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Medicine Politics Pseudoscience Quackery

More “auricular” acupuncture: Our veterans deserve science-based medicine, not quackery

Over the last several years, the Veterans Health Administration has been increasing the amount of quackery being offered in VA hospitals and clinics. This time around, it’s auricular acupuncture.

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Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Politics Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery

The next frontier in “integrative medicine”: Getting Medicaid to fund quackery

Naturopaths are not the only relentless quacks seeking to bend government to legitimize their quackery. Acupuncturists are now working to get Medicaid to fund acupuncture services. They are succeeding.

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Medicine Politics Quackery

Lowering the bar for traditional Chinese medicine for ideology and profit

In the 1950s, Chairman Mao Zedong began the “integration” of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) into real medicine. Last year, the Chinese government passed a bill to promote the sale of TCM products. This. year, we see what that means.

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Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Science Skepticism/critical thinking

A new nomenclature for auricular acupuncture: The ultimate in Tooth Fairy science

Tooth Fairy science is the study of a phenomenon before having actually demonstrated that the phenomenon actually exists. I can’t think of a better example than trying to construct an elaborate mapping system of body parts and organs to the surface of the external ear for purposes of sticking needles in them to heal and relieve pain (auricular acupuncture). Yet that’s what’s just been published.

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Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Emergency acupuncture! (2017 edition)

For whatever reason, acupuncturists and acupuncture believers think that acupuncture can be useful in emergency situations. They even do studies purporting to show that. This is yet another of such a clinical trial, albeit larger than usual. Guess what? It doesn’t really show what it’s advertised to show.