An intriguing question is posed:  What to do when a speaker at a conference 
says something ill-advised ... that is now being repeated as the "latest 
research?"  How do you "catch that smoke?"

In this case, the speaker apparently apologized to the conference organizers 
-- acknowledging (that day) the erroneous comment.  Didn't stop the smoke, 
though.

I would ask the conference organizers for their help.  They will want to 
have the reputation of putting on conferences that have credible, 
research-based presenters.  The speaker sounds like she understands the need 
to present only credible, research-based information -- since she admitted 
her mistake.

So write to the organizers, and describe to them how the misinformation is 
being repeated -- at best undermining the credibiliity of the speaker and 
the organizer (for those who are up on their cup-feeding research); at worst 
misinforming those who aren't up on their research.  Ask them to contact the 
speaker, requesting that she join the organizers in a joint letter to all 
the attendees "clarifying" the speaker's comment.

You won't catch all the smoke -- but if you do smell a wisp of it here and 
there, you will have the ability to say, "Did you also hear that the speaker 
and host sent out a letter clarifying that remark?  She really meant to say 
blah blah blah."

I have been a presenter, and I can tell you that I would *jump* at the 
chance to clarify any comments I had made in a public forum.  O foucrse, 
some presenters are opinionated dopes -- you'll never get someone like that 
to do a public clarification.  But even if you do nothing more than seek a 
correction from the organizers and speaker, and they refuse to act further, 
*you* will sleep better because you did what you could.  And you can bet 
your bottom dollar that both the organizer and the speaker will be on their 
toes against such comments henceforth ....

Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC
Wyndmoor, PA, USA

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