In Tom Nichols’ new book, The Death of Expertise, he explains how a misguided intellectual egalitarianism is harming our ability to assess the truth and solve problems, and discusses some of the responsible factors and possible long-term consequences. Tom Nichols’ new book The Death of Expertise: The Campaign against Established Knowledge and… read more "The Death of Expertise"
Diet Sodas: Are the Dangers in the Chemicals or the Headlines?
In April 2017, there was a flurry of news reports with alarming headlines: “Diet Sodas May Raise Risk of Dementia and Stroke, Study Finds” “A Daily Diet Soda Habit May Be Linked to Dementia–Alzheimer’s” “Is Diet Soda Harming Your Brain Health?” “Diet Sodas Tied to Dementia and Stroke” “Here’s Another… read more "Diet Sodas: Are the Dangers in the Chemicals or the Headlines?"
Persecution of Scientists Whose Findings Are Perceived As Politically Incorrect
Alice Dreger has written a delightful, breezy, and slightly terrifying book on activism gone bad, and how it impacted scientists just trying to uncover facts and truth. Highly recommended! It dates back at least to Galileo. A scientist finds evidence that contradicts a cherished popular belief. Instead of a rational… read more "Persecution of Scientists Whose Findings Are Perceived As Politically Incorrect"
Statins: The Impact of Negative Media Reports and the Risks of Discontinuing Treatment
The evidence is clear: statin drugs are effective in reducing the rate of heart attacks and death in people who have already had a heart attack as well as in people who are at high risk of having one. Some people refuse to believe that evidence; they are statin deniers, similar to the climate… read more "Statins: The Impact of Negative Media Reports and the Risks of Discontinuing Treatment"
“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"
Cancer Centers and Advertising Practices
Video advertisement for the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, hosted on their website. Note at the bottom the statement “No case is typical. You should not expect to experience these results” (click to embiggen). You have probably seen the TV commercials or other ads for Cancer Treatment Centers of America.… read more "Cancer Centers and Advertising Practices"
Bad News and Good News from Down Under: Science-Based Medicine in Australia
Non-Doc in a Box In an article in the Australian magazine The Skeptic, Loretta Marron reports on naturopaths in pharmacies. You can read it here. Pharmacy customers who want natural treatment alternatives are referred by pharmacy staff to an in-house naturopathy clinic. The cost, $90 for a one-hour consultation, is often covered… read more "Bad News and Good News from Down Under: Science-Based Medicine in Australia"
Evaluating Treatment Claims: A Primer
I recently wrote about the claim that acupuncture can improve vision in patients with macular degeneration. In response, I received this e-mail: At Discovery Eye Foundation we have an education and outreach program for people with age-related macular degeneration, the Macular Degeneration Partnership. We are constantly getting calls from people… read more "Evaluating Treatment Claims: A Primer"
Garcinia Probably Works But Is Far From a Weight Loss Miracle
Women make up a majority of Dr. Oz’s audience. The majority of women would like to lose weight. That is a match made in heaven, a marketer’s dream. And Oz has never hesitated to exploit that fact to increase audience share, playing fast and loose with sensationalized evidence instead… read more "Garcinia Probably Works But Is Far From a Weight Loss Miracle"
Too Much Information!
Some people would like to manage their own health care without having to depend on a doctor. They consult Google, diagnose themselves, and treat themselves. The Do-It-Yourself trend in lab tests continues apace. Without a doctor’s order, patients can get legitimate and/or questionable lab tests directly from various companies such… read more "Too Much Information!"