When it comes to pseudoscience, conspiracy theories, quackery, and antivaccine nonsense, remember that, very frequently, it's all about the grift. Even when it's not, the grift inevitably takes over.
Category: Autism
William Shatner: New celebrity pitch man for dubious anti-aging stem cell treatments?
A week ago, William Shatner Tweeted that he had received an anti-aging stem cell therapy. Perusal of the website of the clinic where he got the cells reveals yet another for-profit dubious stem cell clinic. Is William Shatner the new stem cell clinic pitchman?
Josh Rushing pwns antivaxer Del Bigtree
Josh Rushing takes on antivaxer Del Bigtree on Fault Lines and does what needs to be done. Although the report is not without problems, Rushing pwns Bigtree most satisfyingly.
Autism biomed quackery on Facebook: Exposed by moles
Autism biomed quackery is unfortunately all too commonly inflicted upon autistic children. Fortunately, there are moles seeking to expose it.
Del Bigtree’s ICAN “questions” the studies used to license the MMR vaccine. Hilarity ensues.
With the current measles outbreaks in the US having, only a third of the way through 2019, surpassed the total number of cases seen in any year since measles was declared eradicated in 2000, thanks largely to pockets of unvaccinated children, you’d think that the antivaccine movement would be on the defensive. To some extent, it is, but as the number of measles cases climbs past 700 just since the beginning of the year, antivaxers are getting, if anything, more aggressive. They’re promoting legislation to make opting out of vaccine mandates easier, while trying to intimidate physicians, nurses, and advocates …
Measles outbreaks among Orthodox Jewish communities in New York and Michigan: Compare and contrast
There's an ongoing measles outbreak among the Orthodox Jewish community in southeast Michigan. The genesis of the outbreak is more complex than the usual "antivaxers did it" narrative, and this outbreak shows how we're all interconnected.
Chad Hermann and Todd Wolynn: On the nature of the antivaccine movement and lighting the signal fires of Gondor
Chad Hermann and Todd Wolynn published a study about antivaxers that basically confirmed a lot of what we know about how they use Facebook to harass their perceived enemies. More important is the work they're doing provide a way for those targeted by antivaxers for harassment to light signal fires to attract reinforcements.
The annals of “I’m not antivaccine,” part 27: Vaccine mandates as “medical rape” (again)
It's ba-ack. In response to efforts to make personal belief exemptions harder to obtain, an old and particularly vile antivax trope is back: Vaccine mandates as rape, with a new #metoo-inspired twist, namely "vaccine injured" children as victims of sexual assault whose assaulters are trying to silence them.
MMR vaccination is not associated with autism, take ∞
Yet another huge epidemiological study finds no association between vaccination with MMR and autism. Same as it ever was. That doesn't stop a particularly clueless antivaxer from trying to "refute" it, to hilariously inept results.
Dr. Edward Fogarty’s antivaccine rant: Where’s my paper bag again?
Dr. Edward Fogarty is a radiologist who thinks he knows about vaccines. He recently published a deranged antivaccine rant in the form of an open letter to the Washington State legislature, thus bringing shame on his fellow physicians. Where's my paper bag again?