Jim McVeagh

Spam Journalism #59 - MacDoctor

Sep 24, 2009 •

• Bad Doctor,
• Bad Journalism,
• Complaints,
• Dwarves,
• media,
• Medical Error,
• Medical Practice,
• Men,
• Sciblogs,
• Spam,
• Stupidity,
• women

Spam Journalism: The spurious use of sensational headlines to add spice to an otherwise pointless article. This is what happens when legitimate studies are reported sensationally: Bad doctors most likely to be men, report shows Women make safer doctors than men, Britain’s largest study of medical performance has found. They are less likely to be investigated over concerns about [...]

Broadcasting Substandards - MacDoctor

Sep 23, 2009 •

• Broadcasting Standards Authority,
• Chiropractic,
• Doug Blackbourn,
• Dr Shaun Holt,
• Fakery,
• media,
• Quackery,
• research,
• Sciblogs,
• Stupidity

I have just read on Dr Shaun Holt’s site that the Broadcasting Standards Authority has upheld a complaint against TVNZ about Shaun’s appearance on the Breakfast Show, discussing Chiropractors. To say the least, I am appalled. It is completely unconscionable that two lawyers and two journalists have called into question his medical expertise, without even [...]

Drug Driving - MacDoctor

Sep 22, 2009 •

• Alcohol,
• Cannabis,
• Drug Addiction,
• Drug Driving,
• Hazards,
• Law Enforcement,
• Police Check points,
• Random Drug Testing,
• research,
• Sciblogs

While no-one disputes that driving under the influence of the drug alcohol makes your driving worse, a new survey reports that people driving under the influence of cannabis say their driving is unaffected or even improved by cannabis. Unfortunately, this is simply not true. Although the dose of cannabis per smoke is variable, a single [...]

Drug Dealing - MacDoctor

Sep 22, 2009 •

• Anaesthetists,
• Australia,
• Drug Addiction,
• Drug Dealing,
• ethics,
• Medical Practice,
• narcotics,
• New Zealand,
• Palliative Care,
• Penelope Briscoe,
• Sciblogs

In the Herald today: Dr Penelope Briscoe, dean of the faculty of pain medicine at Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), says reform is needed to curb the illicit use and sale of powerful prescription medicines. I view statements like this with some trepidation. I don’t know how it is in Australia, but, in New [...]

Medical Innuendo - MacDoctor

Sep 19, 2009 •

• Ambulances,
• media,
• Medical Error,
• Sciblogs

Mercifully, there is no blaring “Labtests is evil” news item in the media today, but I note that the Herald can’t resist a dig at Labtests in this article on the tragic story of a woman who died from what appears to be a hypoglycaemic (very low blood sugar) episode. Mrs Pineki had a home visit [...]

Uppers and Downers - MacDoctor

Sep 19, 2009 •

• Doctors,
• Drug Addiction,
• Drugs,
• ethics,
• Judgement,
• Medical Error,
• Medical Practice,
• Sciblogs,
• Stupidity

There’s a sad story in the Herald today of a young doctor who has been charged with forging prescriptions for weight-loss pills to keep her awake while working long hours. On the face of it, the judge was probably correct to reject the defenses plea for a discharge without conviction. I have absolutely no wish [...]