7439858
story
Comments: 219 +- Science: Canadian Blood Services Promotes Pseudoscience on Tuesday December 01, @06:49PM
Posted
by
samzenpus
on Tuesday December 01, @06:49PM
from the type-A-negative-personality dept.
from the type-A-negative-personality dept.
background: url(//a.fsdn.com/sd/topics/topicidle.png); width:70px; height:80px;
idle
background: url(//a.fsdn.com/sd/topics/topicscience.gif); width:62px; height:75px;
science
trianglecat writes "The not-for-profit agency Canadian Blood Services has a section of their website based on the Japanese cultural belief of ketsueki-gata, which claims that a person's blood group determines or predicts their personality type. Disappointing for a self-proclaimed 'science-based' organization. The Ottawa Skeptics, based in the nation's capital, appear to be taking some action."
Related Stories
Necessity is a mother.
All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest © 1997-2010 Geeknet, Inc.
Not surprising. (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Not surprising. (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The aircraft scene is a Scientology reference. See the entry on Xenu [wikipedia.org].
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Third one in the second row: this is an airplane flying over a volcano, which either has a tree growing out of it, or more likely a cloud of ash?
Xenu [wikipedia.org]
Middle one, next row: there's a teapot between the Earth and Mars? Is this Sagittarius?
Russel's Teapot [wikipedia.org]
Re:Teach the Controversy Riddle-runes (Score:5, Funny)
Tooltip appears.
Read message it carries
All will be made clear.
Burma Shave.
Parent
Politically correct? (Score:2)
It's still stupid, and as a Canadian I'm just glad that I live in Quebec and we run our program separately [hema-quebec.qc.ca]. english version [hema-quebec.qc.ca]. ... though someone shou
Re:Politically correct? (Score:5, Interesting)
You're lucky you live in Quebec. I had to endure the torture of "What's your blood type?" from all my friends the whole five years I lived in Korea. I obnoxiously answered "I don't know" (even when I did) just to avoid being typed. Of course, I answer the same to Thais when they ask "What days of the week were you born on?" and to westerners' "What's your sign?" Unfortunately, I can't pretend I don't know my birth date. Western culture doesn't seem to take the matter too seriously, but Korean and Thai cultures do.
These practices all need to die. Do you want to understand me? Get to know me.
Parent
Re:Politically correct? (Score:4, Interesting)
I answer the same to Thais when they ask "What days of the week were you born on?" and to westerners' "What's your sign?" Unfortunately, I can't pretend I don't know my birth date.
If you can even give a toss about this, try figure out what the LEAST compatible sign for each sign is, then ask them theirs and adjust yours to fit. Not like you want someone who really buys into that around you a lot anyway, right?
Parent
It's a joke. Laugh. (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Birth Sign (Score:4, Insightful)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Sounds like my method for dealing with political activists. I always find out who they are campaigning for and tailor my response to fit, with the goal of choosing the least compatible option. For example, I respond to Republicans with "Anarchist". Other fun responses are Green Party and "Can't vote, I'm a convicted felon".
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
[_] "I was adopted, you ignorant clod!" (and watch them go "Oh ...")
... or if you really want to scare them off ...
[_] I was born February 29th so I only have a sign every 4th year.
[_] What sign was I born under? Yellow Cab | Maternity Ward | Abortion Clinic ("I was a screw-up even back then")
[_] What's my sign? Well, I was born a [insert bogus info] and I was born again in [insert month] so now I'm really a [insert bogus info], so let me
Re:Politically correct? (Score:4, Interesting)
These practices all need to die. Do you want to understand me? Get to know me.
I had a psych lecturer who said: "I don't believe in the power of Astrology to fortell the future, but I do believe in the power of Astrology to influence the way others perceive you." So what he had done is "change" his star-sign every year so that people getting to know him one year would think him a Leo and react accordingly, people getting to know him the next would think him a Sagittarian etc etc.
Parent
Re:Politically correct? (Score:4, Interesting)
I'd love to go on the show Deal or no deal (The one with the women holding the suitcases), and select my suitcases in numerical order (1, 2, 3, etc)-- because my chances are EXACTLY THE SAME as someone who selects the cases according to their own numerological theory.
