Comments on: Patrick Holford and the Pioneering Nutrition Course

By: Another worthless validation: the University of Wales and nutritional therapy

Another worthless validation: the University of Wales and nutritional therapy — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:31:55 +0000

[...] July 2007, the glowing press releases for the course had attracted attention from the wonderfully investigative web site HolfordWatch. I see no sign that the validation committee was aware of this. But if not, why not? I would [...]

By: joao carvalho

joao carvalho — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:38:20 +0000

cost on full msc nutritional course and lit

By: Mrs Glenda Hearn

Mrs Glenda Hearn — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 15:01:44 +0000

Looking to facilitate Patrick Holford Nurtritional course in Cape Town, South Africa.

By: Jon

Jon — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:53:37 +0000

Thanks for the comments - anonymous, I'd agree with 'less supercilious anon' that our qualifications (or lack thereof) aren't particularly relevent - or, for that matter, all that interesting re. the content on this blog. You're quite free to check up on what we write - we'd all welcome discussion of the substance of our posts, and that would be much more interesting than discussing a few humble bloggers.

One more issue re. transparency. We've made the decision that Holford Watch won't accept donations from those with competing interests in the pharmaceutical or supplement industries.

By: Seany

Seany — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 20:20:29 +0000

Just a guess here ‘anonymous’, but are you Sue Young? If so I claim my £5. (Which I will of course donate to the upkeep of the BadScience website).

By: Less Supercilious Anon

Less Supercilious Anon — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:40:19 +0000

Nope - identities are troll feeding and distract from looking at the sourced issues.

But I'm curious as to why it would matter if the people writing here have Ph.Ds or not so much as a GCSE to their name? You are capable of checking the resources that this people are punctilious in providing - aren't you? Can you find a single sustainable objection to their criticisms other than you seem to think that you need to know how they are before ignoring their well-researched criticisms?

And I'm curious as to why you have chosen to make that comment on this post. If you check the ones that point out arithmetical or copying errors - (fishy numbers, statins or premature mortality from CVD/CHD) should only people maths or medical informatics backgrounds make those comments?

Plus - Patrick Holford has disdained Dr Ben Goldacre's qualifications when compared to his own. During a recent seminar, he mentioned his GMTV appearance and referred to Dr Sarah Jarvis as a "snotty doctor". So, even when Patrick Holford is well and truly out-gunned academically and clinically, he still affects to believe in his own superiority.

Just my opinion, but Patrick Holford could learn a lot from primary schoolchildren about the appropriate way to conduct himself and criticise others...

Maybe you would learn a lot from reading the paper on competence that was mentioned in a post about the BDA - and while you are at it, why don't you take the opportunity to let the people here know where they are factually wrong.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 12:54:29 +0000

One suggestion – don’t you think we should know who you are and your qualifications as you’re criticising someone? The anonymity of 3 out of 4 people writing this site does take away from what you’re writing. Just a suggestion, from anonymous!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 11:56:09 +0000

Holford is only listed as someone "widely regarded as" an expert.

Hee hee.

By: Shinga

Shinga — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:40:54 +0000

I wondered about the inclusion of nutrigenomics in the modules - particularly as it must be covered so superficially. But, courtesy of an item on GMTV and poking around the promoted website, I discover that there is a test! Of course there is...

I wondered why I saw this on the front page - I wonder no longer.
"Based on your individual genetic profile, one of our medical experts will guide you on which lifestyle changes to make as well as which supplementation to take that will improve the quality of your life, extend the active period of your life, and most possibly enable you to live longer." [My emphasis.]

By: Gina

Gina — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 09:35:05 +0000

And – not only is that the lab/contact time, it is also the clinical time…

I’m not sure how you can be assessed for the amount of multi-cultural ancient wisdom that you have acquired.