Earseeds, Acuseeds

[Binkie4]

Steve Topple has put out a statement re the response of the BBC complaints unit to the Dragon Den/ Acu Seeds programme as follows.


"The BBC Executive Complaints Unit (which looks at complaints that BBC editors have not dealt with to people's satisfaction) has said "no case to answer" over Dragon's Den and Acu Seeds.

The Canary will be putting out a template complaint form to Ofcom people can quickly fill out tomorrow, as this cannot be dropped. Media coverage is a major part of why we have #SaveCarlasLife and #BringMillieHome right now. "

 

[Eleanor]

This is one of the top stories on the BBC News website just now:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gpz163vg2o

Steven Bartlett sharing harmful health misinformation in Diary of CEO podcast

In an analysis of 15 health-related podcast episodes, BBC World Service found each contained an average of 14 harmful health claims that went against extensive scientific evidence.

Mr Bartlett has dabbled in dubious health claims before.

In January, on BBC Two's Dragons' Den - where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to five multimillionaire investors, including Mr Bartlett - he invested in "Ear Seeds", acupuncture beads placed in the ear which falsely claim to cure chronic fatigue condition myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).

 

[rvallee]

Everything you need to know about ‘ear seeding’

Everything you need to know about ‘ear seeding’

A new method of treating some health conditions through traditional Chinese medicine, a practice similar to acupuncture, has been gaining significant social media traction in recent days.

www.ctvnews.ca

“Ear seeding” is a type of holistic auriculotherapy - a treatment that uses “ear seeds” to stimulate pressure points in the ear for ailments. Social media users claim the technique has multiple benefits, like dealing with chronic pain, insomnia, depression, anxiety, stress and more.​

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Acupuncture, a key component of traditional Chinese medicine on which this newer practice is built, is the practice of inserting very thin needles through the skin at strategic points to commonly help treat pain and manage stress, according to the Mayo Clinic.​

...​

Acupuncture is believed to stimulate nerves, muscles and tissue and act as a natural painkiller in many western practices, Mayo Clinic’s website said.​

...​

French neurologist Paul Nogier invented and promoted auriculotherapy in the 1950s, using the ear as a medium to boost the body’s healing abilities and balance the nervous system, according to a study published in the National Library of Medicine.​

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Dr. David Greenberg, a general practitioner from Toronto told CTVNews.ca on Tuesday, that “ear seeding” is known to help people who are dealing with addiction and sleep issues.​

 

[Evergreen]

Everything you need to know about ‘ear seeding’

Oh wow, I now realise that the weird little needles-in-plasters that a physio (who attempted acupuncture on me twice) put on my earlobes inspired this ear seeds business.

Here's how the needles-in-plasters went for me:

• They hurt my ears, oddly enough.
• I rolled over on my side during a nap and yowled.
• I did not go back.

 

[Adam pwme]

Stephen Bartlett interviews dr. Martin Picard mentions ME/CFS. At 2hrs 19m 40s (i’ve added a direct link to the start)

Says he doesn’t know what ME/CFS is but that could be he’s just referring to CFS. It’s not clear to me.

 

[richie]

Pleased for the loved up woman that she is now better. When I encounter these stories I remmeber

1) Immune related skin conditions can behave like this. Change of circumstances, psoriasis gone. 2) Fatigue is a known aspect of primary depression 3) Immune dysfunction is a recognised aspect of primary depression. 4) Sarc also often flares under stressful conditions. Many more examples I am sure.

So 1) Real physical immune related conditions can have a psychocircumstantial element and addressing these aspects may benefit the patient biophysically. 2) Not universally true 3) No one seeks to reduce skin conditions/sarc etc. to an "understanding" whether LP, or Mickel or NHS CBT/GET 4) She may have had primary depression (MAY have had) 5) PwME or PwME diagnosis have to accept that while ME diagnosis remains criteria based some people with the symptoms will entirely fairly say "I had ME and I got better thus". We can pick at Garner and say he was not ill long enough for any definite diagnosis, would have got better anyway etc, but LP in response will roll out sb else who was ill for aeons prior to LP and is now well. Our framework for criticism has to be fair.

So, I have no problem with such anecdotes in principle as long as they do not lead to the "ME = lack of love, lack of hope, lack of belief etc. " equation. No . No more than skin problems = the wrong psychosocial environment.