Science-Based Medicine

A clot too far: An embalmer dissects antivax misinformation about blood clots in Died Suddenly

Two weeks ago, COVID-19 conspiracy theorist Stew Peters released an antivax pseudodocumentary, Died Suddenly, whose main claim is that COVID-19 vaccines cause clots that have caused a massive wave of people to “die suddenly”. Key to its narrative are embalmers claiming that they are seeing more clots in the bodies they are embalming than ever before. SBM has recruited Benjamin Schmidt, an experienced embalmer, to dissect their claims.

Died Suddenly: A tsunami of antivax misinformation and conspiracy theories

Everything old is new again when it comes to antivax tropes. Stew Peters’ antivax pseudodocumentary Died Suddenly resurrects the old antivax conspiracy that vaccines kill, the plan being to cause “depopulation” that will allow “global elites” to control the world. Dr. Gorski watched the whole movie so that you don’t have to.

David Gorski on December 5, 2022

Politics and Regulation Public Health Vaccines

What does “antivaccine” really mean since the pandemic hit?

We frequently use terms like “antivaccine,” “antivax,” and “antivaxxers.” Critics think it’s a “gotcha” to ask how we define “antivax” or to accuse us of reflexively label "questioning" of vaccines as "antivax." It's not. There are gray areas, but not so gray that the word is never appropriate. Has anything changed since I first tried to define "antivaccine" in 2010? The answer:...

David Gorski / November 28, 2022

Science and Medicine

The 2022-2023 Respiratory Virus Season Hits Early and Hard: Part 2

What is RSV and why is it so bad this season? I discuss this and a promising new vaccine candidate.

Clay Jones / November 25, 2022

Herbs & Supplements

Liver damage associate with turmeric ingestion

Reports of serious liver damage from turmeric supplementation are becoming more common

Scott Gavura / November 24, 2022

Acupuncture

Acupuncture For Backpain in Pregnancy – More Terrible Reporting

Another meta-analysis shows that acupuncture is nothing but an elaborate placebo, and again is misrepresented in the press.

Steven Novella / November 23, 2022

Medical Myths Science and Medicine

In Through the Nose, Out Through the Mouth

The advice to breathe "in through the nose, out through the mouth" appears to be based on superstition rather than science. Nose breathing is preferable.

Harriet Hall / November 22, 2022

Acupuncture Cancer Clinical Trials

ASCO endorses “integrative oncology” quackery for cancer pain

Last week, the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the Society for Integrative Oncology published guidelines for treating cancer pain. These guidelines endorsed quackery like reflexology and acupuncture. The infiltration of quackademic medicine continues apace in oncology.

David Gorski / November 21, 2022

Science and Medicine

Was New York’s Spring 2020 COVID Wave an Illusion?

Asking for "evidence" that New York City got hit hard by COVID makes as much sense as asking for "evidence" that New York City exists in the first place.

Jonathan Howard / November 18, 2022