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"
For Peat’s Sake! Naturopath Promotes Peat Bras and Tampons
This ND recommends peat therapy, including peat baths, peat tampons, and peat bras, for a variety of conditions including infertility and HPV infections. The evidence is lacking. Last week I reviewed the major naturopathy textbook. It mentioned a therapy I was not familiar with: peat therapy. I wanted to know… read more "For Peat’s Sake! Naturopath Promotes Peat Bras and Tampons"
How Naturopaths Treat Heart Disease
Naturopaths claim to excel at preventing and treating cardiovascular disease. Their claims don’t stand up to scrutiny. They co-opt from mainstream medicine, add non-evidence-based treatments, and fail to use effective drugs. The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians website explains what naturopathy is and has a webpage with FAQs. Number 15… read more "How Naturopaths Treat Heart Disease"
Pseudoscience: The Conspiracy Against Science
We live in a post-truth, anti-intellectual world where intuition, “common sense,” and fake news are often preferred to scientific evidence and where pseudoscience is often presented as valid science. Assuming that truth exists and is worth searching for, and that science is our most reliable tool in that search, how… read more "Pseudoscience: The Conspiracy Against Science"
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"
The Elephant in the Compounding Pharmacy
Compounding pharmacies create medicines specifically designed for the needs of an individual patient when those needs are not met by products available on the market. They may eliminate an ingredient the patient is allergic to, they may prepare a liquid version of a pill for patients who have difficulty swallowing,… read more "The Elephant in the Compounding Pharmacy"
Keep Naturopathy Out of the VA!
AMVETS has joined with The American Association of Naturopathic Physicians in seeking to “promote natural, non-pharmacological approaches to treating patients suffering from chronic pain.” They are petitioning Congress and the VA to authorize bringing licensed NDs into the VA system. As a veteran myself, a retired Air Force Colonel and… read more "Keep Naturopathy Out of the VA!"
Monkey Business
Oh no! My favorite mischievous monkey, Curious George, has been co-opted to brainwash children with pseudoscience. Is nothing sacred? See http://everydayskeptics.com/psuedoscience-in-childrens-cartoons/ On the DVD, an innocent CG cartoon segment is followed by a “real life” segment where children visit a naturopath. He tells them oregano seems to be helpful for fighting germs,… read more "Monkey Business"
Dr. Daniel Amen’s Response to Criticism on Quackwatch
Daniel G. Amen, M.D., runs the Amen Clinics, writes books, gives lectures, maintains a Web site, and makes other media appearances. He recommends single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to help diagnose and manage cases of brain trauma, underachievement, school failure, depression, obsessive compulsive disorders, anxiety, aggressiveness, cognitive decline, and brain… read more "Dr. Daniel Amen’s Response to Criticism on Quackwatch"