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Lithium for ALS – Angioplasty for MS
Peter Lipson reported Monday about new research suggesting that multiple sclerosis may be caused by venous blockage. He correctly characterized some of the hype surrounding this story as “irrational exuberance.” This is a phenomenon all too common in the media – taking the preliminary research of an individual or group (always presented as a maverick) and declaring it a “stunning breakthrough,” combined...
Communicating with the Locked-In
Facilitated communication is exploitation supported by false hope and good intentions. Brain-machine interfaces are progressing with agonizing slowness, but offer true potential in actually permitting paralyzed people to communicate and even regain movement.
Evidence in Medicine: Experimental Studies
Several weeks ago I wrote the first in a brief series of posts discussing the different types of evidence used in medicine. In that post I discussed the role of correlation in determining cause and effect. In this post I will discuss the basic features of an experimental study, which can sere as a check-list in evaluating the quality of a clinical...
Early Intervention for Autism
Many parents of children with autism have expressed to me their dismay that the anti-vaccine lobby is sucking all the oxygen out of the room for autism awareness. They feel that just being a parent of a child with autism makes others assume that they are anti-vaccine. They also worry that resources and attention are being diverted from promising legitimate research because...
Man in Coma 23 Years – Is He Really Conscious?
Belgian citizen Rob Houben has been noncommunicative for 23 years. Has he suddenly gained the ability to communicate?
Evidence in Medicine: Correlation and Causation
There are two general approaches to subverting science-based medicine (SBM): anti-science and pseudoscience. Anti-scientific approaches are any that seek to undermine science as the determinant of the standard of care, often overtly advocating for spiritual or subjectively-based standards. Some attack the validity of science itself, usually with post-modernist philosophy. Pseudoscientific proponents, on the other hand, praise science, they just do it wrong....
H1N1 Pandemic Update
In a special episode of the Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe podcast, I host a discussion with David Gorski, Mark Crislip, and Joe Albietz about the flu, the H1N1 “swine” flu pandemic, and the controversies surrounding the flu vaccine. You can download or stream the episode here. You can also subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other popular aggregators.
Closing the Door on Homeopathy
Homeopathy, as a cultural phenomenon, remains an enigma. In the two centuries since its invention it has failed to garner significant scientific support. In fact, developments in physics, chemistry, biology, and medicine have shown the underlying concepts of homeopathy to be wrong – guesswork and speculation that lept in the wrong direction. It turns out, like does not cure like. This is...
It’s All in Your Head
I have never used those words to a patient or about a patient. I have also never heard a colleague use any similar term to a patient. And yet on many occasions I have had patients ask me, “So you’re telling me it’s all in my head?” The concept of what are now called psychogenic symptoms is a tricky one for various...
A Science Lesson from a Homeopath and Behavioral Optometrist
Charlene Werner is getting a lot of attention she probably did not anticipate or desire. She is the star of a YouTube video in which she explains the scientific basis of homeopathy. Before you watch it, make sure you are sitting down, relax, and brace yourself for an onslaught of profound scientific illiteracy combined with stunning arrogance. For those with more delicate...