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Partha Kar: NICE needs better support to do its job

BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3549 (Published 15 September 2020) Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m3549

Rapid Response:

Re: Partha Kar: NICE needs better support to do its job

Dear Editor

David Colquhoun. writes:

“Most recently the draft guidance for chronic pain recommended acupuncture, on the basis of very dubious evidence. It seems that this happens when an acupuncturist is appointed to the guidance group. Surely it is obvious that it's hard to persuade someone to understand something when their income depends on them not understanding it.
“NICE should be more careful about conflicts of interest.“

But surely it cuts both ways? How many correspondents here should perhaps disclose they they work in the National Health Service?

Competing interests: AgeofAutism.com, an on-line daily journal, concerns itself with the potential environmental sources for the proliferation of autism, neurological impairment, immune dysfunction and chronic disease. I receive no payment as UK Editor

20 September 2020
John Stone
UK Editor
AgeofAutism.com
London N22