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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine

The latest antivaccine lie about COVID-19 vaccines: “They’re gene therapy!”

There’s a new antivaccine talking point in town, and it’s just as much disinformation as other antivaccine talking points. It’s the claim that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are not really vaccines but “medical devices,” “gene therapy,” or “experimental biologics” and that they were falsely classified as vaccines in order to bypass safety testing. Here, we discuss why this claim is utter nonsense based on the highly deceptive use of terminology.

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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.

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Bad science Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience

Brian Hooker and Neil Z. Miller publish another terrible “vaxxed/unvaxxed” study

Brian Hooker and Neil Z. Miller, two antivaccine propagandists disguising themselves as scientists, published yet another terrible “vaxxed/unvaxxed” study purporting to show unvaccinated children are healthier. How awful was the study? Let Orac tell you!

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Politics Popular culture

Antivaxers are targeting minorities with their misinformation and conspiracy theories

Orac has been writing about this a long time. Finally, the mainstream media are noticing how antivaxers target minorities with their message.

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine News of the Weird Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Fake vaccinations and a suicide note by Dr. Van Koinis

Chicago pediatrician Dr. Van Koinis committed suicide. This week, it was reported that in his suicide note he expressed regret over falsifying vaccinations. Did he actually fake vaccinating patients? Whatever the truth, Cook County health officials now have a huge mess on their hands.