The Somali measles outbreak in Minnesota: Thanks again, Andy (and American antivaxers), for the measles
Antivaxers targeted a. vulnerable community of Somali immigrants in Minnesota. The result: A large (and growing) measles outbreak. Thanks, Andy. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - May 12, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking Autism Canary Party Health Choice Mark Blaxill measles Minnesota MMR Organic Consumers Association Somali Vaccine Safety Counci Source Type: blogs
The Mawson “ vaxed/unvaxed ” study retraction: The antivaccine movement reacts with tears of unfathomable sadness
In the course of just a couple days, a pair of atrociously incompetent studies by Andrew Wakefield fanboy Anthony Mawson were published and retracted by a predatory open access publisher. Surveying the reactions of antivaccine activists, I can't help but conclude that their tears of unfathomable sadness are delicious. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - May 10, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Antivaccine nonsense Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Pseudoscience Skepticism/critical thinking Anthony Mawson Bob Sears GreenMedInfo Retraction Watch Sayer Ji unvaccinated vaxed vs. unvaxed Source Type: blogs
A boatload of fail: Were two horrendously bad zombie “ vaxed/antivaxed ” studies retracted —again?
Yesterday, Orac made a rare oversight. He missed an antivaccine study that's risen from the dead once again after having been retracted. He is more than happy to correct that oversight here and now by applying some Insolence to the second study as well and to express amusement that it appears that both studies have been retracted yet again. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - May 9, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Medicine Anthony Mawson antivaccine neurodevelopmental disorder preterm birth vaccines Source Type: blogs
A horrendously bad “ vaxed/unvaxed ” study rises from the dead yet again
Antivaccine "studies" never die. They always return to promote disease among children. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - May 8, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Antivaccine nonsense Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking Andrew Wakefield Anthony Mawson survey vaccines Source Type: blogs
Thanks for the measles yet again, Andy: Antivax vultures swoop in to spread misinformation among the Minnesota Somali immigrant community
Antivaccine activists have been targeting the community of Somali immigrants in Minnesota for over a decade now, with devastating results. In the midst of a growing measles outbreak, antivaxers have descended upon the community to keep promoting antivaccine quackery. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - May 5, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking Andrew Wakefield antivaccine Mark Blaxill Minnesota Somali vaccines Source Type: blogs
It ’ s full steam ahead for cancer quack Stanislaw Burzynski
Since being given a slap on the wrist by the Texas Medical Board for his many years of peddling his antineoplastons, a treatment that's never been shown to have significant anticancer activity, Stanislaw Burzynski is back in action again, preying on desperate cancer patients like it's 1999. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - May 4, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Cancer Complementary and alternative medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking Anna Ortega antineoplastons brain cancer DIPG Mindi Ortega Stanislaw Burzynski Ted Ortega Source Type: blogs
The New York Times publishes fake news false hope in the form of a credulous account of dubious alternative medicine testimonials
It's been a bad week for the Gray Lady in the science department. Hot off the heels of hiring a climate science denier for its op-ed section, it's published a credulous article that uncritically touts a book full of dubious alternative medicine testimonials. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - May 3, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Homeopathy Naturopathy Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking Amy Thieringer Charlotte Walker fake news galvanic skin response idiopathic juvenile arthritis Source Type: blogs
Old wine poured into a newer skin: The Society for Integrative Oncology updates its clinical guidelines for breast cancer
Just over two years ago, the Society for Integrative Medicine issued clinical guidelines for breast cancer care. Now it's updated them. Unfortunately, mixing cow pie with apple pie for a little longer doesn't make the cow pie any better than it was last time. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - May 2, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Cancer Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Homeopathy Naturopathy Quackery acupuncture breast cancer Dugald Seely Heather Greenlee integrative medicine integrative oncology society for integrative oncology Suza Source Type: blogs
Thanks for the measles yet again, Andy
Yet another population is learning why you shouldn't trust Andrew Wakefield. There is a large Somali immigrant population in Minnesota, and unfortunately they've been targeted by antivaxers. As a result, their MMR uptake has plummeted, and now they're in the midst of another measles outbreak. Andrew Wakefield screws yet another group. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - May 1, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Politics Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking Andrew Wakefield immigrant Minnesota Somali Source Type: blogs
Quoth an antivaxer: DNA vaccines are contaminating our DNA in the name of transhumanism!
Transhumanism is the idea that one day humans will merge with machines, to the betterment of humankind. Antivaxers have a thing for transhumanism too. They think that somehow the real purpose of DNA vaccines is to prepare the human race for transhumanism. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - April 28, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Antivaccine nonsense Complementary and alternative medicine Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking DNA vaccines Mike Adams plasmi precious bodily fluids purity of essence recombination Sherri Tenpenny transhumanism Source Type: blogs
The FDA cracks down on bogus cancer “ cures. ” Will this be the last time this happens until after Trump?
This week, the FDA sent warning letters to 14 companies making unsupported claims that their products can treat cancer. Given the new administration's determination to deregulate almost everything, but especially the FDA, is this the last time in the foreseeable future that such a crackdown will occur? (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - April 27, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Cancer Complementary and alternative medicine Politics Quackery Donald Trump DSHEA of 1994 fda laetrile supplements thermography warning letter Source Type: blogs
The failure of the Texas Medical Board: Houston cancer quack Stanislaw Burzynski is back in business
Last month, the Texas Medical Board fined Houston cancer quack Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski and placed his practice under supervision. It did not strip him of his medical license, as he deserves. The result is that families of children with terminal cancer are once again raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to follow his siren song of false hope. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - April 26, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Cancer Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Politics Popular culture Quackery Amelia Saunders antineoplastons billie bainbridge Cristiano Sousa Ewa Sitkowska fda Huddersfield Examiner Liza Cozad Orlando Sousa Source Type: blogs
The death of Jade Erick: Why state licensure doesn ’ t protect patients from naturopathic quackery
Naturopaths claim that licensing their profession will ensure a high standard of care and protect patients. The case of Jade Erick, who died as a result of intravenous curcumin administered by a naturopath puts the lie to that claim. We now know that the naturopath who killed Erick has pending complaints that the Naturopathic Medicine Committee has done little to act on, revealing its ineffectiveness. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - April 25, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Complementary and alternative medicine Homeopathy Naturopathy Politics Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking Britt Hermes curcurmin Jade Erick Kim Kelly ozone insufflation ozone therapy prolozone therapy turmeric Source Type: blogs
Congress is back in session, and sneaking the cruel sham that is right-to-try in a must-pass bill Is on the agenda
Ill-advised right-to-try bills are spreading like kudzu through state legislatures. Now federal legislators want to insert right-to-try language into the bill that funds FDA drug approval. Given the support of powerful Republicans for right-to-try, is it too late to stop this juggernaut and protect patients? (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - April 24, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Cancer Clinical trials Medicine Politics Pseudoscience Skepticism/critical thinking fda Goldwater Institute Republican right to try Trickett Wendler Right to Try Act of 2017 Source Type: blogs
What makes a physician become an antivaxer? (Part 2)
Orac contemplates a reason why doctors become antivaccine that he missed the last time he discussed this topic. (Source: Respectful Insolence)
Source: Respectful Insolence - April 21, 2017 Category: Surgery Authors: Orac Tags: Antivaccine nonsense Cancer Complementary and alternative medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking Andrew Wakefield Dunning-Kruger effect Stanislaw Burzynski Source Type: blogs
