10:23 Campaign Explained

The 10:23 Campaign (stylized as 1023) is an awareness and protest campaign against homoeopathy organised by the Merseyside Skeptics Society,[1] a non-profit organisation, to oppose the sale of homoeopathic products in the United Kingdom. The campaign has staged public "overdoses" of homoeopathic preparations.[2] [3]

Origin and name

In 2004, the Belgian skeptical organisation SKEPP made headlines when thirty skeptics at Ghent University performed a "mass suicide stunt" with an overdose of homeopathically diluted snake poison, belladonna and arsenic, in an attempt to publicly show that homeopathy does not work.[4] [5] [6] When Belgian skeptics met with Merseyside Skeptics during a Skeptics in the Pub in 2010, the idea was adopted to hold an international event.[7]

The campaign's name, 10:23, comes from the Avogadro number, which is approximately 6.022 × 1023.[8]

Aims

The campaign aims to raise awareness of implausible and unsubstantiated claims made by homoeopaths. It opposes high street retailers, such as Boots UK, stocking homoeopathic remedies alongside mainstream medicines, saying that "the support lent by Boots to this quack therapy contributes directly to its acceptance as a valid medical treatment by the British public, acceptance it does not warrant and support it does not deserve."[9]

The organisers state that homoeopathy is "an unscientific and absurd pseudoscience", and that, according to their statement, "There is nothing in it."[10] [11] They question the ethics of selling treatments to the public which have not been proven to be efficacious and are widely disregarded by the scientific community.[12]

Participation

On 30 January 2010, members participated in a protest involving a mass overdose of homoeopathic products to demonstrate its inefficacy.[2] [13] Many protesters stood outside branches of Boots UK, other shops selling homoeopathic products, and other prominent public spaces and took 84 pills each of arsenicum album, 20 times the recommended dose.

A second overdose was organised for 5–6 February 2011.[14] Worldwide, the campaign received commitments of participation from 70 cities in 30 countries.[15] [16] In the United Kingdom, events took place in Manchester, as part of the QED Conference,[17] and Cardiff.[18] The original Belgian SKEPP and the Dutch organisations Vereniging tegen de Kwakzalverij and Stichting Skepsis also participated in the worldwide 10:23 Campaign. They carried out their tongue-in-cheek suicide attempt in Brussels and Amsterdam specifically to protest the recognition of homeopathic preparations by the European Parliament.[19] [20] Czech Sisyfos organization joined this happening when its members tried to publicly overdose themselves in Prague.[21] [22]

In April 2012, at the Berkeley SkeptiCal conference, over 100 people participated in a mass overdose, taking caffea cruda, which is intended to treat sleeplessness.[23] [24]

There have been no reports of ill effects following any of the overdoses.[25]

Support

Notable scientists and public figures have shown support for the 10:23 Campaign, including Phil Plait,[26] James Randi Educational Foundation,[27] Simon Singh,[28] Steven Novella,[29] Penn Jillette,[30] and the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science.[31]

James Randi invited advocates and retailers of homoeopathy to take the One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge to prove that homoeopathy was efficacious to win a prize and himself overdosed on homoeopathic sleeping pills as part of his stage show.[32] [33] [34]

Reaction and media coverage

The campaign gained international coverage in the press from The Australian,[35] The Medical Observer,[36] BBC, The Independent,[12] The Telegraph,[37] and The Guardian.[38]

The British Homeopathic Association dismissed the 10:23 Campaign as "grossly irresponsible", describing the public overdose as dangerous, and claimed that the participants had no understanding of how to select remedies appropriately.[39]

