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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

The Autism Omnibus: When you don’t have scientific evidence, tug on the heartstrings!

The Autism Omnibus is now officially under way, having begun with the first test case, that of Cedillo v. Secretary of Health and Human Services. The Omnibus proceeding is the culmination of the legal cases brought to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program by nearly 5,000 families who “feel” that their children’s autism was in fact […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

Let down by Crooks and Liars

I normally like Crooks and Liars. However, this time around, while blogging about the Autism Omnibus, Nicole let me down. Saying that “I don’t pretend to have any special medical knowledge; so I will link both sides of the thimerosal debate,” she then linked to Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s totally dishonest fearmongering piece of crap […]

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Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

The Autism Omnibus: The difference between real scientists and crank scientists

The Autism Omnibus trial continued last week, which was devoted primarily to the government’s case. Consequently, there were a variety of real experts, as opposed to the pseudoexperts called by the prosecution last week. With only the occasional hiccup, they are taking serious bites out of the plaintiff’s case, as documented on a near daily […]

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Autism Bioethics Medicine Quackery

While we’re on the topic of autism and vaccines: Andrew Wakefield is facing charges for unprofessional conduct

When it rains it pours, eh? While I happen to be on the topic of vaccines and autism again today, here’s a surprising story: Andrew Wakefield, the doctor behind the scare over a potential link between the MMR jab and autism in children, is to face four charges relating to unprofessional conduct at the General […]

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Autism Bioethics Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Antivaccination warriors vs. research ethics

It’s been a very interesting week for those of us who try to keep an eye on antivaccination warriors who scare mothers with claims based on either no science or bad science of dire consequences that will come from vaccinating their children. A very interesting week indeed, kind of like that old curse, “May you […]