Category: Science and Medicine
Are Humans Cooling? Probably Not.
Are humans cooling? According to a recent study out of Stanford, yes we are...a bit. I'm skeptical of the findings, however, and even more so of the proposed explanations. More data is needed.
Is defending science-based medicine worth it?
Pseudoscience, denialism, fake news, and disinformation about health are a bigger problem than ever, thanks to social media. As doctors and scientists join lay defenders of science on social media, will they be willing to pay the price in terms of harassment? Or will they decide it's not worth the hassle? And what about our fellow docs who think that it's beneath...
New Regenerative Medicine Center
Neil Riordan donated big bucks to a school of naturopathy for a Center for Regenerative Medicine named after him. Both Riordan and the treatments offered in his new center are questionable.
Seizure Medications Safer Than Previously Thought for Breastfed Babies
A new study, recently published in JAMA Neurology, further supports the safety of breastfeeding while taking medications for epilepsy. But there are a couple caveats to be aware of.
The Parasympathetic State
The claims for an essential oil mixture, Vibrant Blue Parasympathetic, are devoid of science. They are a mixture of pseudoscience, misrepresentation, lies, and imagination.
“Natural health” and the antivaccine movement: The case of Dr. Joseph Mercola
Dr. Joseph Mercola has been selling quackery for over two decades. It turns out that he also promotes antivaccine pseudoscience, as a new report from The Washington Post shows.
NCCIH surveys physicians on their recommendation of “complementary health approaches,” with depressing results
The NCCIH recently published a study examining the percentage of US physicians who had recommended "complementary health approaches" to their patients in the last year. The percentages are far higher than they should be.
Measles Deaths Surge Worldwide Thanks to Poverty and Anti-Vaccine Propaganda
According to recently released WHO/CDC data on worldwide measles mortality, 2018 marks the second year in a row with a significant increase since the historical low in 2016. And 2019 is shaping up to be even worse. The main reason for this is poverty and lack of access is resource poor regions.
The Apple Heart Study
A recent study involving the Apple Watch raises some interesting points about modern clinical trials. It also has some implications and conclusions about screening for atrial fibrillation (a. fib).
Supplements with Multiple Ingredients, Many with No Apparent Rationale
Dietary. supplements frequently have multiple ingredients, often mixtures of vitamins, minerals, and herbs. The rationale for including each ingredient is questionable, to say the least.