I frequently get emails asking whether I think a certain treatment is supported by evidence or is quackery. I recently got one from an elderly man who was wondering whether he should take a friend’s advice to consult an Ayurvedic doctor. That was the first time I’d ever been asked… read more "Ayurveda: Ancient Superstition, Not Ancient Wisdom"
Homeopathy
Introduction Homeopathy is a system of health care that was originated in 1796 by a single individual, Samuel Hahnemann, a German doctor who was critical of the medicine of his time. It is a discipline practiced by homeopaths, but homeopathic remedies are also sold over the counter in pharmacies for… read more "Homeopathy"
Mainstream Doctors Actually Do What CAM Claims They Don’t
Alternative medicine proponents criticize mainstream medicine and think they can do better. Evidence from medical journals shows that their criticisms are not valid. Advocates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), including naturopaths and functional medicine practitioners, constantly criticize mainstream medicine. The recurrent themes are: And of course, CAM advocates present themselves as… read more "Mainstream Doctors Actually Do What CAM Claims They Don’t"
Ancient Navajo Cure for Hearing Loss: A Lesson in Spotting Red Flags
I’ve been getting emails advertising a lost Navajo remedy that can cure deafness. Nearly 33,500 people have allegedly reversed their hearing loss in just two weeks with this 100 percent natural treatment. The emails invited me to watch a free video presentation by Ben Carter. I did. What I found was… read more "Ancient Navajo Cure for Hearing Loss: A Lesson in Spotting Red Flags"
Functional Medicine: Pseudoscientific Silliness
Language keeps changing. We used to call questionable remedies “folk medicine,” “fringe medicine,” or “quackery.” In the 1970s, the term “alternative medicine” was coined, an umbrella term for all treatments that were not supported by good enough evidence to have earned them a place in mainstream medicine. Then came “complementary… read more "Functional Medicine: Pseudoscientific Silliness"
My Personal Odyssey in Skepticism
I discovered the Skeptical Inquirer shortly after its name change from The Zetetic. It changed my life. I had already rejected religion after reading atheist writings, but I was still open to belief in UFOs, ESP, and all sorts of other weird things, simply because I had never come across… read more "My Personal Odyssey in Skepticism"
Politics, Science, and Health
Carl Sagan said, “We live in a society absolutely dependent on science and technology and yet have cleverly arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. That’s a clear prescription for disaster.” The beliefs that politicians hold affect legislation on public health, medical research, and medical care. If… read more "Politics, Science, and Health"
A Questionable Letter of Recommendation for Ear Candling
The New York Times Magazine has published a remarkable article by Kathryn Jezer-Morton: a letter of recommendation for ear candling. It is part of a regular series of “Letters of Recommendation” that the magazine publishes as “celebrations of objects and experiences that have been overlooked or underappreciated.” Jezer-Morton’s article is… read more "A Questionable Letter of Recommendation for Ear Candling"
The CAMphora: Health in a Jar
Amazon.com sells a lot of other stuff besides books. One of its most intriguing offerings is the SweatEvaporating / Sauna / HealthyUrn / NanoAnion / NegativeIon / FarInfraredRay / Hyperthermia / Fumigate / PulseMagneticField / PurpleClay / Underglaze Pastel And Yellow-glazed—Lotus Out Of Clear Water. I am not making this… read more "The CAMphora: Health in a Jar"
The Truth About Cancer
Ty Bollinger’s documentary series “The Truth About Cancer” demonizes conventional oncology and promotes alternative cancer treatments. I recently wrote an article for Science-Based Medicine pointing out how very untruthful it is. I showed that it used unreliable sources and was full of lies, distortions, omissions, false claims, myths, fallacies, and… read more "The Truth About Cancer"