Melanoma: A Pseudoepidemic of Skin Cancer Prompts New Screening Recommendations
There appeared to be an epidemic of melanoma skin cancer, but it seems to be a pseudoepidemic caused by overdiagnosis. Screening everyone with skin exams does more harm than good and can no longer be recommended.
The efforts of antivaxxers to portray COVID-19 vaccines as harmful or even deadly continue apace (VAERS edition)
With the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines continuing apace, so are the efforts of antivaxxers to portray the vaccines as dangerous. This time around, they've resurrected the old antivaccine trick of deceptively misusing the VAERS database to imply causation from VAERS reports. That's not how VAERS works, however.
Ad-Conned: A Critical Look At CASPer
Medical schools are facing a flood of applicants, and have started using for-profit tests alleged to assess people skills as a way to distinguish candidates. The evidence is weak, and lacks transparency.
Consumer and public health groups push for cancer warning on alcoholic beverages
A coalition of consumer and public health groups, citing scientific consensus, is pushing for a government-required warning that alcohol consumption causes cancer on alcoholic beverage containers. Despite the evidence, we can expect alcohol industry opposition.
CRISPR vs. TALEN
There are more than one genetic engineering technologies available. Here's a comparison.
Is Midstream Urine Collection Necessary?
There's considerable evidence that the standard procedure for urine specimens, with cleansing and mid-stream collection, may not be necessary. Is it time to change?
All science denial is a form of conspiracy theory
Regular readers of this blog know that many forms of quackery and science denial have conspiracy theories associated with them, but a further examination suggests that all forms of science denial are a form of conspiracy theory. In the middle of a deadly pandemic, science denial represents a form of conspiracy theory with potentially deadly consequences.
Science-Based Satire: Implantable Desubluxators Revolutionize Chiropractic Care
Have chiropractic scientists developed an implantable device that will detect and treat subluxations? Are there companies that monitor these devices in order to alert patients and to arrange for 24-7 emergency adjustments? No. There absolutely are not. This is satire.
The Anti-Vaxxer Playbook to Destroy Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines
Major anti-vaccination voices and organizations have coalesced around three key messages to keep people from accepting the COVID-19 vaccine. Their playbook has now been exposed.
The Threat of Conspiracy Thinking to SBM
Conspiracy thinking is on the rise, and threatens the very notion of science and truth.