Update 4 – Homeopaths want to sue ÖAWI
The Austrian homeopathic medical associations have now published statements on their websites regarding the ÖAWI's conclusions on the homeopathy lung cancer study. Nothing new in terms of content.
Also available as a PDF on the ÄKH website.
On the ÖGHM website.
The key new message:
.....The study authors strongly reject the allegations of data falsification and manipulation. They have urged the ÖAWI to hold a hearing on the allegations in the final report. If the ÖAWI does not voluntarily withdraw these false allegations, legal action will be taken......
Is it really expected that a court will decide whether the ÖAWI's findings are right or wrong? Should a court decide what scientific organizations decide about science?
.....If the ÖAWI had communicated during its review, ambiguities and misunderstandings could have been cleared up and the allegations and accusations refuted in a timely manner.....
In 2021, we communicated our criticism to all authors of the study. We received no response for more than a year. So there was plenty of time to respond to our criticism, even if it came only “from a private source.” The rectorate and ethics committee of Meduniwien responded immediately and thanked us for our comments.
......Furthermore, it is incomprehensible and contradicts the criteria of a scientific review in particular not to have consulted experts in the field (oncologists) and not to have given the authors of the study the opportunity to refute potential criticisms and accusations.....
No oncological expertise is required to make the observations published by us and the ÖAWI.
.....Objective and factual review by scientific experts prior to publication in the medical journal “The Oncologist.”.....
That is how it should have been, but it was not. Otherwise, a reputable journal would not have published something without criticism or comment that would have resulted in the rewriting of many scientific textbooks.
Conclusion:
No arguments have been put forward that could refute the ÖAWI's findings.
This behavior is reminiscent of the desperate attempts by homeopathic manufacturer Hevert to obtain a court order prohibiting the public disclosure of the current state of medical science regarding homeopathy, which achieved exactly the opposite.
P.S. What some of the study authors seem unaware of is that five co-authors have already withdrawn their co-authorship following the publication of the ÖAWI statement.