Tag Archives: durham trial
Madeleine Portwood, fish oil, chemistry and children
Madeleine Portwood discusses fish oil research, saying “this is not about chemistry. This is about children”. We say this is about chemistry *and* children. Continue reading
Durham fish oil (non)trial: when is a control group not a control group?
In response to a FOIA request, Durham has told us about another significant flaw in their fish oil (non)trial: the ‘treatment’ arm was students with more than 80% reported compliance with supplementation with Equazen fish oil pills; the ‘control groups … Continue reading
Durham choosing how to measure success in their fish oil (non)trial: third time lucky?
Looking over the Durham fish oil (non)trial again, I noticed something I had missed: they have previously claimed to be looking at three quite different things in order to determine whether the pills are effective. They started out (back in … Continue reading
Filed under fish, supplements
Durham fish oil (non)trial and science by press release: it’s unclear what the children were taking
In their continued efforts to provide a textbook example of why science by press release is a very bad thing, Durham Council’s press releases about their fish oil (non)trial even manage to muddy the water as to which Essential Fatty … Continue reading
Filed under Equazen, fish, omega 3, supplements
Durham fish oil (non)trial: confusing numbers, and the dangers of science by press release
If I didn’t know better, I might suspect that Durham’s fish oil trial initiative has been designed as an example of the dangers of releasing scientific results via the mainstream media. I have been looking over the Durham figures, and … Continue reading
The Durham Fish Oil Zombie Rises Again
Durham Council has released the data from its Fish Oil Initiative for schools. Only kidding. They say that they have but they haven’t really. It’s all so self-referentially post-modern. The trial that was called a trial was really an initiative. The results that they have released aren’t results. Continue reading
Filed under Ben Goldacre, children, Food for the brain
The fish oil zombie swims again in Durham: the fabulous mutating press release
In a fine example of convergent evolution, some information posted on HolfordWatch, the digging by Letting off Steam and Ben Goldacre’s tenacity have a welcome airing as the Durham fish oil zombie once again swims through the nutrient-rich waters of … Continue reading
A fishy business: did Durham Council make false claims about their fish oil (non)trial?
I was interested to see JQH at Letting Off Steam blogging about his difficulties in extracting information about Durham’s Council’s (non)trial of fish oil in their schools. Apparently, Durham referred JQH to a Council meeting response to a question put … Continue reading
Filed under omega 3