I'm not so sure about that. The only thing required to make the game fair is to ensure the contestant has no idea which suitcases contain which prizes. There is no reason some person on the show can't be distributing the cases according to their own idea of 'randomness'.
Parent
Re:Not surprising. (Score:5, Informative)
If you lived in Ottawa, like I do, you'd understand that we're nearly the most absurdly "politically correct" place on earth.
From what I've seen, the Japanese take this only slightly more seriously than people here in the US take horoscopes. If Ottawa is actually concerned about not offending Japanese Ottowans, I think they should probably be more concerned about not assuming the Japanese are that stupid.
Looking at the website in question though, it seems like it's just a gimmick to get people to donate.
For type O here is the full extent of the information:
So, you’re an O. You already know that having type O blood suggests that you might be competitive, goal oriented and a real meat eater. Did you also know that anthropologists believe that type O is the oldest and most common blood type, originating in Southern Africa?
[next page]
45% of Canadians have type O blood. Group O blood is like no other and can only receive blood from other people who are group O.
One unit of your blood can help save up to three lives, and we know that giving blood is in your nature.
Many experts believe that your personality, career and even your diet can be influenced by your blood type. In addition to your tendency towards romanticism, an aptitude for writing and a love of hearty eating and exercise, here are a few other things you should know about being an O [3x3 chart here with fluff]
[next page]
All Types
Every minute of every day, someone in Canada needs blood. Blood is used to help save the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary health situations.
If you are unsure of your eligibility, please take a look at our basic eligibility and temporary and indefinite deferral information, or call 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) for assistance.
If you have already made an appointment to donate, thank you. If not, please review our clinic locator and call 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236-6283) to book an appointment or to find a "What's Your Type" even in your community today.
For more information on blood and blood types, please browse our Web site or visit:
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
There are plenty of Americans who take Astrology WAY too fucking seriously
Nonsense peddlers often sneak in... (Score:5, Insightful)
You also see this sort of thing happen when otherwise respectable medical schools will get endowed institutes in nonsenseology because some big donor has $200 million; but also believes that squirting coffee up his ass cures cancer.
Re: (Score:2)
Also note that "not for profit" doesn't mean that the people who work there cannot make mad cash in personal compensation...
Re: (Score:2)
Ok, explain to us why you think this is NOT harmless. It's not like they are saying that HIV doesn't cause AIDS and telling infected people to donate.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Nonsense peddlers often sneak in... (Score:5, Insightful)
Honestly, I don't see what the big deal is. It clearly states that "The What's Your Type? program is a recruitment program with information provided for the participants' enjoyment" (emphasis added). It's just a silly recruitment program, and it blatantly says so. They're not claiming that there is any science behind it. This is not the science-oriented people in CBS backing this, it's the PR-oriented people.
There is no conspiracy here to to drive a wedge of Japanese pseudoscience into an otherwise scientific organization. This is a bit of silliness to get people interested in donating blood.
Seriously people. Relax. Loosen your tinfoil hats. "They" are not conspiring to take your precious science away.
Parent
Barking up the wrong tree (Score:4, Informative)
After looking through the site, it's pretty clearly just a marketing ploy to engage with people who believe it to be true.
It even says right up front: 'The What's Your Type? program is a recruitment program with information provided for the participants' enjoyment. You should seek medical supervision for all matters regarding your health.'
I don't care if you believe in pseudo-science, if I need a transfusion and you're a blood match as long as it's clean _Go team blood-donor!_
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
It's not even that. It's a way to break the ice with people who would be bored to tears with "facts" about blood. It's meant for fun, not education, other than educating people that giving blood is a good thing.
It's not the Canadian Blood Service's job to teach every person on the planet every fact about blood nor are they required to UNteach every superstition.
As for the "skeptics",
It breaks down as follows (Score:5, Funny)
Type A: Asshole
Type B: Bitch/Bastard
Type AB: Asshole and a Bastard
Type O: Okay
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Odd name for the group (Score:5, Funny)
If they're based in Toronto, why are they called the Ottawa Skeptics?
