[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation.] ¿Qué son los mejillones de labios (o bordes) verdes? Mi imaginación evoca un episodio de Bob Esponja con una criatura parecida a una almeja con labios verdes, y no puedo evitar preguntarme qué pasaría si se… read more "Vistosos mejillones contra la artritis"
American Academy of Family Physicians Supports “Integrative Medicine”
Is integrative medicine “strong medicine”? I thought I could trust the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) to recommend the best medicine available. My family practice residency followed their philosophy. By learning what the AAFP taught I was able to pass the board certification exam with flying colors. Their flagship… read more "American Academy of Family Physicians Supports “Integrative Medicine”"
Misogyny in Medicine
Misogyny persists in clinical and academic medicine. We need to be aware of subtle micro aggressions and report abuses, but we mustn’t get carried away into paranoia and conspiracy theories. We should be guided by common sense and moderation in all things. In the June 17, 2021 issue of The New… read more "Misogyny in Medicine"
Mayim Bialik’s Neuriva Commercials Make Questionable Claims
Mayim Bialik is a neuroscientist. In her TV commercials for Neuriva Plus she asserts that it is backed by strong science. I don’t think so. I wrote about the brain supplement Neuriva over a year ago. I thought their claim to have proof from clinical studies was misleading. I won’t repeat… read more "Mayim Bialik’s Neuriva Commercials Make Questionable Claims"
Error al aprobar un medicamento para el Alzheimer
[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation.] La tarea de la FDA (Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos de los Estados Unidos) es difícil. No tiene personal ni fondos suficientes. Tiene que transitar una línea muy fina entre aprobar prematuramente un nuevo medicamento que… read more "Error al aprobar un medicamento para el Alzheimer"
The FDA Blundered When It Approved Alzheimer Drug
[Este artículo está disponible en español. La traducción al español apareció por primera vez en la revista Pensar.] The FDA has a difficult job. It is understaffed and underfunded. It has to walk a very fine line between prematurely approving a new drug that may turn out to be useless… read more "The FDA Blundered When It Approved Alzheimer Drug"
A New Covid-19 Myth?
A correspondent suggested I should have known that the pandemic was over months ago. That’s obviously a myth. But where did that idea come from? Everything I have been reading indicates that the pandemic is far from over. Around the world, people are still testing positive, being hospitalized, and dying.… read more "A New Covid-19 Myth?"
The First Woman Doctor in America
This book about the first woman doctor in America contains fascinating details about the Blackwell sisters, their struggles, and the times they lived in. Elizabeth Blackwell is to be commended for her accomplishments, but it appears that she was not a nice person. This is a review of the book The… read more "The First Woman Doctor in America"
Illness, Healing, and Other Terms That Can Be Confusing
Disease vs. Illness The words “disease” and “illness” are often used interchangeably, but their meanings are very different. Diseases are biomedical entities where there is impairment of the normal functioning of the body. Illness refers to the way a patient experiences a sickness. There can be disease without illness and… read more "Illness, Healing, and Other Terms That Can Be Confusing"
Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents
Note from Dr. Harriet “SkepDoc” Hall: I now have the dubious distinction of being the only author on the Science-Based Medicine website to have ever had an article retracted, my book review of Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier. Michael Shermer promptly republished it on… read more "Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents"