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Antivaccine nonsense Movies Pseudoscience

“Virulent: The Vaccine War” Q&A with Dr. Novella and a familiar face

Virulent Q&A

Director/editor/producer Tjardus Greidanus, whose documentary Virulent: The Vaccine War examines the rise of the antivaccine movement before and after the pandemic, joined Dr. Novella and a certain other person for a virtual Q&A.

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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Cancer Medicine Quackery

Tess Lawrie: “You might not believe this, little fella, but it’ll cure your cancer too”

Frank Zappa vs. Tess Lawrie
Frank Zappa's classic song applies just as well to quacks like Tess Lawrie as it did to a fictional New Age guru 50 years ago.

In a turn that should surprise exactly no one, the BIRD Group’s Tess Lawrie effortlessly pivots from promoting ivermectin as a cure for COVID-19 to promoting it as a cure for cancer. It’s another example of how single-issue quacks almost inevitably embrace more diverse quackery.

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Antivaccine nonsense Clinical trials Medicine Skepticism/critical thinking

Economist Mark Skidmore publishes antivax propaganda disguised as a survey

Mark Skidmore
Mark Skidmore is a perfect example showing why economists shouldn't be trying to determine how many adverse events are caused by vaccines. At least, antivax economists shouldn't, as they embarrass themselves and their schools when they do so.

Antivaxxers love surveys. This time BMC Infectious Diseases has the dubious “honor” of publishing a truly awful one by an economist named Mark Skidmore that claims that COVID-19 vaccine have killed nearly 300K people.

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Antivaccine nonsense Computers and social media Medicine

Elon Musk amplifies dubious claims of “spasms” and “seizures” after COVID-19 vaccines

COVID misinformation seizures spasms

Thanks to Elon Musk, two-year-old videos showing people claiming to have “seizures” and “spasms” due to #CovidVaccines have resurfaced and gone viral. Antivaxxers are partying like it’s 2009—or 2021.

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Announcements Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Movies

Sign up for a virtual screening of “Virulent: The Vaccine War”

Virulent
Virulent: The Vaccine War.

Science-Based Medicine is hosting a virtual screening of Virulent: The Vaccine War. Get your virtual ticket to stream it and be part of the Q&A with the filmmakers hosted by Drs. Gorski and Novella on Jan. 29?