The Kambo fad: people are applying frog poison to burns created on their skin, making them vomit repeatedly and feel terrible. They think this torture has health benefits. There’s no evidence that it does anything but poison them. Could anything be more ridiculous? 2020 was a terrible year in many… read more "Kambo: Frog Poison for Health?"
Meet the Psychologists
In this book, you will meet 16 of the most prominent people in psychology in conversational interviews that reveal their thoughts about the current state of psychology and its future. Enlightening and entertaining. Psychology is more popular than ever, but it has been criticized for scandals involving fraud, failed replications,… read more "Meet the Psychologists"
Salonpas
Salonpas is an over-the-counter topical NSAID used to treat pain. It’s probably safe and might be worth trying for minor pain, but the effect is small and the advertising is more hype than substance. Do you get annoyed when the media keep repeating the same commercials? I do. And recently… read more "Salonpas"
Blue Light
Blue light blocking glasses and other products that block blue light promise to improve eye health along with many other questionable claims. The evidence is lacking. Blue light is part of the spectrum of sunlight. Other sources include digital screens (TVs, computers, laptops, smart phones and tablets), electronic devices, and… read more "Blue Light"
Appendicitis: Surgical vs. Medical Treatment
Surgery or antibiotics for appendicitis? This new study can help with the decision. The standard treatment for appendicitis has long been appendectomy, the removal of the appendix. The successful use of antibiotics instead of surgery was first reported in 1956 by Dr. Coldrey in the British Medical Journal, and since then there have… read more "Appendicitis: Surgical vs. Medical Treatment"
When Doctors Refuse to Believe Evidence
Paul Offit’s new book covers the evidence for many surgeries, medications, and screening tests that have been proven ineffective and harmful yet are still being used by doctors who refuse to follow the science. Science-based medicine is all about testing medical ideas against reality. If there is abundant evidence from… read more "When Doctors Refuse to Believe Evidence"
Biofield Tuning: Another Example of Tooth Fairy Science
Biofield tuning uses tuning forks to assess the health of clients. This study of inter-rater agreement is a prime example of Tooth Fairy science. A study recently published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine is titled “Inter-Rater Agreement of Biofield Tuning: Testing a Novel Health Assessment Procedure.” It is… read more "Biofield Tuning: Another Example of Tooth Fairy Science"
Ian Harris on “Surgery, the Ultimate Placebo”
Ian Harris explains that more than half of commonly performed surgical operations may be placebos. Adequate studies using a blinded control group are essential. Ian Harris, a Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, wrote a book titled Surgery, The Ultimate Placebo. I haven’t… read more "Ian Harris on “Surgery, the Ultimate Placebo”"
The McDougall Diet
Dr. McDougall is a maverick who disagrees with most experts. He recommends a high starch, low fat diet with no dairy or animal foods and other prohibitions. Its severe restrictions make it nutritionally questionable and it has never been properly tested in a controlled study. It is commonly believed that… read more "The McDougall Diet"
Dr. Oz Allegedly Selling CBD
Ads selling CBD oil feature Dr. Oz and other celebrities, but Oz warns that he never endorses products, and that ads using his name or image are fraudulent. All sorts of ads for CBD oil have been popping up on my Facebook news feed. Many of them feature Dr. Oz.… read more "Dr. Oz Allegedly Selling CBD"