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Bad science Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery

An NCCIH survey on “complementary” health approaches

The NCCIH recently published a study examining the percentage of US physicians who had recommended “complementary health approaches” to their patients in the last year. The percentages are far higher than they should be.

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Cancer Clinical trials Medicine Quackery

Acupuncture for xerostomia: Spin, spin, spin a negative study!

Investigators at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center reported the results of a trial of acupuncture for xerostomia (dry mouth) secondary to radiation therapy for head and neck cancers. It was a negative trial, but investigators still tried to spin it as positive, but with a twist. There was a large difference between results found at M.D. Anderson and the second site in China. What could be going on?

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Bad science Biology Clinical trials Medicine Quackery

The Lung Institute and the stem cell hard sell

The Lung Institute is more evidence that all for-profit stem cell clinics are predatory clinics selling snake oil. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. THEM. If there’s an exception, I haven’t found it yet.

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery

Antivaxxer Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. writes to Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi about measles in the middle of an outbreak

As a deadly measles outbreak continued to kill children in Samoa, antivaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. wrote to Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi. His deceptive pseudoscientific talking points became the template for antivaxers seeking to deflect blame from themselves.

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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Medicine Quackery

Antivaccine activists and the deadly measles outbreak in Samoa

There is a deadly measles outbreak in Samoa. It is fueled by low vaccine uptake sparked by a tragic case in which two children died because of a screwup mixing up vaccines. Antivaxers have used this case to spread fear, uncertainty, and doubt.