Simon Singh Wins (and So Does Science)

This post originally appeared on the Software Carpentry website.

Simon Singh, the science journalist who was sued for libel by the British Chiropractic Association, has won the right to rely on the defense of "fair comment". (Full ruling linked from this Index on Censorship post.) Singh had pointed out that there's no evidence to back up BCA claims that their particular brand of pseudoscience could help with asthma and other ailments; it has taken him two years and £200,000 later to get this far, and it may be another two years before the matter is finally settled, but this is an important victory for everyone who believes in rational inquiry.