Orac is the nom de blog of a humble surgeon/scientist who has an ego just big enough to delude himself that someone, somewhere might actually give a rodent's posterior about his copious verbal meanderings, but just barely small enough to admit to himself that few probably will. That surgeon is otherwise known as David Gorski.
That this particular surgeon has chosen his nom de blog based on a rather cranky and arrogant computer shaped like a clear box of blinking lights that he originally encountered when he became a fan of a 35 year old British SF television show whose special effects were renowned for their BBC/Doctor Who-style low budget look, but whose stories nonetheless resulted in some of the best, most innovative science fiction ever televised, should tell you nearly all that you need to know about Orac. (That, and the length of the preceding sentence.)
DISCLAIMER:: The various written meanderings here are the opinions of Orac and Orac alone, written on his own time. They should never be construed as representing the opinions of any other person or entity, especially Orac's cancer center, department of surgery, medical school, or university. Also note that Orac is nonpartisan; he is more than willing to criticize the statements of anyone, regardless of of political leanings, if that anyone advocates pseudoscience or quackery. Finally, medical commentary is not to be construed in any way as medical advice.
To contact Orac: [email protected]
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16 replies on “Join Steve Novella and Trine Tsouderos at noon CST today…”
This “Fair and Balanced” piece in the NYT about licensing of naturopaths will totally frost your pumpkin.
This is how it concludes:
“Naturopaths who favor licensing say they are not interested in becoming medical doctors, and say properly trained naturopaths frequently refer patients to doctors for conditions they are not trained to treat. Moreover, they contend that it is dangerously easy to get a certificate that shows expertise in naturopathy and people need some way of discerning between a knowledgeable naturopath and a quack.
âNo longer will people who donât go to naturopathic medical school be able to hang up a shingle that says, âIâm a naturopathic doctor,â â said Karen Howard, executive director of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. âItâs a patient access and patient safety issue.â”
Hey Orac someone popped up in the chat that you should give some insolence to. His name is Marty Murray.
http://www.alsuntangled.com/pdf/martymurray.pdf
No matter how many times Novella said that the treatments people asked about were not at all valid, people just kept asking about some other juice, or food, or method. They seemed deaf and unwilling to read the words on the page.
I was wondering if a question from a certain “Bob Rogue” was ORAC getting in his two cents about the infiltration of woo into med schools?
It was a great hour in spite of the stubborn persistence of some questioners.
Thanks so much, Orac! Much, much appreciated. Anyone who wants to see the transcript of my chat with Steve can find it here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-health-chat-alternative-medicine-alzheimers,0,3398097.htmlstory
It was a great hour. I am astonished by how many people showed up, and how many questions Steve was able to answer in an hour. Many, many thanks to him, and to Orac helping spread word about the chat.
I think “Bob Rogue” was Bob Novella. Thanks for a great chat Steve and Trine.
@Dianne
Who is Bob Novella (brother to Steve?). Sorry for my ignorance.
@6–yes
I just read the transcript and it really was really fascinating and heartbreaking. It must wear on Steve to have to keep telling people that X treatment won’t work.
The epileptic who told about people wanting to get her off her meds struck home with me. I knew someone whose alt-med “friends” were “weaning” her from Dilatin. She apparently had a seizure at the top of a flight of concrete stairs and bled to death from a scalp wound before she was found. “What’s the harm?” indeed.
In other news, the cell phone myth just won’t die….
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704071304576160652541652440.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5
So laconic I almost missed it, but thanks Diane.
You can here them both regularly here:
http://www.theskepticsguide.org/
I wouldn’t be surprised if they discuss this live chat on next Saturday’s episode.
I can confirm that “Bob Rogue” was Bob Novella. 🙂
The med-school infiltration is something more people need to be talking about.
Thank you very much
From the cellphone article:
Fail.
One thing that Steven Novella does not have to tell people does not work is the types of holistic approaches involving mind body methods that I promote.
They work well.
So far als solved, motor neuron disease solved,and plenty of other things too, including the allergies I suffered with for about thirty years before I solved them in a matter of weeks.
Anyone who really studies this stuff can tell even before it works that it makes sense, and then when people really apply it it basically works every time.
@Marty Murray: you’ve solved ALS? Motor Neuron disease? WOW! Where is your Nobel prize for medicine? After all, anyone who solves the things that baffle regular doctors certainly deserves the Nobel prize, the money and the fame that would accrue.
Oh, wait. Delusional person. My bad. (but my fangs and fur are getting nice and sniny.)