Purveyors of so-called complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) don’t have any credible scientific evidence. If they did, their treatments would not be called “alternative” but would have been accepted into mainstream practice and would just be called “medicine.” They tend not to appreciate science or even to understand it. They… read more "Stupid Videos and Marketing Ploys"
Joe Namath Medicare Commercials
Joe Namath is promoting Medicare Advantage Plans on TV. Some of what he says is misleading. Here’s the rest of the story. You’ve probably seen those Medicare Advantage commercials on TV featuring Joe Namath. I had been annoyed by them for a long time and assumed there was more to the… read more "Joe Namath Medicare Commercials"
A New Covid-19 Myth?
A correspondent suggested I should have known that the pandemic was over months ago. That’s obviously a myth. But where did that idea come from? Everything I have been reading indicates that the pandemic is far from over. Around the world, people are still testing positive, being hospitalized, and dying.… read more "A New Covid-19 Myth?"
Another in a Pattern of Really Stupid Marketing Videos, This One Claiming Tinnitus Has Nothing to Do with the Ear and Is 100% Curable.
Is that ringing not in your ears? Can it be cured? Recently I have written about several really stupid marketing videos for dietary supplements e.g. here. They suck you in by promising to reveal a secret, but you have to watch the entire video to learn the secret. One says “5… read more "Another in a Pattern of Really Stupid Marketing Videos, This One Claiming Tinnitus Has Nothing to Do with the Ear and Is 100% Curable."
Dry Drowning
What is dry drowning, and should we worry? Parenting websites have been alarming parents about the possibility that their children might experience dry drowning or delayed drowning, with warnings like these: a child can seem fine after getting out of the water, but start to have trouble breathing an hour—or… read more "Dry Drowning"
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"
Great Courses: Skeptic’s Guide to Health, Medicine, and the Media
The Great Courses offers continuing education for adults in a wide variety of subjects. They search out the best college professors and have put together over 500 expertly-produced video courses. You can buy them individually or subscribe to The Great Courses Plus, which gives you unlimited access to all their courses.… read more "Great Courses: Skeptic’s Guide to Health, Medicine, and the Media"
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"
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"