Category: Politics and Regulation
The very worst version of the sham known as “right-to-try” is poised to become law
"Right-to-try" laws are a cruel sham that purport to allow terminally ill patients access to promising experimental drugs. In reality, they strip away many protections and leave vulnerable patients on their own. After four years and a number of toothless state laws, a federal version of "right-to-try" is poised to become law. A version passed by the Senate could be voted on...
The Supreme Court of Canada orders a new trial for parents convicted in Ezekiel Stephan’s death
The Supreme Court of Canada has ordered a new trial for David and Collet Stephan, who had been convicted in the meningitis death of their son. The Stephans say they're vindicated. The facts say otherwise.
Crowdfunding unproven stem cell treatments: overstated efficacy, unstated risks
Crowdfunding campaigns for unproven stem cell treatments exaggerate the benefits and underemphasize the risks, all the while raising considerable funds and generating social media buzz.
Homeopathy, rabid dogs, and naturopathic propaganda
Last week, a story of a bizarre homeopathic remedy used by a Canadian naturopath made the news. Today, American naturopaths are in Washington, DC lobbying for increased prescribing power, including for controlled substances. Lawmakers should be reminded of the quackery at the heart of naturopathy.
The Nation indulges in fear mongering about cell phones and cancer
An article published last week in the Nation likens wireless telephone companies to tobacco and fossil fuel episodes in their tactics of spreading fear, misinformation, and doubt regarding the science of cell phone radiation and health. To produce this narrative, the investigation's authors rely on unreliable sources and cherry pick scientific studies, ignoring the scientific consensus that cell phone radiation almost certainly...
Cell phones and cancer: random chance in clinical trials
The full results of the National Toxicology Program's study of cell phones and cancer are finally in. They are somewhat complicated, but ultimately do not support the idea that cell phones can cause cancer.
Direct Primary Care Agreements and Chiropractors: A bad deal for patients
Chiropractors are not "primary care physicians" and shouldn't be allowed to pretend otherwise by entering into "direct primary care" agreements with their patients.
ICD-11: A triumph of the “integration” of quackery with real medicine
ICD-10 is an a standardized system of alphanumeric codes for diagnoses maintained by the World Health Organization used throughout the world for billing, epidemiology, research, and cataloging causes of death. Its successor, ICD-11, is nearing completion, and unfortunately appears to be taking the "integration" of traditional medicine to a whole new level by integrating quack diagnoses with real diagnoses.
More Political Science: Proposed laws protect “Lyme literate” doctors from discipline
"Lyme literate" doctors are scamming patients out of thousands of dollars with needless long-term antibiotics based on a fake diagnosis of "chronic Lyme." So why are state legislators trying to protect these doctors from discipline and make insurers pay for unnecessary treatments?
The adverse health effects of the lunacy that is Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time has been around for over 100 years. Why does it still persist when there's little or no evidence that it does what it was intended to do (save energy) and growing evidence of adverse health effects related to the twice a year time change? That's a good question. It's time to get rid of this antiquated practice.