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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Bad science Medicine Pseudoscience Skepticism/critical thinking

The L.A. Times: Painfully false balance on antivax pediatrician Dr Bob Sears

Yesterday, Melody Gutierrez published a profile of antivax pediatrician Dr. Bob Sears in the L.A. Times. Unfortunately, it’s the worst case of false balance about vaccines or an antivaxer that I’ve seen in a long time.

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Antivaccine nonsense Politics Popular culture

SB 277 and bogus medical exemptions to vaccine mandates in California

In 2015 California passed SB 277, which eliminated nonmedical exemptions to school vaccine mandates. Unfortunately quacks are writing bogus exemptions. What can be done?

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Medicine Popular culture Quackery

One Conversation: An antivaccine crankfest adds two more antivaccine cranks

“One Conversation” was originally planned to be a panel discussion between pro- and anti-vaccine advocates. However, as pro-vaccine scientists learned just how disreputable the antivaccine cranks on the panel are, they’ve canceled, leaving an antivaccine crankfest. Yesterday, I learned that this antivaccine confab has added two more cranks, one of whom is a real blast from the past.

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Bad science Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Dr. Paul Thomas: A rising star in the antivaccine movement

For credibility, the antivaccine movement needs antivaccine pediatricians, such as Dr. Jay Gordon and Dr. Bob Sears. Meet the pediatrician who is the latest rising star in the antivaccine movement, Dr. Paul Thomas. He even claims to have his very own “vaxed vs. unvaxed” study.

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Politics Quackery

Medical exemptions to school vaccine mandates soar in California as SB 277 makes personal belief exemptions unavailable

California’s new law that eliminates personal belief exemptions has been a success, increasing vaccine uptake after just one year. That isn’t to say that there aren’t problems. One potential problem is the increasing number of medical exemptions, likely fueled by doctors willing to write letters of support for them based on reasons that are not science-based.