A woman in a red outfit speaks into a microphone with the text "DON'T EAT IT." A large text above reads "No More Peanut Butter ✘." The video appears on a TikTok interface with engagement icons on the right side.

On TikTok, Everything Is a Poison or Superfood

We have to face the fact that social media is now the primary way that many people get their information. More than half of people in the US get their “news” from social media at least some of the time. But I don’t think asking people where they get “news” captures the full phenomenon. People who watch TikTok videos might not consider...

/ March 19, 2025
A person with dark hair and a leather jacket stands in front of a wooden wall, giving a thumbs-up with both hands. They have a confident expression.

Vitamin A, Infections and Measles

I have always had a bias towards the Appeal to Nature Fallacy: An Appeal to Nature Fallacy happens when someone argues that something is good, better, or more authentic simply because it’s natural, while brushing aside anything man-made as inferior or harmful. Or last my version of it. I have always thought of the human body as more or less tuned by...

/ March 18, 2025
Hyperbaric oxygen chamber

Quackery (still) kills: A five-year-old boy dies in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber

Even as quacks and antivaxxers take over our federal government's health apparatus, let's not forget why we need stronger, not laxer, regulation of "unconventional" medical practices.

/ March 17, 2025
A hand holding a red marker crosses out the word "TALK" and writes "ACTION!" in red, capital letters. The message emphasizes action over talk, symbolizing taking initiative and making changes. The background is white.

RFK Jr: Recruit Dr. Vinay Prasad to Run an RCT of the Routine Vaccine Schedule

I only feel comfortable suggesting an RCT of routine vaccines because I am confident it wouldn't get off the ground.

/ March 14, 2025
Ayatollah-Tabrizian-a-prominent-figure-of-Islamic-medicine-in-Iran-visiting-a-patient
World map showing measles cases by country in 2018. Dark red indicates the highest number of cases (over 45,000), while light beige indicates the lowest (under 400). Notable high-case regions include Madagascar and Ukraine.

Vitamin A Does Not Treat or Prevent Measles

It didn’t take long for concerns about RFKs unscientific ideological approach to healthcare to manifest. We are in the middle of a measles outbreak – the exact kind of situation for which we need a strong federal response. The person in charge of that response, RFK Jr., is a notorious anti-vaccine crank who is not a scientist or healthcare expert, even though...

/ March 12, 2025
A person wearing white gloves is handling a blood bag among several others in a storage drawer. The bags are filled with red liquid and have labels. The scene is likely set in a medical or laboratory environment.

Innovations in Blood Transfusions Will Save Lives

Stored blood quickly loses its effectiveness, so how can we improve the situation?

/ March 11, 2025
informed consent vs. misinformed refusal

Misinformed refusal: What antivaxxers are really promoting when they invoke “informed consent”

Our new Secretary of Health and Human Services wants to change CDC messaging about vaccines to emphasize "informed consent." What he really means is misinformed refusal.

/ March 10, 2025
A group of protesters holding signs at a rally. Signs say "Vaccine Mandates Violate Bodily Autonomy," "My Body My Choice," "I am informed I do not consent," and other slogans. Some wear hats and carry flowers.

Dr. Edward Livingston On Vaccines & Autism: “Because of Public Skepticism, it is Not Settled Science”

Will new studies cause large numbers of anti-vaxxers to say "Wow. It turns our vaccines don't cause autism after all. I've been wrong the whole time."?

/ March 9, 2025
A person stands in the center of intricate, neon-green light trails forming a circular, flower-like pattern against a dark background. The light trails create a sense of movement and energy around the person.

Everything Old Is New Again, Again

Myths spread by contrarian doctors to minimize COVID are being recycled to minimize measles. The anti-vaccine circle is complete.

/ March 7, 2025