All posts by Harriet Hall

Harriet Hall, MD also known as The SkepDoc, is a retired family physician who writes about pseudoscience and questionable medical practices. She received her BA and MD from the University of Washington, did her internship in the Air Force (the second female ever to do so),  and was the first female graduate of the Air Force family practice residency at Eglin Air Force Base. During a long career as an Air Force physician, she held various positions from flight surgeon to DBMS (Director of Base Medical Services) and did everything from delivering babies to taking the controls of a B-52. She retired with the rank of Colonel.  In 2008 she published her memoirs, Women Aren't Supposed to Fly.

Nurse Practitioner Pushes Dubious Aesthetic Treatments

Nurse practitioner aggressively advertises a plethora of aesthetic treatments, some of which are dubious. It's legal, but is it ethical?

/ November 19, 2019

Aging: Is It a Preventable Disease?

David Sinclair says aging is a disease that can be prevented and treated, and there is no reason life must end. The evidence he presents from scientific studies is intriguing, but far from definitive.

/ November 12, 2019

Tonaki Tinnitus Protocol

Todd Carson promises to cure tinnitus in 21 days with a 3-ingredient smoothie containing vegetables from Tonaki. Fanciful claim with not a shred of evidence. The webpage even admits it's fiction.

/ November 5, 2019

Lipo-Flavonoid for Tinnitus

Lipo-Flavonoid is sold to treat tinnitus. The claims are misleading, and the evidence isn't there.

/ October 29, 2019

“SuperMannan Cures Bladder Infections!” Really?

The ads claim SuperMannan cures bladder infections. The science is a single uncontrolled study of 9 women; its design is a recipe for disaster.

/ October 22, 2019

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.

/ October 15, 2019

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.

/ October 8, 2019

There’s No Vaccine for HIV/AIDS, But There’s Truvada

Science has made great strides in understanding, treating, and preventing HIV/AIDS. We can hope for an AIDS vaccine, but meanwhile there is a pill that can markedly reduce the risk of becoming infected.

/ October 1, 2019

Naturopathy in the VA

The VA is contracting with naturopathic doctors to provide non-science-based treatment to our veterans. This is a mistake.

/ September 24, 2019

Professor Gives Grades to Alternative Medicine

Edzard Ernst assigns a grade to 150 alternative medicine modalities, evaluating plausibility, efficacy, safety, cost, and risk/benefit balance. A very useful reference.

/ September 17, 2019