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Autism Bad science Cancer Medicine Skepticism/critical thinking

R.I.P., Gayle DeLong

Gayle DeLong was an antivaxxer best known for blaming HPV vaccines for infertility and blaming her breast cancer on her children’s autism. Yesterday, I learned that her “autism-induced breast cancer” had recently claimed her life.

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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science History Medicine Politics

RFK Jr. then vs. RFK Jr. now: Still fiercely antivaccine after all these years

RFK Jr. has long been a leader in the antivaccine movement. Unfortunately, the pandemic has turbocharged his influence, and he’s cranked his antivax fear mongering to 11.

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Politics

No, the rush for a COVID-19 vaccine is not turning provaccine advocates into antivaxxers

There is already widespread distrust of a COVID-19 vaccine, even before a vaccine is approved. Contrary to claims from antivaxxers, that doesn’t mean provaxxers are becoming antivax.

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Anti-Semitism Antivaccine nonsense Holocaust Holocaust denial Medicine Politics Popular culture Pseudoscience

Anne Frank: RFK Jr. now versus RFK Jr. in 2015

At the Defeat the Mandates rally on Sunday, RFK Jr. invoked Anne Frank in an antivaccine speech. Then he apologized. Shorter RFK Jr.: “Oops, I did it again!” Why is anyone surprised? This has always been RFK Jr.’s MO.

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Religion

“V-gasm”? A confused antivaxxer likens COVID-19 vaccines to sex and religion

Recently, a longtime antivaccine activist likened the reaction of vaccine advocates to getting the COVID-19 vaccine to an orgasm (a “v-gasm”) and the vaccine to religion. What does this say about antivaccine thinking, or is this just a really confused analogy?