Results for: acupuncture

Black Cumin – Be Skeptical

The claims made for black cumin follow a familiar pattern – implausible and a lack of evidence.

/ January 22, 2020

Is defending science-based medicine worth it?

Pseudoscience, denialism, fake news, and disinformation about health are a bigger problem than ever, thanks to social media. As doctors and scientists join lay defenders of science on social media, will they be willing to pay the price in terms of harassment? Or will they decide it's not worth the hassle? And what about our fellow docs who think that it's beneath...

/ January 20, 2020

What do veterinarians think about complementary and alternative medicine?

A survey of veterinarians shows that belief in at least one CAM modality is more than twice as common as skepticism.

/ January 17, 2020

The Parasympathetic State

The claims for an essential oil mixture, Vibrant Blue Parasympathetic, are devoid of science. They are a mixture of pseudoscience, misrepresentation, lies, and imagination.

/ January 7, 2020

How do we stop crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe from being used to fund quackery?

GoFundMe and other crowdfunding sites have long been used by desperate patients seeking to fund their use of unproven and downright quacky treatments. How can these sites be changed in order to keep them from being used as a funding supply for unethical quacks?

/ December 30, 2019

Alternative Medicine: Placebos for Pets

A skeptical veterinarian reviews the evidence for alternative medicine for pets, and concludes it's mostly placebos.

/ December 3, 2019

Scientific Fraud in China

There is a systemic problem with fraud in Chinese medical science. The problem goes all the way to the top.

/ November 27, 2019

Ayurvedic practitioners push for licensing in Colorado

Ayurvedic practitioners' attempt to become licensed health care professionals in Colorado failed an initial review but that is unlikely to stop them from pursuing their goal. Ayurveda is pseudoscience and its practices can be dangerous. Unfortunately, that is no barrier to state licensing.

/ November 21, 2019

Shame on HBO! Bill Maher interviews Dr. Jay Gordon and the antivaccine misinformation flows.

Friday night, an old "friend" of the blog, pediatrician and antivaccine apologist Dr. Jay Gordon, made an appearance on Real Time With Bill Maher. In a long segment, the antivaccine misinformation flowed fast and furious in a Gish gallop of pseudoscience. WTF, HBO?

/ November 4, 2019

Lipo-Flavonoid for Tinnitus

Lipo-Flavonoid is sold to treat tinnitus. The claims are misleading, and the evidence isn't there.

/ October 29, 2019