Categories
Autism Bioethics Medicine Quackery

Arthur Allen on conflicts of interest in the mercury militia movement

Those arguing the “conventional” view that sound science and epidemiological studies have failed to find a link between vaccines and autism are often tarred with the “pharma shill” brush. Meanwhile, researchers who have ever taken drug company money (particularly if it’s from a drug company that makes vaccines) are castigated for having a serious conflict […]

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine News of the Weird Politics Quackery

Vaccines caused the Virginia Tech rampage?

I hadn’t planned on writing again about the horrific massacre at Virginia Tech. After all, what more could I say that hasn’t been said before in the blogospheric chatter that’s erupted in the five days since the killings? Despicably, everyone’s blaming their favorite cause. Fundamentalists are blaming atheism, secularism, and even Charles Darwin for the […]

Categories
Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

A most disturbing video

Earlier this month, a “mercury mom” named Christine Heeren posted a most disturbing video to YouTube. Not long after, Kevin Leitch became aware of it and wrote about it, shortly after which the video was made a “private video” that only those given permission could view. Fortunately, Kevin had also downloaded the video and has […]

Categories
Autism Medicine

The genetics of autism

I had been planning on blogging about a couple of recent studies identifiying multiple genes that appear to be associated with autism and autism spectrum disorders, thus adding to the body of evidence showing that autism and ASDs have a significant genetic basis as part of their etiology. It turns out, however, that Steve Novella, […]

Categories
Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

Sunday afternoon fisk-fest: The mercury militia edition

I’ll be on the road as this posts. However, for your edification, enjoy a tag-team smackdown of some truly ignorant “mercury causes autism” evidence-free handwaving, courtesy of Dad of Cameron and Not Mercury. In keeping with the theme of twos, it’s done in two parts, separated by two weeks: Part 1: A Hot Cup of […]