Repeating PZ Myers: Christopher Maloney Is A Quack (and cowardly, and Wordpress is craven) But Andreas Moritz is Worse: A Dangerous Cancer Quack

Update #1: It wasn't Christopher Maloney who threatened Wordpress so they pulled Michael Hawkins' blog, but a dangerous cancer quack named Andreas Moritz. Details chez PZ.

Update #2 -- I've changed some of the wording in the post below to respond to Mr. Maloney's complaints.

PZ Myers at Pharyngula, this morning

image shamelessly stolen from The Periodic Table

Maloney is a naturopath in the state of Maine, where quacks like him get to call themselves "doctors". These so-called "doctors" get to make recommendations like this, in which he disparages standard flu vaccines and suggests these useless prescriptions:

Parents waiting for vaccinations can provide their children with black elderberry, which blocks the H1N1 virus. A single garlic capsule daily cuts in half the incidence and the severity of a flu episode for children.

There's another way you can tell he's a quack. When a student, Michael Hawkins, dared to criticize him, pointing out that "Naturopathic medicine is pure bull" and stating that naturopaths are underqualified and do not deserve the title of "doctor,"(Liz here, editing PZ's post)  Maloney Andreas Moritz took action to silence him. After all, we can't have people questioning quacks — that just makes them look even more ridiculous, which could lead to a loss of business.

(Liz here, editing PZ's post)  So Maloney No, it was Andreas Moritz complained to Wordpress, where Hawkins blog was located, and got them to shut it down. This does not speak well of craven Wordpress; if you're using Wordpress hosting, you might want to reconsider it and move elsewhere. You know, to someplace that respects reality.

Now not only is Maloney a quack (Liz again: he's still a quack), but he's a stupid quack. Shutting down blogs that criticize him? That never, ever works. In fact, it tends to backfire rather severely — because now a much bigger blog is going to spread the word that Christopher Maloney is a quack. I'm also going to ask all of you out there who reads this to echo the message: Christopher Maloney is a quack. Won't that be fun? Poke the net, and the net pushes back.

Share the message. Let the whole world know that Christopher Maloney is a cowardly quack.

Comments

[Christopher Maloney, N.D.]

Dear “Reverend” PZ Meyers,

How fitting that, three hundred years later, the witch trials continue. If you recall, it was the herbalists that were burned then as well. Your flock has spoken to me, Reverend Meyers, with the shrieking common to all fundamentalist cults. I believe if you check you will find that fundamentalism involves a closed mind while doing science requires an open mind. It also involves a thing they call research.

Do you do basic research into a person’s claims before posting? Did you perhaps go to medline and type the words “elderberry” and “H1N1”? Did you even bother to read my original editorial that cites Cochrane database and CDC raw data? If you had done basic research or contacted me directly you would perhaps not have posted lies in your blog.

You can call me an idiot and a quack, but when you repeat the "fact" that I am not a doctor and not qualified, that is a written lie or libel. I am a doctor under Maine state law and meet the qualifications of that title.

In terms of poor maligned elderberry, the medline citation is “The H1N1 inhibition activities of the elderberry flavonoids compare favorably to the known anti-influenza activities of Oseltamivir (Tamiflu; 0.32 microM) and Amantadine (27 microM). (Phytochemistry. 2009 Jul;70(10):1255-61) While this is a test tube study only, please keep in mind that we had no vaccine and were at the peak of the pandemic here in Maine. I never suggested elderberry as a vaccination but as a possible home treatment for sick children.

Michael Hawkins is an undergraduate at UMA who replied to my editorial. His rambling editorial was not based on science or research, but his need to publicize himself. After failing to get an editorial published against God he decided I was, flatteringly, next on the list. All of the research and medline citations for my editorial are available under swine flu on my website, and were there for Mr. Hawkins to simply see. But, despite the reality that I practice evidence-based medicine, neither you nor Mr. Hawkins have ever bothered to read my site.

Mr. Hawkins managed to get his own website suspended by arguing with his server about what constitutes libel and blames me. I have never directly contacted Wordpress about him and I have never replied to either his hate posts or his email attacks on me personally. In doing my own research, I found that another individual is in the process of filing a lawsuit against Mr. Hawkins and requested that the individual write to Mr. Hawkins directly. It was this other individual in South Carolina, and not me, that helped Mr. Hawkins get himself kicked off. Since Mr. Hawkins has received that email today, I believe that your case against me as an enemy of free speech should be re-examined.

It terms of his accusations against me that you have posted on your blog, I have taken the time to answer them at length and with scientific citations on my website: www.maloneymedical.com. I am also in the process of creating a more tolerable Youtube video for your flock.

Thank you, Reverend Myers, for burning me without trial. It’s nice to know some things never change.
Christopher Maloney, N.D.

