Category: Commentary

A man in a suit stands in front of two American flags, removing a face mask. He is looking to the side with a serious expression. The background shows a building with large windows.

Questions About Pandemic Preparedness

The theme at SBM this week is questions for Trump’s nominees for key health positions within the federal government. David got the ball rolling with an excellent summary of the nominees and questions for each. Jonathan followed up with his own list of questions. I would like to continue the theme, focusing on our preparedness for the next pandemic. It is arguably...

/ December 4, 2024
A doctor in a white coat, with a stethoscope around his neck, types on a keyboard at a desk. Behind him is a medical examination room with a blue bed and an IV stand. The room is well-lit, highlighting the doctor's focused expression.

Physician Misinformation

When physicians spread medical misinformation, the potential harm to health is far greater than their direct patient care. And yet, in a recent study, medical boards rarely discipline physicians for spreading misinformation. The JAMA article looked at 3128 medical board disciplinary proceedings involving physicians. Spreading misinformation to the community was the least common reason, at 0.1%. Direct patient misinformation and inappropriate advertising...

/ November 13, 2024
A grayscale image of a man wearing glasses and a suit, speaking into a microphone against a black background.

Bhattacharya for the CDC?

The Stanford health economist turned right-wing pandemic star could help take down academia and scientific institutions in a second Trump administration

/ November 3, 2024
An individual labeled as Dr. Daszak is speaking at a formal meeting, seated at a table with microphones and documents. Several people in suits are sitting in the background.

EcoHealth Alliance Fights Back

The organization scapegoated by the lab leak-promoting GOP-led House Covid subcommittee publishes its defense

/ October 31, 2024

Conspiracy Thinking And Alternative Medicine

Just recently, in casual conversation, someone commented to me that “they” already have a cure for cancer but are hiding it. This is a claim I frequently encounter. One survey, from 2005, found that 27.3% of those surveyed endorsed this belief. Another survey from 2014 found that 37% of people believe the FDA is suppressing natural cancer cures on behalf of “Big...

/ October 2, 2024
A scattered assortment of US dollar bills in various denominations, including $100, $50, and $20 notes, displaying portraits of historical figures such as Benjamin Franklin and Ulysses S. Grant. The bills overlap and cover the entire frame.

Hopkins Business School to Platform COVID-19 Contrarians at Health Policy Symposium

Drs. Jay Bhattacharya, Scott Atlas, and Marty Makary are also set to speak at Stanford next month

/ September 8, 2024
A historic illustration depicting an operation with medieval Islamic physicians. One patient lies on a table while three doctors dressed in traditional robes and turbans tend to him, one holding his wrist and the others examining and discussing the patient.

The Biopolitics of Quackademic Medicine in Iran

The problem of quackademic medicine in a place we in the US don't often consider.

/ August 27, 2024
A laboratory apparatus featuring a series of connected stainless steel pipes and tubes with clear plastic tubing. The setup includes containers, one of which holds a pink liquid. Various clamps and connectors are visible on the equipment.

Great Barrington Declaration Author Joins COVID-19 Lab Leak-Pushing Group

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and the merging of political pandemic narratives

/ August 24, 2024

Conspiracy Medicine

Was COVID cooked up in a lab? Do “they” have a cure for cancer and are hiding it from the public? Do pharmaceutical companies make up diseases to market otherwise failed drugs? Did insurance companies scheme with infectious disease professional organizations to suppress treatments for chronic Lyme disease? Did the supplement industry lobby congress to weaken regulations of their own products? OK,...

/ July 17, 2024

Heritage Covid Commission Wants China Accountable… What About Trump?

The Heritage Foundation’s COVID-19 Commission Calls for Chinese “Accountability” for US Pandemic Damage

/ July 14, 2024