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
You've obviously never lived in Toronto. They think they're not only the centre of the universe, but that "Canada" and "Toronto" are the same thing.
Those who have actually passed (the local version of) geography assume that because "Ottawa" is in "Canada" that it must be a suburb of Toronto.
Don't knock Toronto (Score:2)
It's been great for National Unity - some of us can remember life before Toronto replaced Brian (Bullwinkle) Mulroney as the one thing the rest of the country can hate (who had replaced "and God Damn the CPR!") [google.com].
Re: (Score:2)
If they're based in Toronto, why are they called the Ottawa Skeptics?
Maybe they moved and couldn't decide on a new name. Or maybe they had a membership drive in Toronto one year.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
It's the membership application test. A card will be mailed to you shortly.
America has a governmental version! (Score:2)
NCCAM [nih.gov] started as a promise to put "complimentary and alternative medicine" (CAM) to scientific scrutiny, with politically predictable results [csicop.org].
As much as I love science (and how!), I'm ambivalent about even the idea of NCCAM. Testing herbal remedies... I don't know, maybe we'll find something great. But testing things like homeopathy, which even NCCAM admits "a number of its key concepts are not consistent with the current understanding of science, particularly chemistry and physics," is just a waste of r
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
There funding was cancelled this year and is unlikely to ever be renewed.
Re: (Score:2)
Eh... there are some legitimate herbal, non-mainstream medicines which are reasonably effective (yet which I assume most people would call alternative medicine). You could drink willowbark tea for your headache or smoke pot to alleviate symptoms of chemo for instance. The active ingredients -- salycilic acid and THC, respectively -- certainly have the desired effects.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Bacteriophage treatments would be effective, no doubt. But the problem is bacteria have much greater genetic variability than eukaryotic organisms we're used to thinking of. Bacteriophage treatments, to be effective, usually have to be tailored specifically to each patient individually, which is an expensive and time-consuming task. The nice thing about most pharmaceuticals (as opposed to phages) is that once your drug has been invented, generally producing more of the drug is dirt cheap.
Why is this news? (Score:4, Insightful)
Another form of pseudoscience (Score:2)
There's another form of pseudo-science that is more rampant in the clinical world -- genetic testing. Or, more specifically, carrying out genetic tests for things that only contribute a small fraction (say 2%) of the total variation, and making it out that it's closer to 100%:
"Oh, you have type O blood, that means you're at risk for cardiovascular disease."
Donor restrictions (Score:2)
Canadian Blood Services has already proven themselves to be an organization that makes decisions according to myth and rumor rather than fact. Despite a large amount of controversy (and a grilling of one of the organization's leaders on CBC radio) CBS not only refuses to take donations by homosexual or bisexual men (despite the fact that every unit of blood that is donated is tested) who have been sexually active since I believe the late 70s, but refuses to take donations from women who have been sexually
Re:Donor restrictions (Score:5, Informative)
You may not remember this, but back in the 90s blood services in Canada were run by the Canadian red cross. They infected tens of thousands of people with HIV and Hepatitis, due to improper handling and care. CBS was created in response to this scandal, so unsurprisingly they have always been enormously risk-averse when it comes to infectious disease. I, for example, am not allowed to donate blood because of time I spent in the UK- they're afraid I may be a mad cow. It seems a bit silly, but I understand the reason. Not everything is bigotry.
Parent
quick silence these heretics!!! (Score:4, Interesting)
Can someone remind me why ANYONE needs to do something about a private non-profit expressing views that haven't been vetted via the scientific method?
For recruitment and entertainment purposes only (Score:4, Informative)
No matter which blood type you select, it gives you a few tidbits of bullshit about what your personality and preferred diet might be, then a few tidbits of bullshit about what careers you might do well at. Then it tells you that no matter what your type is, it is important to donate blood, how you can donate, etc.
