“SuperMannan Cures Bladder Infections!” Really?

The ads claim SuperMannan cures bladder infections. The science is a single uncontrolled study of 9 women; its design is a recipe for disaster.

/ October 22, 2019
RFK Jr. no saline placebo

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. hosts a trainwreck of an antivaccine forum in Harlem

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. reached out to the African-American Community in Harlem with his antivaccine message. It didn't go so well. First, Rev. Al Sharpton, whose National Action Committee was going to host it, bailed due to negative publicity. Then RFK Jr. was kicked out of his venue during his speech because the event went way over time. RFK Jr.'s efforts do,...

/ October 21, 2019

Tattoos Won’t Boost Your Immune System

Can getting a tattoo help reduce your risk of catching a cold? What about getting a bunch of 'em? Sadly, no amount of ink is going to boost your immune system.

/ October 18, 2019

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections: Lots of hype, no convincing evidence

Platelet-rich plasma injections are advertised as an expensive cure-all for sport injuries. The evidence, however, is consistently negative.

/ October 17, 2019

Reproducibility Follow Up

Let's explore dueling narratives about the reproducibility "crisis."

/ October 16, 2019

Australian Naturopath Barbara O’Neill Banned for Her Dangerous Health Advice

Naturopath Barbara O'Neill has been banned in Australia for spreading dangerous lies about health.

/ October 15, 2019

Woo versus Wikipedia

Love it or hate it, Wikipedia is a main go-to rough and ready source of information for millions of people. Although I've had my problems with Wikipedia and used to ask whether it could provide reliable information on medicine and, in particular, alternative medicine and vaccines, given that anyone can edit it, I now conclude that Wikipedia must be doing OK, at...

/ October 14, 2019

Electromagnetic healing devices for dogs: Studies show “Meh”

Does a pulsed electromagnetic field device work to help dogs recover from surgery? The answer is below. Spoiler alert: The answer is "probably not".

/ October 11, 2019

The Scientific Integrity Act: Protecting science from politics

The proposed federal Scientific Integrity Act supports science and the scientific process as the basis of public policy and aims to protect it from politics, ideology, and financial conflicts of interest.

/ October 10, 2019

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2019

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2019 given to researchers who discovered the mechanisms of oxygen sensing in cells.

/ October 9, 2019