"Psychic" advises cancer patient not to get chemo

Azrel · 03-12-2015 10:42PM #1

www. independent.ie/irish-news/operation-transformation-participantturnedpsychic-apologises-to-cancer-victims-family-for-getting-diagnosis-wrong-34257135.html

Heard this lady on Joe Duffy today, is it time a law is brought in to finally make this nonsense illegal? She charges €70 for a private reading, and €10 for tickets to her live shows. It's fraud in my eyes.

(Sorry about the link I am new user)

The Backwards Man · 03-12-2015 10:45PM

To be honest, I don't really blame the charlatans making a buck out of this, immoral as it may be. If there wasn't a demand for snake oil there'd be no one selling it.

darkpagandeath · 03-12-2015 10:47PM

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Atlantic Dawn · 03-12-2015 10:47PM

Idiots and their money will soon be parted.

If we brought in laws for that we would also have to have laws at the cinema so anything not realistic could be banned.

Deep Six · 03-12-2015 10:48PM

I'd put these "psychics" in the same bracket as Nigerian email scammers - they know there is a gullible audience out there who will fall for their bull****. Shameless con artists.

StewartGriffin · 03-12-2015 10:48PM

The Backwards Man wrote: »

If there wasn't a demand for snake oil there'd be no one selling it.

Those damned sexy snakes and their oil.

colm_mcm · 03-12-2015 10:48PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Because they're telling you what you want to hear.

Taking advice in this case requires seeking advice too.

Fr_Dougal · 03-12-2015 10:49PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Desperate people.

Have nothing against these 'psychic's' myself, they can give people closure on a lot of things. But they shouldn't cross the line and give medical advice.

Buona Fortuna · 03-12-2015 10:50PM

Azrel wrote: »

http / www . independent.ie/irish-news/operation-transformation-participantturnedpsychic-apologises-to-cancer-victims-family-for-getting-diagnosis-wrong-34257135.html

Heard this lady on Joe Duffy today, is it time a law is brought in to finally make this nonsense illegal? She charges €70 for a private reading, and €10 for tickets to her live shows. It's fraud in my eyes.

(Sorry about the link I am new user)

Yep. There's all sorts of quackery about.

Gaygooner · 03-12-2015 10:51PM

Some people are desperate - vulnerable people should be protected

kneemos · 03-12-2015 10:51PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Takes all sorts including the gullible.
Yer one taking advantage is the bad guy here I'd say.

LeinsterDub · 03-12-2015 10:51PM

Azrel wrote: »

http / www . independent.ie/irish-news/operation-transformation-participantturnedpsychic-apologises-to-cancer-victims-family-for-getting-diagnosis-wrong-34257135.html

Heard this lady on Joe Duffy today, is it time a law is brought in to finally make this nonsense illegal? She charges €70 for a private reading, and €10 for tickets to her live shows. It's fraud in my eyes.

(Sorry about the link I am new user)

Sure and churches too. And any other superstitious nonsense

Dravokivich · 03-12-2015 10:51PM

darkpagandeath wrote: »

To be fair why would one take the advice of a none Medical professional in that situation ?

Homeopathy, Reiki, Acupuncture. There's no shortage of the merchants unfortunately. The normalisation of them is the issue. Particularly when Insurance companies endorse them by allowing you to claim back such expenses.

Ten of Swords · 03-12-2015 10:53PM

Dravokivich wrote: »

Homeopathy, Reiki, Acupuncture.

Get in the fecking sack

Azrel · 03-12-2015 10:58PM

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

But they shouldn't cross the line and give medical advice.

My thoughts exactly. Thankfully this patient had the sense not to follow the psychic "medical" advice but could criminal charges potentially be brought against a psychic who gives advice like this resulting in someone getting sicker or even dying?

Deep Six · 03-12-2015 11:02PM

Azrel wrote: »

My thoughts exactly. Thankfully this patient had the sense not to follow the psychic "medical" advice but could criminal charges potentially be brought against a psychic who gives advice like this resulting in someone getting sicker or even dying?

I don't think criminal charges would be possible at all unfortunately, she's not a qualified medical professional so there's not much she can be charged with for giving the advice, plus the fact the person affected decided to take her word over the opinion of an actual doctor.

cml387 · 03-12-2015 11:03PM

For the first time in ages I heard this on Joe Duffy and it made for entertaining car crash radio.

The medium/psychic/whatever was on JD today attempting to defend herself from the allegation yesterday that she told a woman at one of her "events" that, despite a doctor's diagnosis, she did not have cancer and should not have chemotherapy.

When she denied that she had done it, the family involved went on the air and accused her of making them out to be liars.

To add to the overall flavour of the encounter, the family representative said that having had this diagnosis from Ms Stokes, they were all so delighted that they all went off to the bar to have "shots".

Lo and behold the family's horror when it turned out that the family member did indeed have cancer and had delayed chemotherapy.

We even had an expletive (and the bad "f" word,father) thrown into the mix.

If I thought JD was always this good I'd try the podcast (I'm working when it's on normally).

Azrel · 03-12-2015 11:06PM

cml387 wrote: »

For the first time in ages I heard this on Joe Duffy and it made for entertaining car crash radio.

The medium/psychic/whatever was on JD today attempting to defend herself from the allegation yesterday that she told a woman at one of her "events" that, despite a doctor's diagnosis, she did not have cancer and should not have chemotherapy.

