The Internet is a wonderful new medium for communicating ideas and information in a rapid and interactive way. Many articles are followed by a “comments” section. Like so many things in this imperfect world, comments are a mixed blessing. They can enhance the article by correcting errors, adding further information,… read more "Defending Isagenix: A Case Study in Flawed Thinking"
Antioxidants? It’s a Bit More Complicated
I am getting very annoyed with antioxidants. Like Pavlov’s dogs, I’m becoming conditioned to flinch when I hear the word “antioxidant” because it is so often followed by oversimplifications, distortions, and partial truths. The hype is everywhere, in magazines, on the Internet, on the radio, in books, in stores. Antioxidants promise… read more "Antioxidants? It’s a Bit More Complicated"
“New Study Shows…” – Why We Can’t Trust Science Reporting
The scientific method is a toolkit that provides the only reliable way to learn how things work in the real world. But some people have come to distrust it because science keeps changing its mind. It’s supposed to tell us “The Truth” in black and white and capital letters, but… read more "“New Study Shows…” – Why We Can’t Trust Science Reporting"
Multiple Personality Delusions
The “News of the Weird” recently reported that a man had turned himself in to the police for a crime he thought he must have committed because he didn’t remember doing it! He claimed to have a split personality. He remembered becoming angry at a waiter in a Chinese restaurant… read more "Multiple Personality Delusions"
Energy Medicine and Fantasy Physics: How Real Physics Has Been Kidnapped by Alternative Medicine Practitioners
Words from physics, such as “energy,” “frequency,” “fields,” and “quantum,” used to be respectable, well-defined concepts used in the clear light of science by real physicists to study how the world works. In recent years they have been kidnapped, disguised, and forced into prostitution in the dim back alleys of… read more "Energy Medicine and Fantasy Physics: How Real Physics Has Been Kidnapped by Alternative Medicine Practitioners"
Lest We Forget: Influenza Can Be Devastating
One of our readers suggested that I review the book The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History, by John M. Barry. It’s not a new book (it was published in 2004) but it is very pertinent to several of the issues that we have been… read more "Lest We Forget: Influenza Can Be Devastating"
A New Perspective on the War against Cancer
Myths and misconceptions about cancer abound. Oncologists are frequently criticized for torturing patients by burning, cutting and poisoning without making any real progress in the war against cancer. Siddhartha Mukherjee, an oncologist and cancer researcher, tries to set the record straight with his new book The Emperor of All Maladies:… read more "A New Perspective on the War against Cancer"
Integrative Medicine is the Butt of a Sokal-Type Hoax
In 1996, Alan Sokal got a bogus paper published in the journal Social Text. It was a parody full of meaningless statements in the jargon of postmodern philosophy and cultural studies. The editors couldn’t tell the difference between Sokal’s nonsense and the usual articles they publish. Now a British professor… read more "Integrative Medicine is the Butt of a Sokal-Type Hoax"
New Recommendations for Calcium and Vitamin D Intake
A Walmart ad in my local newspaper trumpets “75% of all Americans don’t get enough Vitamin D” and offers to sell me Maximum Strength Vitamin D3, 5000 IU capsules to “promote bone, colon and breast health.” Meanwhile, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) tells me that “the majority of Americans and… read more "New Recommendations for Calcium and Vitamin D Intake"
Resident’s Working Hours- Should We Let Sleeping Docs Lie?
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has released proposed new standards to limit working hours for medical residents. Bus drivers are allowed to drive for 10 hours and then are required to have 8 hours off duty. Airline pilots can be scheduled for up to 16 hours on… read more "Resident’s Working Hours- Should We Let Sleeping Docs Lie?"