Month: October 2019
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: Lots of hype, no convincing evidence
Platelet-rich plasma injections are advertised as an expensive cure-all for sport injuries. The evidence, however, is consistently negative.
Australian Naturopath Barbara O’Neill Banned for Her Dangerous Health Advice
Naturopath Barbara O'Neill has been banned in Australia for spreading dangerous lies about health.
Woo versus Wikipedia
Love it or hate it, Wikipedia is a main go-to rough and ready source of information for millions of people. Although I've had my problems with Wikipedia and used to ask whether it could provide reliable information on medicine and, in particular, alternative medicine and vaccines, given that anyone can edit it, I now conclude that Wikipedia must be doing OK, at...
Electromagnetic healing devices for dogs: Studies show “Meh”
Does a pulsed electromagnetic field device work to help dogs recover from surgery? The answer is below. Spoiler alert: The answer is "probably not".
The Scientific Integrity Act: Protecting science from politics
The proposed federal Scientific Integrity Act supports science and the scientific process as the basis of public policy and aims to protect it from politics, ideology, and financial conflicts of interest.
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2019
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2019 given to researchers who discovered the mechanisms of oxygen sensing in cells.
Hydrogen Water Is Not “the New Nutrient;” Health Claims Are Hype, Not Science.
A new fad, drinking hydrogen water, claims to provide all kinds of health benefits. The scientific evidence isn't there.
A horrifying survey of “pediatric naturopathic oncology” practice
"Naturopathic oncology" is a specialty made up by naturopaths in order to justify using their quackery to treat cancer patients. A new survey takes it a step further and looks at using naturopathy to treat children with cancer, including the use of homeopathy, reiki, and restrictive diets.
Vaccines in the News: The Good, the Bad, and the Imminent Loss of Our Measles Elimination Status
A quick recap of vaccine-related news from over the past several weeks.
Reproducibility Follow Up
Let's explore dueling narratives about the reproducibility "crisis."