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==Controversy== === "Militant" patient === The Science Media Centre has played a role in placing articles with the angle that a small group of "abusive" ME patients are driving researchers, namely psychiatrists studying cognitive behavioral therapy and graded exercise therapy, from the field. This story has been repeated in the UK media for nearly a decade, chiefly via reporting by [[Kate Kelland]] (Reuters), [[Tom Feilden]] (BBC), and [[Rod Liddle]] (Sunday Times). The SMC claims to have been the source of Feilden's original 2011 reporting on threats and harassment to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome researchers. Feilden won an award from the UK Press Gazette for this reporting, and was nominated by the SMC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Review-of-the-first-three-years-of-the-mental-health-research-function-at-the-Science-Media-Centre.pdf | title = Review of the first three years of the mental health research function at the Science Media Centre | last = | first = | author-link =| date = |website=|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mrtopple.com/2019/03/18/the-media-is-waging-a-coordinated-war-against-chronically-ill-and-disabled-people/ | title = The media is waging a coordinated war against chronically ill and disabled people | last = Topple | first = Steve | date = 2019-03-18 | website = Mr Topple|language=en|access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref> Prof. [[Simon Wessely]] of Kings College London, a colleague of [[PACE trial]] co-author and Oxford University professor, [[Michael Sharpe]], was the source and subject Feilden's story, and is on the SMC board of trustees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/about-us/governance/ | title = governance {{!}} Science Media Centre|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref> Kelland is featured in the Science Media Centre's promotional materials.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/film/ | title = a short film about the SMC {{!}} Science Media Centre|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/SMC-Views-from-the-front-line-essays-on-the-SMC.pdf | title = Views from the front line {{!}} Essays on the Science Media Center | last= | first = | author-link =| date = Oct 2010 | website = |access-date=}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" !Month !Day !Year !Author !Headline !Publication |- |March |19 |2019 |Kate Kelland |"[https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/science-socialmedia/ Online activists are silencing us, scientists say]" |Reuters |- |March |18 |2019 |Tom Feilden | |BBC Radio 4 Today |- |March |17 |2019 |Rod Liddle |"[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/always-fatigued-yet-they-never-tire-of-claiming-their-malady-really-is-a-virus-d7s7qlvbk Always fatigued — yet they never tire of claiming their malady really is a virus]" |The Sunday Times |- |October |17 |2018 |Kate Kelland |"[https://whbl.com/news/articles/2018/oct/17/exclusive-science-journal-to-withdraw-chronic-fatigue-review-amid-patient-activist-complaints/ Science journal to withdraw chronic fatigue review amid patient activist complaints]" |Reuters |- |November |7 |2015 |Rod Liddle |"[https://www.spectator.com.au/2015/11/the-me-lobby-is-just-a-symptom-of-our-stupidity-about-mental-illness/ The ME lobby is just a symptom of our stupidity about mental illness]" |The Spectator |- |July |29 |2011 |Tom Feilden |"'[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/science-environment-14326514 Torrent of abuse' hindering ME research]" |BBC Radio 4 Today |- |July |27 |2011 |Rod Liddle |"[https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/shoot-the-medical-messenger-see-if-thatll-cure-you-8k88fv6w9wv Shoot the medical messenger – see if that'll cure you]" |The Sunday Times |} ===Other criticism=== The Science Media Centre has been criticized for being a "lobby group".<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2002/jun/02/gm.observersciencepages | title = Lobby group 'led GM thriller critics' | last = McKie | first = Robin | date = 2002-06-02|work=The Observer|access-date=2019-02-28|language=en-GB|issn=0029-7712|quote=}}</ref> Patients with [[ME/CFS]] have criticised the Science Media Centre for focusing its output on psychological and psychiatric expert opinions on ME/CFS and the fact that they house the disease within their Mental Health section.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://voicesfromtheshadowsfilm.co.uk/welcome/reflections/ | title = Reflections on "Voices from the Shadows" | last = Voices from the Shadows | first = | authorlink = Voices from the Shadows | date = |website=voicesfromtheshadowsfilm.co.uk|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.investinme.org/Article418%20The%20Media%20and%20ME.htm | title = The Media and ME | last = Williams | first = Margaret | authorlink=Margaret Williams | date = |website=[[Invest in ME Research]]|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> It has also been criticised for [[bias]] toward corporate interests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.scidev.net/index.cfm?originalUrl=/global/journalism/feature/uk-s-science-media-centre-lambasted-for-pushing-corporate-science.html& | title = UK’s Science Media Centre lambasted for pushing corporate science | last = SciDev.Net|website=SciDev.Net|language=en|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> [[Fiona Fox]], director of the SMC, has debated a critic about the value of the SMC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cjr.org/the_observatory/science_media_centers_the_pres.php | title = Science media centers & the press, part 1 | website = Columbia Journalism Review|language=en|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> Professor [[James Coyne]] has criticized the Science Media Centre for what he sees as lobbying against open-data in science.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jcoynester.wordpress.com/2016/01/31/further-insights-into-the-war-against-data-sharing-the-science-media-centres-letter-writing-campaign-to-uk-parliament/ | title = Further insights into war against data sharing: Science Media Centre’s letter writing campaign to UK Parliament | last = Coyne | first=James C. | authorlink = James Coyne | date = 2016-01-31 | website = Quick Thoughts|language=en|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> Professor [[Malcolm Hooper]] has criticized the Science Media Centre coverage of the disease.<ref>[http://www.meactionuk.org.uk/The-SMC-and-its-campaign-against-MECFS.pdf The Role of the Science Media Centre and the Insurance Industry in ME/CFS: the facts behind the fiction]</ref> It was found upon investigation that the Science Media Centre were behind the media publicity blitz in 2011 of allegations of harassment of researchers by patients during the year when the [[PACE trial]] results were published and criticised. <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Review-of-the-first-three-years-of-the-mental-health-research-function-at-the-Science-Media-Centre.pdf | title = Supporting experts targeted by extremists | last = Science Media Centre | first= | authorlink = Science Media Centre | date = Mar 2013 | website = web.archive.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418232134/http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Review-of-the-first-three-years-of-the-mental-health-research-function-at-the-Science-Media-Centre.pdf|archive-date=2016-04-18|url-status=dead|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/SMC-Anniversary-Brochure.pdf | title = Threats of Persecution {{!}} SMC Anniversary Brochure | last = Science Media Centre | first= | authorlink = Science Media Centre | date = Oct 2011 | website = web.archive.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106032125/http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/SMC-Anniversary-Brochure.pdf|archive-date=2014-01-06|url-status=dead|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> In August 2017, [[David Tuller]] criticized the Science Media Centre's published "expert opinions" in relation to criticism of the [[PACE trial]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.virology.ws/2017/08/02/trial-by-error-the-science-media-centres-desperate-efforts-to-defend-pace/ | title = Trial by Error: The Science Media Centre’s Desperate Efforts to Defend PACE | last = Tuller | first = David | authorlink = David Tuller | date = Aug 2, 2017 | website = [[Virology blog]]|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> A blog criticising and questioning Fiona Fox was published by [[John Peters]] in response to her 'Inconvenient Truths' blogpost <ref>{{Cite news | url=https://johnthejack.com/2017/10/20/a-response-to-fiona-fox/ | title = A Response to Fiona Fox | date = 2017-10-20|work=johnthejack|access-date=2018-10-15|language=en-US | last = Peters | first = John|quote= | author-link = John Peters}}</ref>.
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