When she denied that she had done it, the family involved went on the air and accused her of making them out to be liars.

To add to the overall flavour of the encounter, the family representative said that having had this diagnosis from Ms Stokes, they were all so delighted that they all went off to the bar to have "shots".

Lo and behold the family's horror when it turned out that the family member did indeed have cancer and had delayed chemotherapy.

We even had an expletive (and the bad "f" word,father) thrown into the mix.

If I thought JD was always this good I'd try the podcast (I'm working when it's on normally).

The last time I laughed so much was when he covered the spunout threesome controversy.

Summer wind · 03-12-2015 11:13PM

God must really love stupid people. He's made enough of them:)

recylingbin · 03-12-2015 11:20PM

Her daughter had been in previously and the psychic told her she was about to come into a lot of money.
Swings and roundabouts, innit?

Ruu · 03-12-2015 11:21PM

You misspelled charlatan in the title there.

03-12-2015 11:27PM

People like that prey on gullible and vulnerable people, desperate to hear something good about their lives.

Being easily taken in shouldn't carry a potential death penalty though, and anyone without a medical degree giving medical advice should be subject to some censure.

Fleawuss · 03-12-2015 11:44PM

Was she using a ouija board? Powerful things according to a lot of people.

RobertKK · 03-12-2015 11:54PM

There is a facebook account for a missing person where the people running it say they have contacted a psychic and that the psychic have told them were the body is. They had searches of the area and surprise, surprise...nothing.
Still posting about what the psychic told them on the facebook account.

captbarnacles · 04-12-2015 12:23AM

Will this cause her all her fans to rethink everything she told them? :pac:

DareGod · 04-12-2015 12:24AM

Imagine basing your cancer treatment plan on what someone who claims to be a "psychic" says. Seriously, what were those people thinking?! Ludicrous.

Off I go now to give my life savings over to a Nigerian King. Oh no wait, I won't, because I'd never actually do that, no matter how "desperate" I was!

I'm sorry for that family's troubles, but they're clearly morons, and they're as much to blame, if not ENTIRELY to blame, for what has happened to their relative.

The "psychic" didn't hold a gun to their heads. They completely abandoned all reason, using "desperation" as an excuse. Well it's absolutely no excuse - neither is their "vulnerability" - in favour of believing a fairy tale, and they put their relative's life at risk.

How many of them in the family, and not one of them said "Ye know what, lets believe the doctors instead of the "psychic" ? Disgraceful.

04-12-2015 12:29AM

DareGod wrote: »

I'm sorry for that family's troubles, but they're clearly morons, and they're as much to blame, if not ENTIRELY to blame, for what has happened to their relative.

Being a moron shouldn't be a death penalty offence.

Falling prey to a fraud or scam might make you stupid, but advising a sick person to forgo life saving treatment is downright sinister and endangers a persons life.

DareGod · 04-12-2015 12:37AM

Candie wrote: »

Being a moron shouldn't be a death penalty offence.

I don't believe that I suggested that anyone deserved to die for believing a psychic. My sole point was that the family are responsible for their own actions, and their actions in this case were downright inexcusable.

Candie wrote: »

Falling prey to a fraud or scam might make you stupid, but advising a sick person to forgo life saving treatment is downright sinister and endangers a persons life.

I agree with that. I don't believe that I suggested that the "psychic" acted appropriately. As I said, the family chose to believe a "psychic" over their doctors and in doing so, recklessly endangered their relative's life. That's 100% their responsibility, and there is no excuse for it, no matter who they may try to blame.

Are they right to bring the ridiculousness of the culture of "psychics" to public attention? Absolutely, they should, and I agree with that. Blame a psychic for their choice to believe a psychic instead of their doctor? No, that was entirely their choice, and their own doing.

04-12-2015 12:43AM

DareGod wrote: »

I don't believe that I suggested that anyone deserved to die for believing a psychic. My sole point was that the family are responsible for their own actions, and their actions in this case were downright inexcusable.

This is the bit you said that I have a problem with

they're as much to blame, if not ENTIRELY to blame

Their actions might be inexcusable, but so are the 'psychics'. Advising someone to forgo treatment is highly dangerous and questionable, and they certainly deserve some of the responsibility for what happens as a consequence of that action.

In my opinion, of course.

jd · 04-12-2015 12:48AM

Dravokivich wrote:

Homeopathy, Reiki, Acupuncture. There's no shortage of the merchants unfortunately. The normalisation of them is the issue. Particularly when Insurance companies endorse them by allowing you to claim back such expenses.

The really annoying thing about this is that premiums for plans that cover this crap are tax deductible. I brought this up with Leo Varadkar and got a response that he agreed that such treatments were horsesh!t but that people should have freedom of choice regarding their treatment! I have the email archived somewhere, I'll dig it up tomorrow.

jd · 04-12-2015 01:16AM

For the record..

Hi
I would like to suggest that health insurers be asked to remove
"alternative medical treatments" such as reiki, homeopathy etc from
their schemes. There is no scientific basis for these treatments and
the taxpayer should not be subsidising them ( the premiums being tax
deductable)
Thank You

Hi JD

Thank you for your email and please accept my apologies for the delay in replying.

I agree with you but ultimately it is up to the health insurers to make these decisions and people can choose between different policies.

Your sincerely

Leo Varadkar TD

"Psychic" advises cancer patient not to get chemo

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