Facebook, Google, and social media vs. medical misinformation: An update
Over the last couple of weeks, there have been two major stories on the efforts of social media companies to combat health misinformation on their platforms. What are they doing, and are they succeeding? Dr. Gorski decided to look into these questions.
An Independence Day Tribute to Vaccination
In language that still resonates, Jacobson v. Massachusetts (U.S. Supreme Court, 1905) affirmed state authority to protect health, safety and welfare for the common good with mandatory vaccination despite individual non-medical objections.
Processed Foods and Autism
Reports of a "link" between processed food and autism highly misrepresent the actual findings of an in-vitro study.
Skin pH: Salesmanship, Not Science
People are being encouraged to worry about the pH of their skin and to try to change it. These concerns and interventions are not supported by scientific evidence.
The Israeli Academy of Sciences and Humanities elects antivaxer Yehuda Shoenfeld to its ranks
Yehuda Shoenfeld is an Israeli scientist who has promoted the idea that adjuvants in vaccines cause ASIA, Autoimmunity/Autoinflammation Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants, a vaguely defined catch-all diagnosis that encompasses vague symptomatology and unproven links to certain autoantibodies, all caused by adjuvants in vaccines, especially aluminum. Last week, Shoenfeld was elected to the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, an embarrassment to the...
No. “Big Data” Does Not Support Chiropractic Care for Infants
A new study claims to have used "big data" to help answer the question of infant chiropractic effectiveness, but it's just another collection of anecdotes that adds nothing to our understanding of infant medicine.
How effectively does cinnamon treat diabetes?
Cinnamon is often touted as a "natural" supplement that's effective for treating diabetes. The evidence (still) isn't convincing.
New Drug Is Effective for Post-Partum Depression, But There Are Drawbacks
A new drug promises to cure postpartum depression, but it is restricted and patients must be hospitalized for a 60-hour IV infusion.
HB 4710: Licensing and expanding the scope of practice of acupuncturists in Michigan
Last week, HB 4710, a bill to license acupuncturists, was considered by the Michigan House of Representatives Health Policy Committee. If passed into law, HB 4710 would do far more than license the quackery that is acupuncture. It would also expand the scope of practice of acupuncturists to include homeopathy, "health coaching", and dietary advice, and is yet another example of what...
Media Literacy Is Key
Media literacy is an important component to teaching science and critical thinking. We'll add that to our to-do list.