Here is a course guide to episode 9, “Pitfalls of Research”, of my YouTube lecture series on science-based medicine. Alternative medicine relies heavily on anecdotal evidence and personal experience, but it knows it won’t convince mainstream science unless it can provide scientific validation. It is quick to crow about positive… read more "Pitfalls in Research: Why Studies Are More Often Wrong than Right"
Alternative Medicine Exploits Coronavirus Fears
Alternative medicine has been quick to capitalize on the public’s fear of coronavirus. They offer an array of bogus treatments. The news is full of alarming reports about the new coronavirus that originated in China and is spreading throughout the world. There is no treatment other than supportive measures, and… read more "Alternative Medicine Exploits Coronavirus Fears"
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"
BioCharger’s Claims Are Too Silly to Take Seriously
The BioCharger is a subtle energy device based on fantasy, not science. At $15,000, pretty expensive for a placebo. Facebook keeps sending me a puzzling picture. It shows clothed adults sitting around (but not touching) a futuristic-looking apparatus: a glass cylinder with tubes and flashing lights visible inside. They apparently… read more "BioCharger’s Claims Are Too Silly to Take Seriously"
New Regenerative Medicine Center
Neil Riordan donated big bucks to a school of naturopathy for a Center for Regenerative Medicine named after him. Both Riordan and the treatments offered in his new center are questionable. The Neil Riordan Center for Regenerative Medicine at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences (SCNM) located in… read more "New Regenerative Medicine Center"
The Parasympathetic State
The claims for an essential oil mixture, Vibrant Blue Parasympathetic, are devoid of science. They are a mixture of pseudoscience, misrepresentation, lies, and imagination. Starting a new year. For the past 12 years, I have written an article for the Science-Based Medicine blog every Tuesday. I have often thought that… read more "The Parasympathetic State"
Ellura: A Supplement Backed By Evidence
Ellura is a dietary supplement marketed to treat recurrent urinary tract infections. There is promising evidence and a credible mechanism of action, and using it instead of antibiotic prophylaxis could reduce antibiotic resistance. These E. coli fimbriae facilitate infection by adhering to bladder wall In October, I wrote about SuperMannan, a dietary supplement… read more "Ellura: A Supplement Backed By Evidence"
The Science and Pseudoscience of What We Eat
Dr. Joe Schwarcz sets the record straight about food myths and what the research actually shows. What should we eat? There’s no lack of experts and celebrities who are eager to advise us about diet, but different experts have different advice and often directly contradict each other. Obviously they can’t… read more "The Science and Pseudoscience of What We Eat"
Supplements with Multiple Ingredients, Many with No Apparent Rationale
Dietary supplements frequently have multiple ingredients, often mixtures of vitamins, minerals, and herbs. The rationale for including each ingredient is questionable, to say the least. Whenever I evaluate the evidence for a dietary supplement, one of my first questions is “What is it?” I remember many years ago, when I… read more "Supplements with Multiple Ingredients, Many with No Apparent Rationale"
Alternative Medicine: Placebos for Pets
A skeptical veterinarian reviews the evidence for alternative medicine for pets, and concludes it’s mostly placebos. She thinks she’s adjusting the horse’s subluxations. She isn’t; she’s practicing placebo medicine.Alternative medicine is accepted by many humans, but we may forget that it is also imposed on their pets. Veterinarian Brennen McKenzie… read more "Alternative Medicine: Placebos for Pets"