We hope that this Annotated CV for Patrick Holford and his Visiting Professorship at Teesside University may prove to be a comfort to those who encounter embarrassing slips of memory when compiling an application for similarly prestigious jobs or even those of a more junior status.
Update 24.02.2008: We have browsed through the recently-released FOIA documents relating to this appointment. Apparently, the University of Teesside doesn’t find this sort of inaccuracy or lack of fact-checking to be a cause for concern. Document 15, an email from Professor Henderson to the Professorial Conferment Committee, dated 07.09.2007.
Whilst the citation, references etc. presented to the Committee appeared to lead to a relatively straightforward decision it transires that Patrick Holford’s work is highly controversial and has been for many years – even to the point that we have now been made aware that websites exist dedicated solely to criticising Patrick and his work…
The University is currently investing a lot of time and resources into investigating some of the concerns that have been expressed, with a view to determining what action, if any, may now be necessary or appropriate…
Whilst all of these events have resulted in the University retrospectively checking some of the information provided to PCC, and indeed to review its Governance and “due diligence arrangements” for ensuring the veracity of all information provided to the Committee, it remains our view that the Committee made a credible decision on the basis of the information provided and no criticism is being attached to the Committee for its actions.
We look forward to exploring the rest of the case for support for Patrick Holford’s application for a Visiting Professorship at the University of Teesside.
References
[1] Patrick Holford and Some Interesting Errors on His CV and Profile
[2] Comment on Patrick Holford and More Oddities in the Biography and CV
[3] Brain Bio Centre Info Pack (pdf)
[4] Patrick Holford, Professor Andre Tylee and the Endorsements That Cannot Die
[5] Statins and Why Patrick Holford is Breaking My Heart: Part 2
[6] Ben Goldacre on Patrick Holford and the QLink
[7] Myth: The Scientific Support for Chromium and Cinnamon
[8] Myth: You Can Diagnose Food Intolerance or Allergy with an IgG Blood Test
[9] Dr. Sarah Jarvis and Patrick Holford discuss diabetes management on GMTV
[10] Dr. Emer Keeling and Patrick Holford discuss nutritional medicine
This post raises some key points.
1. Mr Holford advocates ‘Optimum Nutrition for the Mind’. His supplement regimen is obviously lacking as his memory lapses show.
2. Lucky he is a ‘Fellow’ of BANT. They don’t have a complaint procedure. Just 8 people on their ‘ethics’ committee, none of whom have formal nutritional qualifications, and 3 of whom are ION ‘graduates’.
3. The University of Teeside is a bona fide academic institute. How much more informationdo they need before recinding their award of ‘Visiting Professor’ to this man?
[...] Chapman states that him and Holford “had a discussion about areas of expertise” (see Patrick Holford’s CV to get a sense of his level of nutritional expertise). As a result of this [...]
[...] the business case for Patrick Holford’s involvement may be almost as insubstantial as his academic credentials and scholarship. Is this really the way that the University of Teesside hoped to raise their [...]
[...] Bad Science: Chapter 9; pp 161-80. Both HolfordWatch and Holford Myths have commented that the CV which Holford submitted to the University of Teesside is riddled with a remarkable number of errors, several of which involve implausible timelines. [...]