Lou Gehrig, the famous New York Yankees first baseman, was known as the “Iron Horse” for his batting skills and durability. Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and voted the greatest first baseman of all time, he set records that stood for over 50 years. In 1939, on his… read more "Lou Gehrig’s Disease Was Named for the Baseball Player, But Was He Misdiagnosed?"
An HBO Documentary about the Theranos Fraud Raises Concerns
Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos to develop a device that could do 200 tests on a single drop of blood in a minute. She lied; it failed; she is being tried for fraud and conspiracy. The HBO documentary The Inventor tells the story but has some flaws. We can learn lessons from what… read more "An HBO Documentary about the Theranos Fraud Raises Concerns"
How to Know What’s Really Real
Review of book: The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe: How to Know What’s Really Real in a World Increasingly Full of Fake, by Steven Novella et al. There are many classics of skeptical literature. We often hear how someone became a skeptic because they read a book by Carl Sagan, James… read more "How to Know What’s Really Real"
Health Freedom, Right to Try, and Informed Consent
Starting with the Terrible Twos, when toddlers hear the word “No” on a regular basis, people don’t like to be told they can’t do something. They often believe government regulations interfere with their rights. The government requires vaccinations for school attendance; parents complain that they should be able to make… read more "Health Freedom, Right to Try, and Informed Consent"
For Discussion: Should I Write Only About Fake Stuff If It Is Well-Known?
A person who describes himself as a “pseudoscience fighter” e-mailed me to chastise me for writing about Prodovite last week. He felt compelled to offer me some advice. He made some good points; but they were things I had already thought about, and they didn’t change my mind. I thought it… read more "For Discussion: Should I Write Only About Fake Stuff If It Is Well-Known?"
Beber Sangre De Murciélagos Es Una Mala (Y Loca) Idea
En la medicina tradicional china (MTC), uso médico generalizado de productos animales tales como bilis de oso, cuernos de rinoceronte, huesos de tigre y escamas de pangolín ha devenido en la práctica de la crueldad animal y ha amenazado a varias especies respecto de su extinción. Se han propuesto como… read more "Beber Sangre De Murciélagos Es Una Mala (Y Loca) Idea"
Drinking The Blood Of Bats Is A Bad (And Batty) Idea
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the widespread medical use of animal products such as bear bile, rhino horn, tiger bone, and pangolin scales has resulted in cruelty to animals and has threatened several species with extinction. All kinds of animal parts have been proposed as medicines or as magical charms,… read more "Drinking The Blood Of Bats Is A Bad (And Batty) Idea"
The “Evidence” for Prodovite Is Junk Science
Prodovite is a liquid nutritional supplement marketed as “nutrition you can feel.” The claims are pseudoscientific nonsense and the single unblinded clinical study is junk science that relies on a bogus test: live cell microscopy. I recently got an email asking: What are your thoughts on this supplement? It seems… read more "The “Evidence” for Prodovite Is Junk Science"
Fake News about Health Products
One of my biggest pet peeves is advertisements for bogus health-related products that are deceptively presented as news stories. These appear regularly in many newspapers, including my own local paper The Tacoma News Tribune, and they typically fill a full half page. They usually include the words “advertisement” or “paid advertisement”… read more "Fake News about Health Products"
El Dr. Oz Vende Chatarra
Con su entusiasta autobombo y sus embustes al aire, el Dr. Oz siempre me asombró por sonar más a un vendedor de automóviles usados que a un respetado cirujano cardiotorácico. Un vendedor de automóviles usados le dirá a usted que el automóvil está en condiciones impecables, que siempre estuvo guardado… read more "El Dr. Oz Vende Chatarra"