10:23 Campaign
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
The campaign's name, 10:23, comes from the
Aims
The campaign aims to raise awareness of implausible and unsubstantiated claims made by homoeopaths.
The organisers state that homoeopathy is "an unscientific and absurd pseudoscience",[3] 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.
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]
Reaction and media coverage
The campaign gained international coverage in the press from
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]
Gallery
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Skeptical activist and magician Mark Edward overdoses in Monterey, CA 2011
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Tray shows products used in Chile in 2011
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SkeptiCal group overdosing on homoeopathic solution. Berkeley, CA 21 April 2012
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10:23 campaign in Oslo, Norway, 2011
References
- ^ a b "1023.org.uk". Archived from the original on 21 August 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ a b "Overdose' protest against homeopathy". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f "Liverpool anti-homeopathy campaigners stage protest". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- VUMmedia. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
- ^ (in Dutch) De Homeopathie stunt. Skepp.be, 1 March 2004 (overview of media articles)
- ^ Bonneux, Luc (May–June 2004). "Belgium Skeptics Commit Mass Suicide". Skeptical Inquirer. 28 (3). Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
- ^ Hall, Mike; Marshall, Marsh; Harris, Colin (23 September 2010). "Skeptics with a K: Episode No. 031". Skeptics with a K (podcast). Episode 31. Merseyside Skeptics Society. Retrieved 25 August 2014.: 14:27
- ^ "10:23 Frequently Asked Questions". Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ^ Merseyside Skeptics Society (27 November 2009). "An Open Letter to Alliance Boots". The Skeptic. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ^ "Homeopathy: Overdosing on nothing".
- ^ Merseyside Skeptics Society. "The 10:23 Challenge". Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2011.
- ^ a b Davis, Margaret (30 January 2010). "Mass 'overdose' staged in homeopathic protest – Health News – Health & Families". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Mass "overdose" in Leicester city centre". Leicester Mercury. 30 January 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2010.
- ^ Merseyside Skeptics Society. "The 10:23 Challenge". Archived from the original on 5 February 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ Merseyside Skeptics Society. "The 10:23 Challenge 2011". Archived from the original on 19 August 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
- ^ "The 10:23 Challenge 2011 | The 10:23 Campaign | #ten23". 1023.org.uk. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Event Schedule :: QED :: Question Explore Discover". North West Skeptical Events Ltd. Retrieved 5 February 2011.
- ^ Morgan, Rhys (28 January 2011). "Consumers in Cardiff stage homeopathic 'overdose'". Skeptical. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
- ^ "Skepp pleegt collectief zelfmoord". De Standaard (in Dutch). Corelio. 7 February 2011. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
- ^ (in Dutch) Homeopathische zelfmoordpoging Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine wereldburgers.tv. 5 February 2011
- ISSN 1210-9940.
- ^ Kořínek, Petr. "Homeopatika neléčí". Český rozhlas Regina (in Czech). Český rozhlas. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
- ^ Munger, Kel. "Drugs, not bugs". Sacramento News Review. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ^ "Mixing Homeopathic "Remedies" for 2011 San Francisco 10:23 "Overdose" ". 10:23 campaign. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- ^ "No ill effects after public homeopathic overdose". Medical Observer. 15 February 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ Plait, Phil (4 January 2010). "Homeopathy and the 10:23 project". Discover. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ "Worldwide 10:23 campaign on homeopathy: Feb. 5". Randi.org. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ Print Email Shortlink (30 January 2010). "Andy Lewis and Simon discuss Homeopathy and the 10:23 Campaign". Simonsingh.net. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Randi issues a Challenge". Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ "Penn Point : Massive Homeopathic Overdose Cures". Youtube. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ "The 10:23 Event". Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- JREF. Archivedfrom the original on 15 December 2021.
- ^ Randi, James. "James Randi Lecture @ Caltech – Homeopathy ". California Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- JREF. Archivedfrom the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
- ^ Adam Taor. "Good week for sceptics". The Australian. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
- ^ Caroline Brettingham-Moore. "No ill effects after public homeopathic overdose". The Medical Observer. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
- ^ "Boots hit by mass homeopathy 'overdose'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 22 January 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ Martin Robbins. "Homeopathy: At 10:23 tomorrow we will prove there's nothing in it | Martin Robbins | Life and style". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "The British Homeopathic Association dismisses 10:23 campaign". British Homeopathic. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Homeopathy "overdose" to highlight TGA transparency". Pharmacy News. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 11 April 2011.