So I don't think this is an example of Canadian Blood Services promoting or believing this pseudo-science. I don't have a problem with them having a "fun" online activity like this, if it encourages more people to give blood. However, I would prefer if it more explicitly said on the first page that these are beliefs from the Japanese culture, and state that they have no basis in science, but that they can be fun and interesting to read about.
Re: (Score:2)
I always wondered why they listed the blood type for the characters in Street Fighter. Now I know. Thanks Slashdot!
You mean thanks Canadian Blood Services.
Re: (Score:2)
I always wondered why they listed the blood type for the characters in Street Fighter. Now I know. Thanks Slashdot!
Nice. But maybe that really is why it's listed in the game...
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
OK...well if this does no harm in perpetuating stereotypes about blood typing and behavior, you know something the Nazis liked to spout, then how the hell does creationism in school hurt anyone?
Whats the difference in saying A+ people are more likely to be mass murderers and saying Jesus rode a Dinosaur when he salted Carthage?
Re: (Score:2)
Gays and anyone who visits Africa cannot give blood. This is far more serious.
What's wrong with that, at least the Africa bit? In fact, I believe it's if you've visited any place prone to malaria within 12 months, not just Africa. Obviously, they're trying to keep malaria and HIV out of the bloodstream, so they're eliminating anyone who's in a high-risk group for having contact with those pathogens. Why is that a problem? Testing all blood is also important, but tests can fail sometimes, and eliminating
Re: (Score:2)
what about anybody that spent more than 5 years in Europe cannot donate blood ever period? or if you have spent more than 6 months in France or the UK between 1980 and 1996, or if you were ever treated with blood products made in Europe at any time since 1980?
I think the vCJD policy is way, way, way excessive and basically making any European immigrant ineligible to donate blood is extremely shortsighted, also considering how far out of the way CBC goes with advertising and campaigns to get people to donat
Re: (Score:2)
No, because in the long run, promoting ignorance will cost lives.
Re:Japanese Science and Pseudo (Score:5, Informative)
Many, many famous scientists are such skeptics, such as Richard Dawkins, Phil Plait, Carl Sagan...
I'm pretty sure you've got some agenda you haven't quite revealed to us. So, what exactly is your agenda? Believer in ESP? Ghosts? Homeopathy? Hmm?
Your talk of going to pubmed and looking up the terms yourself makes you seem clever to the uninitiated but anyone who has ever used a scientific DB would know that those keywords are going to produce a lot of noise. Indeed, they do--and almost none of it, if any, has to do with ABO-typing and personality, but merely hormones or chemicals in the blood influencing personality traits, something almost no scientist / skeptic would deny. I looked over the keywords you gave. Some of them reference no association found between a personality characteristic and some chemical, some of them are completely tangential, and again, almost none of them have anything to do with the blood typing myth.
You try to present yourself as a scientist very well, but I have to question how much you really do in practice, as any researcher, even on an undergraduate level, would be able to instantly spot how much noise the keywords "blood type personality" would produce. And indeed, it does--all the results that come up do NOT support ABO typing to personality, despite you implying that the results you'd get with those keywords indicate research done on ABO-typing and personality. It's telling how you don't even cite a single study, instead pointing people to impressive-sounding numbers on database hits in a database using broad key words in order to make it seem like research is being done on ABO-typing and personality when there isn't, because the notion has long been discredited even in Japanese scientific circles.
You clearly have some sort of agenda, to so cleverly try to mislead people the way you have What is it?
Parent
Re:Japanese Science and Pseudo (Score:5, Informative)
I forgot to further note that the ABO-typing and personality theory has nothing to do with hormones and possible effect of chemicals on behavior. That is what comes up on the studies provided on your keywords. That is what makes your attempt to fool people so obviously deliberate--you obviously know that those results don't have anything to do with what the "skeptics" (as you lovingly put in scare-quotes) are complaining about, yet you still went ahead and tried to present the results as evidence that ABO typing is mainstream science somewhere.
Someone ought to mark DynaSoar down as a troll for this, because it's really just a disguised troll towards "skeptics" because someone pissed in his cheerios over his religion or pet superstition, that he wants to pretend is science, and is using this incident to further his grudge.
Parent