Melbourne-based Dr Ken Harvey told Pharmacy News "the campaign would raise awareness of the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) transparency review and concerns over homeopathic products."[40]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1023.org.uk . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200821165358/http://www.1023.org.uk/ . 2020-08-21 . 2 November 2013.
  2. News: Overdose' protest against homeopathy . https://web.archive.org/web/20100202080153/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/glasgow_and_west/8488286.stm . 2 February 2010 . BBC News . 2 November 2013 . live . dmy .
  3. News: Liverpool anti-homeopathy campaigners stage protest . https://web.archive.org/web/20100202075630/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/8488946.stm . 2 February 2010 . BBC News . 2 November 2013 . live . dmy .
  4. News: Gif slikken om homeopathie te ontmaskeren . Hilde Pauwels . . . 12 January 2004 . 25 August 2014. nl.
  5. De Homeopathie stunt. Skepp.be, 1 March 2004 (overview of media articles)
  6. Bonneux . Luc . May–June 2004 . Belgium Skeptics Commit Mass Suicide . . . 28 . 3 . 25 August 2014.
  7. Skeptics with a K: Episode No. 031 . Hall . Mike . Marshall . Marsh . Michael Marshall (skeptic) . Harris . Colin . Skeptics with a K . 31 . podcast . . 23 September 2010 . 25 August 2014.
  8. Web site: 10:23 Frequently Asked Questions . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200727130656/http://www.1023.org.uk/faq.php . 2020-07-27 . 1 November 2013.
  9. Web site: Merseyside Skeptics Society . Merseyside Skeptics Society . 2009-11-27 . An Open Letter to Alliance Boots . 2024-06-03 . The Skeptic.
  10. Web site: Homeopathy: Overdosing on nothing.
  11. Web site: Merseyside Skeptics Society . Merseyside Skeptics Society . The 10:23 Challenge . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200819072418/http://www.1023.org.uk/the-1023-challenge.php . 2020-08-19 . 12 April 2011.
  12. Web site: Davis . Margaret . Mass 'overdose' staged in homeopathic protest – Health News – Health & Families . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/mass-overdose-staged-in-homeopathic-protest-1884019.html . 1 May 2022 . subscription . live . The Independent. 30 January 2010 . 29 November 2013.
  13. Web site: Mass "overdose" in Leicester city centre . Leicester Mercury. 30 January 2010 . 31 January 2010 .
  14. Web site: The 10:23 Challenge . Merseyside Skeptics Society. Merseyside Skeptics Society . 5 February 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110205215413/http://www.1023.org.uk/ . 5 February 2011 . live . dmy .
  15. Web site: Merseyside Skeptics Society . Merseyside Skeptics Society . The 10:23 Challenge 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200819072418/http://www.1023.org.uk/the-1023-challenge.php . 2020-08-19 . 11 April 2011.
  16. Web site: The 10:23 Challenge 2011 | The 10:23 Campaign | #ten23 . 1023.org.uk . 29 November 2013.
  17. Web site: Event Schedule :: QED :: Question Explore Discover . North West Skeptical Events Ltd . 5 February 2011.
  18. Web site: Consumers in Cardiff stage homeopathic 'overdose' . Morgan, Rhys . Rhys Morgan . 28 January 2011 . Skeptical . 3 December 2011.
  19. News: Skepp pleegt collectief zelfmoord . De Standaard . Corelio . 7 February 2011 . 25 August 2014. nl.
  20. Homeopathische zelfmoordpoging wereldburgers.tv. 5 February 2011
  21. Hympl . Josef . Protestující se demonstrativně "předávkovali" homeopatiky . Tyden.cz . 6 February 2011 . Czech . 1210-9940.
  22. Web site: Kořínek . Petr . Homeopatika neléčí . Český rozhlas Regina . Český rozhlas . Czech . 26 June 2018.
  23. Web site: Munger. Kel. Drugs, not bugs. Sacramento News Review. 5 April 2012.
  24. Web site: Mixing Homeopathic "Remedies" for 2011 San Francisco 10:23 "Overdose" . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/X2Bg-aSjNM4 . 2021-12-15 . live. 10:23 campaign. 5 September 2012.
  25. Web site: No ill effects after public homeopathic overdose . Medical Observer . 15 February 2011 . 29 November 2013.
  26. News: Plait. Phil . Phil Plait. Homeopathy and the 10:23 project. 2 November 2013. Discover. 4 January 2010.
  27. Web site: Worldwide 10:23 campaign on homeopathy: Feb. 5 . Randi.org . 29 November 2013.
  28. Web site: Print Email Shortlink . Andy Lewis and Simon discuss Homeopathy and the 10:23 Campaign . Simonsingh.net . 30 January 2010 . 29 November 2013.
  29. Web site: Randi issues a Challenge. 2 November 2013.
  30. Web site: Penn Point : Massive Homeopathic Overdose Cures. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/L1ZbJRAyexM . 2021-12-15 . live. Youtube. 2 November 2013.
  31. Web site: The 10:23 Event. 2 November 2013.
  32. Web site: Randi. James. James Randi Speaks Homeopathy Week 2010 . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/_WyzM_TsIXc . 2021-12-15 . live. JREF.
  33. Web site: Randi. James. James Randi Lecture @ Caltech – Homeopathy . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/0jqP_1beVXQ . 2021-12-15 . live. California Institute of Technology. 5 September 2012.
  34. Web site: Randi. James. James Randi . James Randi's Challenge to Homeopathy Manufacturers and Retail Pharmacies. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/SMukj31qw1U . 2021-12-15 . live. JREF. 5 September 2012.
  35. Web site: Good week for sceptics. The Australian . 11 April 2011. Adam Taor.
  36. Web site: No ill effects after public homeopathic overdose. The Medical Observer. 11 April 2011. Caroline Brettingham-Moore.
  37. Web site: Boots hit by mass homeopathy 'overdose' . https://web.archive.org/web/20100122082216/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7028989/Boots-hit-by-mass-homeopathy-overdose.html . dead . 22 January 2010 . The Daily Telegraph. 29 November 2013.
  38. Web site: Martin Robbins . Homeopathy: At 10:23 tomorrow we will prove there's nothing in it | Martin Robbins | Life and style . The Guardian. 29 November 2013.
  39. Web site: The British Homeopathic Association dismisses 10:23 campaign . British Homeopathic . 29 November 2013.
  40. Web site: Homeopathy "overdose" to highlight TGA transparency . Pharmacy News . 11 April 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111007181019/http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/news/homeopathy--overdose-to-highlight-tga-transparenc . 7 October 2011 . dead . dmy-all .

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