People in the Amish community have been using “The New Concept in Treating Burns” and their experience is recounted in a little booklet by that title. It is a compilation of articles, testimonials, and letters to the editor of a monthly newspaper Plain Interests, published in Millersburg PA. The treatment,… read more "Amish Home Burn Treatment: B&W Salve and Burdock Leaves"
Genewize – Not Wise, Not as Advertised
Genewize http://www.genewize.com/is a new company offering “100% Product Personalization from Your Personal DNA Assessment.” They analyze your DNA to identify certain selected SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and use the data to tweak the ingredients of the nutritional products they want to sell you (containing everything from vitamins to spinach powder).… read more "Genewize – Not Wise, Not as Advertised"
Australian Mum Singlehandedly Defeats Sex Magnet Advertiser
Sandra Quincy writes from Australia to tell us about her successful anti-quackery activities “down under.” I thought that you might be interested in the success that I have had with getting a magnetic product removed from sale in Australia. It all started when a Century Mail booklet fell out of… read more "Australian Mum Singlehandedly Defeats Sex Magnet Advertiser"
Psychiatry-Bashing
Psychiatry is arguably the least science-based of the medical specialties. Because of that, it comes in for a lot of criticism. Much of the criticism is justified, but some critics make the mistake of dismissing even the possibility that psychiatry could be scientific. They throw the baby out with the… read more "Psychiatry-Bashing"
Science-based Longevity Medicine
Much nonsense has been written in the guise of longevity medicine. In Fantastic Voyage, Ray Kurzweil explains why he takes 250 pills every day and spends one day a week at a clinic getting IV vitamins, chelation, and acupuncture. He is convinced this regimen will keep him alive long enough… read more "Science-based Longevity Medicine"
Playing by the Rules
It is useless for skeptics to argue with someone who doesn’t play by the rules of science and reason. If no amount of evidence will change your opponent’s mind, you are wasting your breath. I recently read Flock of Dodos (no relation to the movie of the same name). It’s… read more "Playing by the Rules"
South Dakota’s Abortion Script: The Hijacking of Informed Consent
In a previous post, I suggested that informed consent could sometimes be misused. South Dakota has provided a clear example of such misuse and has set a frightening precedent reminiscent of Big Brother in George Orwell’s 1984. A law went into effect in July, 2008, requiring that any woman seeking… read more "South Dakota’s Abortion Script: The Hijacking of Informed Consent"
Your Insurance Rates Just Went Up
This article about insurance payments for Reiki appeared on a Reiki website: http://www.reiki.org/reikinews/Insurancpayments.htm A major concern among Reiki practitioners has been the inability to bill client’s insurance companies for treatments. However, today there are avenues available to the practitioner. A nurse who practices Reiki and wishes to bill an insurance company… read more "Your Insurance Rates Just Went Up"
Chiropractic – A Little PT, a Lot of Nonsense
What is chiropractic? Chiropractic means different things to different people. For some, it is a practical way to get quick relief from mechanical back pain. For others, it is a cult, a belief system based on demonstrably false ideas, a magnet for every kind of quackery, and a hoax that… read more "Chiropractic – A Little PT, a Lot of Nonsense"
Homeopathy – Still Crazy After All These Years
Homeopathy is a fascinating phenomenon. Oliver Wendell Holmes recognized that it was nonsense back in 1842 when he wrote “Homeopathy and Its Kindred Delusions.” We long ago gave up the nonsense of trying to balance the four humours by bloodletting and purging, but the homeopathy Energizer Bunny is still marching… read more "Homeopathy – Still Crazy After All These Years"