Michael Sharpe retires as Psychological Medicine Lead 30/09/2022

[V.R.T.]

Michael Sharpe has no sympathy for the people his and his colleagues ME/CFS work has driven to suicide so this is entirely unsurprising.

It is telling how many of the same names and orgs crop up in various debates and issues couching their various prejudices in a cloak of 'academic/scientific freedom' .

 

[Sean]

Academic freedom is not a magic cloak of absolute immunity. It comes with a powerful obligation to meet a far higher methodological standard than the average debate or opinion.

But then, IIRC, Michael Sharpe thought @Jonathan Edwards was letting the team down by not joining in circling the professional wagons and uncritically defending his colleagues, like Sharpe, against legit criticism from non-medicos, especially from patients.

 

[dave30th]

It's a disgrace and the entire context is extremely bad.

thanks for posting the illuminating links. it's just an awful story.

 

[SNT Gatchaman]

An editorial in Nature, writing from the right side of history: The death of Jason Arday must prompt deep reflection

We have previously identified the need for independent bodies that can hold academic institutions to account (Nature 648, 7; 2025). The necessity to revive that idea is even more urgent now. But it will take time. In the meantime, a public inquiry — which many are now calling for — could be an appropriate way to get answers in this case.