Results for: National Vaccine Information Center

All science denial is a form of conspiracy theory

Regular readers of this blog know that many forms of quackery and science denial have conspiracy theories associated with them, but a further examination suggests that all forms of science denial are a form of conspiracy theory. In the middle of a deadly pandemic, science denial represents a form of conspiracy theory with potentially deadly consequences.

/ January 25, 2021
Dr. Paul Thomas

The Oregon Medical Board suspends the medical license of antivax pediatrician Dr. Paul Thomas

Late last week, the Oregon Medical Board suspended the licenses of two physicians, one for bragging about not wearing a mask around his patients, the second being Dr. Paul Thomas, an antivaccine pediatrician, whose continued practice was deemed a threat to his patients. It's time for more state medical boards to step up, as Oregon's has.

/ December 7, 2020
The Great Barrington Declaration

JAMA promotes the false equivalence of ‘focused protection’

On November 11 JAMA hosted a podcast with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, one of the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration. The discussion included factual inaccuracies and created a false equivalence between the fringe idea of 'focused protection' versus ongoing public health efforts to restrain community spread.

/ November 20, 2020

Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump. Now what for science-based medicine?

In 2016 and 2020, scientists expressed surprise and alarm at the results of the Presidential election. In 2016 it was alarm that someone as antiscience as Donald Trump was elected, and in 2020 it was over how close the election was, given Trump's dismal record on science, medicine, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Are scientists out of touch? And now what, for federal...

/ November 9, 2020

Government watchdog to investigate politicization of CDC and FDA during COVID-19 pandemic

Based on numerous reports of White House interference, a government watchdog will investigate politicization of the CDC's and FDA's actions during the coronavirus pandemic.

/ October 22, 2020

The Mask Ask: Understanding and Addressing Mask Resistance

The wearing of masks has become contentious on scientific and ideological grounds. Why is that, and how can we communicate with people who don't follow the scientific guidelines?

/ October 16, 2020

Importing drugs from Canada won’t lower drug prices for Americans

The Trump administration has approved the bulk importation of prescription drugs from Canada. But Canada isn't on board with this plan, and it's not going to reduce drug prices for Americans.

/ October 15, 2020
The Great Barrington Declaration

The Great Barrington Declaration: COVID-19 deniers follow the path laid down by creationists, HIV/AIDS denialists, and climate science deniers

Apparently signed by thousands of scientists, the Great Barrington Declaration argues that lockdowns in response to the coronavirus pandemic do more harm than good and that society should use "Focused Protection" for the elderly and those at high risk for severe disease and death from COVID-19 while letting the young go about their business normally. A closer look reveals that COVID-19 deniers...

/ October 12, 2020
COVID-19 vs. FDA and CDC

In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, can we trust the CDC and FDA any more?

Since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the US, increasing concern has been expressed about the politicization of the CDC and FDA due to pressure from the Trump administration to downplay the severity of the pandemic and push out treatments and a vaccine as fast as possible, potentially at the expense of safety. This has led me to a disturbing question: Can I trust...

/ September 14, 2020