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Bad science Bioethics Medicine Politics Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

China is forcing people to use traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) quackery to treat COVID-19

There is no evidence that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is effective against COVID-19. That’s not stopping China from forcing people to use it to treat coronavirus.

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Medicine Politics Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery

Beijing proposes criminalizing “slander” or “libel” against TCM

China has long promoted the sale and use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Now the city of Beijing wants to criminalize criticism of TCM.

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Friday Woo Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Perineum sunning: Real woo, social media clickbait, or both?

This week,a ridiculous practice called “perineum sunning” (or “butthole sunning”) went viral on social media and the news. It’s so ridiculous a practice that I have to wonder if social media influencers made up for clicks.

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Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Integrative medicine Medicine Skepticism/critical thinking

A bait-and-switch study of acupuncture in stable chronic angina

This week, JAMA Internal Medicine published a clinical trial purporting to find that acupuncture helps stable angina. Here’s a hint: It doesn’t. It’s a bait-and-switch study that used “electroacupuncture” instead of acupuncture with poor blinding and lack of consideration of prior plausibility.

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Medicine Politics Pseudoscience Quackery

Mao triumphant: The World Health Organization officially embraces traditional Chinese medicine quackery

Seven decades ago, Chairman Mao Zedong began promoting traditional Chinese medicine and its “integration” with science-based medicine. His long game has paid off, and he has triumphed, thanks to WHO, which has formally approved integrating mystical and pseudoscientific TCM codes to the new ICD-11.