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Announcements Skepticism/critical thinking

Fast approaching: The Skeptics’ Circle

Don’t forget, once again the time is fast approaching. Soon yet another installment of the Skeptics’ Circle will be upon us. In fact, it’s less than a week away and due to land at Infophilia on Thursday, October 11. So, if you’re a blogger and regularly (or even not-so-regularly) like to apply the scientific method, […]

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Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

Science is irrelevant. Resistance is futile.

“I am Locutus of Borg. Resistance is futile. Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service us.” – Locutus of Borg. “Strength is irrelevant. Resistance is futile…Your culture will adapt to service ours.” — The Borg. I’m a bit depressed these days. Maybe a better term for it […]

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Bioethics Cancer Clinical trials Medicine

The costs and benefits of the latest, greatest cancer drugs

Last week, The New York Times started a rather unusual series in its medical section entitled, The Evidence Gap, described thusly: Articles in this series will explore medical treatments used despite scant proof they work and will consider steps toward medicine based on evidence. When I first saw the series, I was prepared for a […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Politics Quackery

Resistance is futile, part 3: Maybe resistance is not futile after all

Well, I won’t back down No, I won’t back down You can stand me up at the gates of hell But I won’t back down Gonna stand my ground Won’t be turned around And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down Gonna stand my ground And I won’t back down From I Won’t Back […]

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Antivaccine nonsense Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

Germ theory denialism and antivaccination myths on Medscape

I’ve lamented time and time again how much woo has managed to infiltrate academic medicine, even to the point where prestigious medical schools such as Harvard and Yale have fallen under its sway. I’ve even gone so far as to lament that resistance is futile when it comes to the rising tide of woo threatening […]