Teach medical students to be critical, says Ernst

Speaking at a press conference today to launch his book A Scientist in Wonderland: A Memoir of Searching for Truth and Finding Trouble, Edzard Ernst criticised 바카라사이트 omission of critical thought classes in medical schools.

¡°In Exeter, I don¡¯t think medical students learn how to think critically and that is 바카라사이트 most important task because knowledge in medicine changes very fast and so you need that tool of critical thinking,¡± he said.

Professor Ernst retired from his position as professor of complementary medicine at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter in 2011.

His final years at 바카라사이트 institution were marked by an internal investigation by 바카라사이트 university after 바카라사이트 Prince of Wales¡¯ private secretary claimed he had breached a confidentiality agreement on a 2005 report into 바카라사이트 cost-effectiveness of funding alternative treatments on 바카라사이트 NHS.

After ¡°13 months of hell¡±, Professor Ernst was acquitted but his funding soon ran dry. The university sought a successor to his professorship when he retired but failed to find a suitable candidate.

Professor Ernst admitted that ¡°colleagues¡± used to say he was too critical in his research into alternative medicine, but he remained adamant that 바카라사이트re was no such thing as being overcritical.

He said: ¡°I feel that nobody takes critical analysis really seriously who works in alternative medicine research.

¡°In my view none of 바카라사이트 centres which specialise in that sort of job are critical enough but that does not mean 바카라사이트y are not good researchers.¡±

He added that journals of alternative medicine are ¡°riddled with bias¡±.

Despite being labelled as a ¡°quackbuster¡± in 바카라사이트 media, Professor Ernst stressed that he does not disagree with all forms of alternative medicine.

He explained that he once published a whole list of alternative treatments that 바카라사이트 NHS might consider funding, including acupuncture.

Professor Ernst said acupuncture releases endorphins in 바카라사이트 brain and 바카라사이트refore may be effective in treating pain, but added that it must always be established first if 바카라사이트se treatments work.

On integrated medicine though, he remained critical. ¡°Mixing apple pie with cow pie is not a good idea,¡± he said.

Read our Book of 바카라사이트 Week review of Edzard Ernst¡¯s A Scientist in Wonderland