Categories
Autism Bad science Bioethics Clinical trials Medicine

Duke U.’s stem cell program for autism: The dark(er) side of quackademic medicine (revised and greatly expanded)

Duke University Marcus Center for Cellular Cures

Despite a lack of evidence Duke University is all-in on stem cells for autism, thanks to a billionaire benefactor and a Panama stem cell clinic. This is the dark(er) side of quackademic medicine.

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery

Antivax pediatrician Dr. Larry Palevsky hops on the COVID-19 denial grift train

Dr. Palevsky and COVID-19

In “COVID-19 EXPOSED,” antivax pediatrician Dr. Larry Palevsky has pivoted effortlessly to COVID-19 quackery and denial, same as it ever was for antivaxxers.

Categories
Homeopathy Medicine Quackery

Of course, homeopaths are promoting homeopathy for COVID-19

Homeopathy
Truly, homeopathy is the air guitar of medicine, except that it's usually not even entertaining.

Quacks gonna quack, and grifters gonna grift, which is why it’s no surprise that homeopaths are pushing homeopathy for COVID-19.

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Politics Popular culture Pseudoscience Skepticism/critical thinking

Monitoring COVID-19 vaccine safety during a pandemic

National Vaccine Program Office is at HHS
The headquarters of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is seen in Washington Nov. 4. A rule issued in August by the department mandates coverage of contraception and sterilization in most private health insurance plans. The U.S. bishops, saying the directive does not offer appropriate exclusions for religious institutions, view the mandate as an attack on religious liberty. (CNS photo/Nancy Wiechec) (Nov. 4, 2011) See HOUSE-CONSCIENCE Nov. 2, 2011.

Last year, the Trump administration essentially disbanded the National Vaccine Program Office, folding it into an office focused on infectious diseases. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. What does this mean for monitoring the safety of the soon-to-be-approved COVID-19 vaccines?

Categories
Bad science Complementary and alternative medicine Integrative medicine Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Quackademic medicine, COVID-19 edition, part 1: Magic amulets

Quackademic medicine vs. COVID-19

“Quackademic medicine” is a term coined to describe the increasing infiltration of pseudoscience and quackery into medical academia. Unsurprisingly, we’re starting to see quackademic medicine turn its attention to COVID-19. In this case, traditional Chinese medicine is invoked to claim that magic amulets might prevent COVID-19,