbiot might be at least interested in what is going on here, bearing in mind the very interesting article he did a few years back related to this particular cabal

http://www.monbiot.com/2003/12/09/invasion-of-the-entryists/

ETA: another link, well worth a read

http://www.lobbywatch.org/lm_george_monbiot.html