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SUMMARY:How dare you question my Miracle! - Rhys Morgan
DTSTART:20130528T180000Z
DTEND:20130528T200000Z
UID:TALK41946@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Andrew N Holding
DESCRIPTION:When Rhys Morgan was 15 years old and diagnosed with the painf
 ul condition Crohn's Disease\, he logged on to a support forum - where he 
 discovered that a very dangerous "miracle" cure was being peddled.\n\nAfte
 r doing some research\, he discovered that forum members were being active
 ly encouraged to drink "Miracle Mineral Solution" which turned out to be a
  solution of bleach\, and to continue with this treatment even when they s
 uffered resulting symptoms such as burning. Upon challenging its promoters
 \, Rhys was banned from the forum.\n\nYou can read how that went here at "
 Bleachgate"\, and take a look at this list of links to see the results of 
 Rhys's determination to get more knowledge out there. It went as far as to
  be banned in Kenya\, and Rhys got on the BBC (twice)\, Wales Online\, and
  won the James Randi 2010 award for "Grassroots Activism".\n\nSince then\,
  he has also written about the Burzynski Clinic in the US\, which claims t
 o treat cancer with "antineoplaston therapy". This resulted in a represent
 ative issuing libel threats and\, upon learning that Rhys was a teenager\,
  threatening to inform his school and sending him an image of his house. S
 imilar threats were made to other UK bloggers (highlighting the need for l
 ibel reform in the UK)\, but none have yet been followed through. Rhys ask
 s here in the Guardian why the Burzynski Clinic is unwilling to simply pub
 lish its methodology and results\, rather than threatening its critics.\n\
 nRhys\, now 18\, plans to continue his campaigns against unproven and dang
 erous "miracle cures"\, and will be talking to us about both these episode
 s as well as a history of the "miracle cure". You can also catch up with h
 im on his blog and follow him on Twitter at @rhysmorgan
LOCATION:The Maypole
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