Category: Clinical Trials

Cochrane Collaborative

The Cochrane mask fiasco: How the evidence-based medicine paradigm can produce misleading results

Last week, the Cochrane Collaborative was forced to walk back the conclusions of a review by Tom Jefferson et al that had been spun in the media as proving that "masks don't work." Tom Jefferson himself has been problematic about vaccines for a long time, but the rot goes deeper. What is it about the evidence-based medicine paradigm that results in misleading...

/ March 13, 2023

A Global Summit Conclusion: No Evidence of an Effect of SMT [Spinal Manipulative Therapy] for the Management of Non-Musculoskeletal Disorders

A new systematic review places one more nail in the coffin of chiropractic vertebral subluxation theory and the use of spinal manipulation as a treatment for non-musculoskeletal disorders.

/ March 2, 2023

Bovine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Repurposed drugs that have multiple mechanisms of action in treating infections usually end up doing nothing. For example, fluvoxamine and COVID 45.

/ February 23, 2023
Babies

Vaccines and infant mortality rates: A false relationship promoted by the antivaxxers…again, 12 years later

Since COVID-19, in the antivax world everything old is new again. Even hoary chestnuts of bad science used 12 years ago to falsely claim that vaccines kill babies. That's right, Gary S. Goldman and Neil Z. Miller are back to defend their 2011 "study," and RFK Jr. is flogging it as slam-dunk "evidence" that vaccines kill babies.

/ February 13, 2023

CBD Oil Fails to Improve Symptom Control in Advanced Cancer

Has the hype outpaced the evidence when it comes to cannabis? A new clinical trial fails to show any benefit of CBD oil in patients with advanced cancer.

/ January 19, 2023

Motivation to Exercise in Mice

A new study in mice shows a connection between gut microbiome and willingness to exercise. Could this discovery lead to improved motivation to exercise in humans? Possibly, but we don't yet know if humans share the same pathway.

/ January 10, 2023

Should You Take Vitamin D Supplements?

Recent research found that supplemental vitamin D doesn't prevent fractures or have any effect on the diseases it has been claimed to help, and blood tests for vitamin D are useless.

/ December 27, 2022
Aragorn at the Black Gate of Mordor

After 15 years of SBM: Lessons learned and what the future holds

Last week, Dr. Novella discussed what SBM has accomplished over the last 15 years. I'm going to discuss lessons learned, what has changed, and remaining huge challenges. Unfortunately, after the pandemic, our position in 2022 reminds me even more than ever of Aragorn at the Black Gate of Mordor, but that does not mean things are hopeless.

/ December 26, 2022
NY puberty blocker article

What the New York Times gets wrong about puberty blockers for transgender youth

The New York Times recently published an article expressing grave concern about the use of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria in transgender adolescents. Unfortunately, the reporting ignored evidence and important context to weave a narrative portraying puberty blockers as far more risky than they actually are.

, / December 4, 2022
Acupuncture

ASCO endorses “integrative oncology” quackery for cancer pain

Last week, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Society for Integrative Oncology published guidelines for treating cancer pain. These guidelines endorsed quackery like reflexology and acupuncture. The infiltration of quackademic medicine continues apace in oncology.

/ November 21, 2022