[Text source: Wikipedia, somewhat edited since the purpose of the ”fact post” on Wikipedia about Vernon Coleman seem to be to disfame his reputation. This page therefore need additional checking.]

Dr Vernon Coleman 2019. Photo: Emily Husband Mortimer

Dr Vernon Coleman 2019. Photo: Emily Husband Mortimer
Emily Husband Mortimer. License: Public Domain

Vernon Coleman (born 18 May 1946) is an English discredited self-publisher and blogger of [1][2][3] columnist and former general practitioner (GP). He has written over 100 books, including works on conspiracy theories about human health, politics, cricket, and animal issues,[4] and a range of novels.[5]

In 1981, Coleman was fined by the Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS) for refusing to write the diagnoses on sick notes, which he considered to be a breach of patient confidentiality. He relinquished his medical license in 2016. After publishing his first book, The Medicine Men, which accused the National Health Service of being controlled by pharmaceutical companies, he left the NHS to focus on his writing.[2][6]

Coleman was censured by the Press Complaints Commission and one of his advertisments was banned by Advertising Standards Authority.[7][8]

In 1994, a High Court judge granted a temporary injunction preventing Coleman from publishing the home address or telephone number of Colin Blakemore, who had been targeted by anti-vivisection activists. He also agreed not to publish anything about Blakemore that might jeopardise his safety, and to give solicitors the names of anyone he may have already passed the information to.[9][10]

His books have appeared on several bestseller lists, including The Sunday Times. Life Without Tranquillisers reached the Top Ten of The Sunday Times in March 1985.[11] His book Bodypower reached several bestseller lists in the UK.[12][13]

His 1993 novel Mrs Caldicot’s Cabbage War was turned into a 2002 film with the same name.[14]

Early life

Coleman was born in 1946, the son of an electrical engineer.[2] He grew up an only child in Walsall, Staffordshire, in the West Midlands of England, where he attended Queen Mary’s Grammar School.[2]

As a child, Coleman felt unsure as to what career path he wished to pursue in the future, deciding to become a doctor aged 12 on the advice of a family friend.[2] Before attending medical school at Birmingham,[8] Coleman volunteered between 1964 and 1965 in Liverpool, getting children to aid and assist the elderly by painting their houses and doing their shopping.[15]

Career

Coleman qualified as a doctor in 1970 and worked as a GP. He is no longer registered or licensed to practise as a GP principal, having relinquished his licence in March 2016.[16] An anti-vivisectionist, Coleman has been a witness at the House of Lords on vivisection addressing himself as ’Professor’,[17] a title he has claimed in leaflets, awarded by the ”International Open University”, currently based in Sri Lanka.[8]

Writing and media appearances

A 1989 editorial in the British Medical Journal criticised his comments on leprosy, following the announcement that Diana, Princess of Wales was to shake hands with a person with leprosy. The incident was covered on Channel 4’s Hard News, with Coleman declining to appear without a fee covering travel costs.[18]

In November 1989, Coleman wrote an article published in The Sun under the headline ”AIDS—THE HOAX OF THE CENTURY”, claiming there was a conspiracy to present AIDS as a condition that could affect heterosexuals as well as homosexuals.[19]

In 1996, Coleman published the book How to Stop Your Doctor Killing You, which was published for a second time in 2003.[2] In 2004, Coleman began to self-publish his books after Alice’s Diary, a book about his cat, was turned down.[7][6]

Coleman has written under multiple pen names; in late 1970s, Coleman published three novels about life as a GP under the pen name Edward Vernon, Practice makes Perfect, Practise What you Preach and Getting into Practice.[20]

Coleman resigned from The People in 2003.[21][5]

Through his personal blog, Coleman is a regular critic of the European Union, the former Prime Minister Theresa May and is a supporter of English nationalism and Brexit. Coleman has called for the European Union to be dissolved.

Advertising Standards Authority rulings

In 2005, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) responded to an advertisement for a book titled ”How to Stop Your Doctor Killing You” by Coleman, which claimed doctors were ”the person most likely to kill you”.[23]

Complainants, including a GP, challenged whether the advertisement was misleading, offensive and denigratory to the medical profession.[23] Coleman did not respond to the Advertising Standards Authorities request and was found to have been in breach of the ASA’s code of conduct concerning non-response, substantiation, truthfulness and intent to cause fear and distress.[23] The Advertising Standards Authority also found Coleman had made misleading claims regarding the link between food and cancer.[23] The ASA deemed the advert was likely to offend and denigrate the medical profession and noted Coleman’s claims such as ”Ten reasons why you shouldn’t trust your doctor” were irresponsible, as they would discourage people from seeking essential medical help.[23]

Personal life

Coleman is married to Donna Antoinette Coleman (born 1972),[24] who co-authored the books How To Conquer Health Problems Between Ages 50 and 120 (2003), and Health Secrets Doctors Share With Their Families (2005) with Coleman.

Notes

  1. Fennel, Oliver (27 June 2020). ”An ’old man in a chair’ pulling rabbits from his bag of ’truths’”. Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  2. Walker, Esther (14 May 2008). ”The doctor will see you now: Who does Vernon Coleman think he is?”. The Independent. Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2019
  3. Ryder, Gemma. ”Dunfermline MSP condemns coronavirus hoax leaflet”. Dunfermline Press. Dunfermline Press. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  4. ”Vernon Coleman”. Tower Hill Stables. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  5. ’Conscientious Objectors’, ”Financial Times” 8 August 2003
  6. Johnson, Rachel (6 March 2004). ”You have been warned, Mr Blair”. www.spectator.co.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  7. Ross, Deborah (12 July 1999). ”What seems to be the problem Doctor Coleman?”. The Independent. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  8. Bedell, Geraldine (7 April 1996) ”Doctor on the Make”, The Independent. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  9. ”Animal rights man restrained”. Guardian. 3 August 1994.
  10. Schoon, Nicholas (3 August 1994). ”Scientist wins right to keep address secret: Professor hounded by anti-vivisectionists wins court battle with journalist”. The Independent. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  11. Sunday Times 24 March 1985
  12. Top Ten Sunday Times, 3 April 1983
  13. Top Ten Bookseller 16 April 1983
  14. ”Mrs Caldicot’s Cabbage War”. IMDB. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  15. ’Volunteer for Kirkby’, The Guardian, 14 May 1965
  16. GMC. ”Vernon Edward COLEMAN”. GMC – UK. General Medical Council UK. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  17. ”Supplementary memorandum by Professor Vernon Coleman”. www.parliament.uk. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  18. ”Medicine and the Media”. BMJ. 299 (6706): 1036. 21 October 1989. doi:10.1136/bmj.299.6706.1036. ISSN 0959-8138.
  19. Eldridge, John (2003). Getting the Message: News, Truth, and Power. Routledge. pp. 221–223. ISBN 9781134895823.
  20. Tickety Tonk (Vernon Coleman’s Diaries), Blue Books, 2019
  21. The Morning Show with Patrick Timpone, 31 January 2017
  22. Coleman, Vernon. ”All Remainers are Nazi Supporters”. VernonColeman.com. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  23. ”ASA Non-broadcast Adjudication: Publishing House”. Advertising Standards Authority. 22 June 2005. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  24. Mrs Caldicot’s Knickerbocker Glory, 2014, page 1

External links