Month: August 2018

Bad Documentary Review: Cancer Can Be Killed

Cancer Can Be Killed is a conspiracy thriller masquerading as a documentary. Don't watch it.

/ August 31, 2018

Bait and switch in Oregon: Substituting quackery for opioids for Medicaid patients

The Oregon Health Authority is on the verge of passing a radical policy that would require chronic pain patients receiving Medicaid to have their opioids tapered to zero while covering "nonpharmacologic treatments for pain" that include primarily acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, and other "alternative" treatments. Not surprisingly, the Oregon Chronic Pain Task Force, which is responsible for this proposed infliction of quackery...

/ August 30, 2018

Kratom – An Emerging Herbal Drug

Kratom is an emerging herbal drug used for pain and fatigue but also has abuse potential. What is the current state of the science?

/ August 29, 2018

Smoking Cessation

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death. There are effective pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods to help people stop smoking.

/ August 28, 2018
Homeopathy, naturopathy, and acupuncture at the University of Michigan

Confronting homeopathy, naturopathy, homeopathy, and other quackademic medicine at my alma mater

Several years back, I was forced to confront quackery at my alma mater in the form of an anthroposophic medicine program at the University of Michigan. The situation has deteriorated since then, as now the Department of Family Medicine there is inviting homeopaths to give talks and teaching acupuncture as credulously as any acupuncturist. Will the disease metastasize to other departments in...

/ August 27, 2018

Science-Based Satire: Integrative Baby Monitor Combines the Best of Conventional and Alternative Features

Are there really baby monitors on the market that can alert a parent to stagnant chi as well as dangerously low oxygen levels? No, that's ridiculous! Will a company sell one at some point in the future? Probably. But for now, it's satire.

/ August 24, 2018

You can’t breathe through your stomach

Some bottle water is claimed to have extra oxygen which is claimed to give a performance benefit. Are these claims valid?

/ August 23, 2018

Vaccines Still Don’t Cause Autism

Update: The evidence continues to show no link between vaccines and autism.

/ August 22, 2018

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.

/ August 21, 2018
surgeons bouffant cap skull cap

Bouffant caps versus skull caps in the operating room: A no holds barred cage match

Over the last few years, AORN and the American College of Surgeons have been battling it out over AORN's 2014 guideline that has increasingly led to the banning of the surgical skull cap in the operating room in favor of the bouffant cap. Lacking from this kerfuffle has been much in the way of evidence to support AORN's guideline, but unfortunately that...

/ August 20, 2018