Results for: screening

Mark Sircus

Mark Sircus and “natural allopathic medicine”? Now I’ve heard everything from quacks

The term "allopathic medicine" was invented by homeopaths in the 19th century as a disparaging term for medicine. So to see a quack like Mark Sircus try to coopt it as "natural allopathic medicine" is quite something.

/ March 25, 2024
Whole body MRI

False balance in an NBC news story on whole body MRI scans

Over the weekend, NBC News aired a story on whole body MRI scans. Although it did include the usual cautions about false positives and the harm they cause, the caution was diluted by the story's focus a rare case of a woman who had a brain tumor detected. Overall, it was false balance that reminded me of vaccine/autism stories 20 years ago.

/ February 19, 2024

Music for Reducing Pain in Newborns

Newborns are exposed to painful procedures for good reason every day. Treating pain is important in this population, and music might play a role. At least it definitely won't hurt.

/ February 16, 2024
Ivermectin repurposing

COVID-19 antivax quacks are now “repurposing” ivermectin for cancer

A year ago, I noticed that COVID-19 quacks were touting the "repurposing" of ivermectin to treat cancer. Now, familiar COVID-19 antivaxxers—cough, cough, FLCCC—have turbocharged this quackery.

/ February 5, 2024

Part 2: Is an Abnormal Lab Value After Vaccination More Concerning Than Death From COVID?

Part 1 is available here.   “There is No COVID Heart” On May 14, 2021, three “medical conservatives,” Drs. John Mandrola, Andrew Foy and Vinay Prasad, published an article titled “Setting the Record Straight: There is No ‘Covid Heart’”.  In it, they argued that “The issue of Covid-19 induced cardiac problems was massively overblown.”  Though the virus had existed for barely over year, they were very...

/ November 3, 2023
VAERS

Has MSU economics professor Mark Skidmore been “exonerated” over his retracted paper claiming that COVID vaccines killed 278,000?

Tech bro turned antivax influencer Steve Kirsch is claiming that Michigan State University economist Mark Skidmore has been "exonerated" after having had a paper retracted claiming 278K deaths from COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 alone. In reality, Skidmore just republished a revised version of his retracted paper in an antivax journal after the MSU IRB failed miserably in its oversight duties.

/ October 23, 2023
Harvey Risch

He pushed hydroxychloroquine three years ago: Harvey Risch and false claim of “turbo cancers” caused by COVID-19 vaccines

Last week, I discussed Dr. William Makis' false claims of "turbo cancers" due to COVID-19 vaccines. Now it's hydroxychloroquine-promoting epidemiologist Harvey Risch's turn.

/ October 9, 2023

Health misinformation now has powerful allies

Misinformation and conspiracy theories about health had long been a growing problem before the pandemic, but it took COVID-19 to get the government and researchers to take it seriously. Now, a new report in The Washington Post adds to previous reporting from multiple sources describing how allies of misinformation—and not just health misinformation—are striking back under the guise of defending "free speech."

/ September 25, 2023
Fish Oil Capsules

Reeling In Misrepresentation: Fish Oil Supplements Found Lacking

An analysis of label claims for fish oil supplements finds a lot of tall tales

/ September 14, 2023

Quoth quacks, “The medical consensus has changed before, making my quackery science!”

Brave maverick doctors (i.e., quacks) have long tried to portray themselves as "innovators" challenging an ossified medical consensus for the good of patients. This tradition continues among COVID-19 quacks, in particular the Frontline COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance and its founders.

/ August 28, 2023