Steven Novella said it best: “Pandemics breed more than a contagious disease. They spread fear, misinformation, pseudoscience, and exploitation.” I would add, “and humor.” I have written about Covid-19 before, first on the 4th of February in an article on Science-Based Medicine about how alternative medicine had jumped on the bandwagon, then… read more "Pandemic Stories in the News: Something to Laugh About"
European Manifesto Against Pseudo-Therapies
A new organization in Spain is trying to protect patients from becoming victims of pseudoscience. They have prepared a manifesto. Spain is standing up for science A manifesto has been organized by the Spanish organization APETP, which translates as the Association to Protect the Sick from Pseudoscientific Therapies. The organization has… read more "European Manifesto Against Pseudo-Therapies"
Generic Drugs and Global Deception
Generic drugs are supposed to be equivalent to brand-name drugs, but all too often they are defective. Katherine Eban’s book shows that corrupt overseas manufacturers have committed intentional global fraud. The system is broken and the FDA lacks the power to correct abuses. I always thought generic drugs were the… read more "Generic Drugs and Global Deception"
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"
Announcing: Video Lecture Course on Science-Based Medicine
A couple of years ago, the James Randi Educational Foundation commissioned me to develop a series of 10 video lectures on Science-Based Medicine. After a lot of work and many vicissitudes, it is now available. The lecture titles are: Science-Based Medicine vs. Evidence-Based Medicine What Is CAM? Chiropractic Acupuncture Homeopathy Naturopathy and… read more "Announcing: Video Lecture Course on Science-Based Medicine"
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"
Natural Medicine, Starvation, and Murder: The Story of Linda Hazzard
History is replete with doctors who practiced quackery. Here is the story of one such quack whose fasting therapy resulted in many deaths, a story that is so bizarre and horrific that it’s hard to believe it really happened, but it did. I recently learned of a real-life horror story… read more "Natural Medicine, Starvation, and Murder: The Story of Linda Hazzard"
Genius Java: Memory Boosting Coffee
My local newspaper is an unending source of amusement in the form of ads for questionable health products—ads that demonstrate clever marketing tactics aimed at scientifically illiterate and gullible readers. Perhaps it is a waste of time to critique them, but I like to think that consumers can be educated… read more "Genius Java: Memory Boosting Coffee"
“The Truth About Cancer” Series Is Untruthful About Cancer
Ty Bollinger has produced a video series he calls The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest. It’s about as huge a misnomer as can be imagined. The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest is billed as “the documentary series the mainstream media refused to air.” It consists of eleven episodes and is… read more "“The Truth About Cancer” Series Is Untruthful About Cancer"
Un testimonio decepcionante sobre la crioterapia de cuerpo entero
[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation] Como suscriptora del Reader’s Digest desde hace mucho tiempo, me encantan los chistes y disfruto de las historias, pero no confío en sus incursiones en la ciencia. Me molestó particularmente la sección “Lo probé” sobre crioterapia de cuerpo… read more "Un testimonio decepcionante sobre la crioterapia de cuerpo entero"