Results for: acupuncture
FTC targets physicians’ COVID claims with cease-and-desist letters
The FTC recently announced it had issued 20 more cease-and-desist demands to physicians and others claiming their products and services prevent or treat COVID-19 without sufficient scientific backing. Unfortunately, this has not stopped many of the targets from making other bogus health claims.
Department of Justice prioritizes prosecution of clinical trial fraud, but systemic reform is needed
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced it is aggressively pursuing clinical trial fraud, where unethical players create fictional trial participants, steal the drugs under study, and fabricate results. But systemic reform of the clinical drug trial system is needed to halt those who endanger public safety with bogus trials.
Everything old is new again
Since the pandemic hit, I've frequently said things like, "Everything old is new again", referring to the antivaccine movement in the age of COVID-19. As 2022 dawned, I thought I'd expand a bit on what I mean. Is there a term for déjà vu, but what I'm seeing now is amplified a thousand-fold? Proponents of science-based medicine have been warning us for...
Why It’s Worthwhile to Debunk Shivambu
Richard Feynman famously said, "The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool". This is the most important lesson skepticism has to offer.
A Journalist Asks if Your Child Needs an Energy Healer. The Answer Probably Won’t Surprise You.
A healthcare journalist writing for a respected source of news for millions of people has penned an article that endorses pure quackery in the form of energy healing for kids.
BOO: Or how “magic dirt” became a MLM miracle cure scam for COVID-19
"BOO" stands for Black Oxygen Organics, a "cure" for COVID-19 that got the attention of regulators last week. Basically, it's dirt billed by its believers as "magic dirt" that sells for $110 a bag (plus shipping) through a multilevel marketing sales model. What can this latest COVID cure tell us about the relationship between alternative medicine and COVID-19 denial?
The Dawning of Friends of Science in Medicine (FSM)
For over 10 years, Friends of Science in Medicine has been fighting quackery, fraud, and pseudoscience in Australia.
Guide to the Emergency Department
This book is a handy reference that explains what happens when you visit the Emergency Department and provides tips on how you can handle some problems at home.
State medical boards vs. COVID-19 misinformation, an update
The disinformation epidemic about COVID-19 has pushed state medical boards to consider disciplining physicians who promote COVID-19 disinformation. How would that work? What are the obstacles? Is it even possible? It should be, but it will be messy and complicated.
“Imbalanced Energy Field” is not a valid diagnosis and therapeutic touch is pseudoscience, so why can’t nurses just give it up?
“Imbalanced Energy Field” is not a valid diagnosis and therapeutic touch is pseudoscience. It's past time nursing gave up both.