Tag: quackery

Fenbendazole is fast becoming the laetrile of the 2020s

Antivaxxers who "repurposed" deworming drugs like ivermectin and fenbendazole are peddling cancer "miracle cure" testimonials that remind me of laetrile and Stanislaw Burzynski. Truly, everything old is new again.

/ March 4, 2024
Antivax docs

Yet more evidence that we physicians need to clean up our act

A recent study found that physicians and scientists who are perceived as "experts" are prevalent within the antivax community and more influential because of their status as physicians and scientists. Why do physicians continue to tolerate antivax quacks within our ranks?

/ February 12, 2024

The Menace of Wellness Influencers

Wellness influencers are often also conspiracy theorists, as both mindsets rely upon the same underlying methods, motivation, and narrative.

/ February 7, 2024
Shedding vaccine COVID-19

Antivax quacks are continuing to make up fantastical biological mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccine “shedding”

A couple of weeks ago, I discussed why antivax quacks' claimed biological mechanisms for COVID-19 vaccine "shedding" reminded me of homeopaths. Confabulation about fantastical scientific mechanisms continues, courtesy of "A Midwestern Doctor."

/ January 29, 2024
Shedding is not a thing for SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines.

Why antivax arguments for COVID-19 vaccine “shedding” remind me of homeopathy

An antivaxxer by the 'nym "A Midwestern Doctor" makes an argument that COVID-19 vaccine "shedding" is not impossible despite the basic science that concludes it is. Sound familiar?

/ January 15, 2024

Cancer quack Stanislaw Burzynski continues to prey on cancer patients in 2023

This year, cancer quack Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski turned 80. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be slowing down charging patients with advanced cancer huge sums for false hope.

/ September 18, 2023
Sherri Tenpenny and magnetism

The Ohio State Medical Board has finally suspended the medical license of antivax quack Sherri Tenpenny

Last week, the Ohio State Medical Board suspended the medical license of Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, a longtime antivax quack. The only question is: What took them so long, and why did it take the pandemic for them to act? Also, is there less to this action than meets the eye?

/ August 14, 2023
America's Frontline Doctors

COVID-19 has exposed the toothlessness of state medical boards

A report in The Washington Post last week revealed just how badly state medical boards have been failing when dealing with physicians spreading COVID-19 misinformation and using quackery to prevent and treat the disease. None of this is anything new, unfortunately. The pandemic has merely stress tested state medical boards, and most have failed because of political choices made long ago.

/ July 31, 2023
Ivermectin horse paste

Ivermectin is now fast becoming the new MMS

A recent VICE story described a Telegram channel devoted to promoting veterinary ivermectin to treat autism. It has echoes of autism quackery going back at least to the use of MMS (a kind of bleach) to "cure" autism by eliminating "parasites."

/ March 20, 2023