[Liz Ditz]

It gets better.

aside--why is it so common for quacks to misspell names?

PZ Myers received the same comment I did, and responded with first, a request that his minions not harass the quacks. Second, he fisks the email at in Christopher Maloney is still a quack. It turns out that Andreas Moritz is the person who leaned on Wordpress to remove Michael Hawkins' blog. PZ Myers calls himAndreas Moritz is a cancer quack.

Steve Novella analyzes Christopher Maloney's claims in Naturopaths Can Silence Critics Too

and concludes

Hawkins was correct to criticize Maloney and his claims. Maloney, rather than defend his views, decided to silence criticism, and Wordpress should be ashamed for caving to such obvious censorship of important public debate.

But in our brave new world at least there are science-based outlets that will not let criticism of pseudoscience be silenced.

Mr. Maloney shows up to debate Dr. Novella, and is properly schooled.

I'm going to look to see if anybody else has rebuked Mr. Maloney and Mr. Moritz.

[Christopher Maloney, N.D.]

Remarkably, you have yet to correct the fact that you are continuing to accuse me. I suppose continuing to post lies is a common practice on your site?

[Jr. Clip]

Why is Maloney so worried about the supposed lies of others? Maybe he should correct his own continued use of deception before he worries about other people.

[Jr. Clip]

What is with the spam, Maloney? You're posting this same nonsensical rant on every blog you can find.

ROTFLMAO!

[Eric]

Does N.D. have some other meaning than No Degree?

[Christopher Maloney, N.D.]

Dear Jr. Clip,

As I have explained on PZ's site, you all act like a fundamentalist mob, bleating everything your master tells you. He's admitted he was wrong about me, but not a single one of his minions has corrected the error. How scientific of you!

[Liz Ditz]

Mr. Maloney, you seem to have some reading comprehension issues.

I've corrected the assertion that you were responsible for WordPress pulling Hawkins' blog.

I stand by my assertion that naturopathy is still quackery. I formed that opinion long before I started reading PZ Myers' blog.

[Christopher Maloney, N.D.]

Dear Liz Ditz,

Please take the time to read my responses to Myers and others. Your assumption is not that Naturopathy is quackery. Your direct accusation is that I am a quack. You came to that assumption by following Myers' lead. He came by that assumption by following Hawkins' misinformation. Novella and others copied the misinformation and spread it across the web.

The spreading of disinformation as the truth without independent validation is an act of authoritarianism, a process most common in fundamentalist cults but increasingly common in the American atheist movement. Myers is a leader of that movement and, by extension, you are a follower.

I don't really have a problem with strongly held beliefs. But I have been arguing for a month on the endless thread with people who call themselves "scientists" and yet respond to my studies with profanity.

Since you've taken the time to correct your errors (thank you for that, it isn't a common act among your fellow following bloggers)please take a look at Pharyngula attacks at www.maloneymedical.com (bottom of the left hand scroll bar). If you read through the information I've posted, I think you will find that I'm making an argument that I, personally, am not a quack. If you look at the site as a whole (others have had problems with one or two pages of the 126 posted) I think you will find summaries of dozens of medical studies and very little anecdotal evidence.

You will also find that I have taken steps to ensure that I do not take advantage of anyone. I consider myself a highly ethical practitioner of evidence-based alternative medicine. Nothing I have had thrown at me in the last month has had much impact on that, primarily because it was swearing and name calling, not logic or data. In response, I have provided fairly large scale studies that show the basics of what I do (diet and lifestyle changes) are effective and that, used appropriately, these practices do not harm patients. Quite the opposite.

Again, thank you for your previous changes. I do hope you will alter your opinion of me personally based on an independent analysis of the information. If not, I completely understand the authoritarian worldview.

[Ewell]

Doctors have not been "trained" to offer anything beyond modified 1930's treatment.

Radiation..........Caused me to lose 35 lbs, I believe the Radiation helped {The Cancer}

Sugery has replaced part of my Spine With Titanum and removed my Kidney.

Cryogenic Oblation helped me feel much better, but they seem to stop "the procedure" short of Killing all cancer in the area, in a few months the same Tumor comes back? Go Figure.

I have two small Leasions recently appeared on the MRI, guess what the recomended treatment?? "Radiation"

I have been bombarded with Doctors wanting me to start taking perscriptions that cost 3-5k A Month with the following Warrantee?
100% Guaranteed Negative Side effects, that require other drugs to relieve.
90% Failure rate with average life 3-7 months!

Anyone With an MD in front of his name that can help me live? Post it "labeled" help for vr

I have renal cell cancer......It has metalized 4 times {moved}. If anyone has any real compassion, I am open to suggestions