Categories
Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Science Skepticism/critical thinking

From dietary supplements to the emergency room

If there’s one thing I’ve been consistent about, it’s that, however ridiculous all the other woo I routinely discuss here is—homeopathy, reiki, reflexology, I’m talking to you and your friends—herbal medicine and supplements might have value because they might have a physiological effect that is beneficial in treating or preventing disease. Of course, if that’s […]

Categories
Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

Orrin Hatch: The supplement industry’s lapdog

Dietary supplements are minimally regulated in the U.S. Indeed, I’m continually amazed at how much supplement manufacturers can get away with and for how long. For example, one of the most recent atrocities against science occurred when Boyd Haley, disgraced chemistry professor at the University of Kentucky and prominent member of the mercury militia wing […]

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Politics Popular culture Quackery

The endless quackery and grift of The Wellness Company

The Wellness Company, promoted by Dr. Peter McCullough, is the product of a trend in which antivax doctors have predictably become just grifting quacks. At least in this case, there is an amusing quack fight at the heart of it all.

Categories
Bad science Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Integrative medicine Medicine Naturopathy Politics Pseudoscience Quackery

Along with the NIH budget hike comes a less welcome large hike in the budget for quackery for the NCCIH

Earlier this month, Congress passed an omnibus budget bill that provided a large hike in the budget the National Institutes of Health. Unfortunately, along with that budget hike was an even bigger percent hike for the NIH’s bastion of quackery, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. How did this happen?

Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Naturopathy Popular culture Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Antivaxers lobbying Rep. Jason Chaffetz to investigate the CDC fawn over parents who let their child with bacterial meningitis die of medical neglect

Yesterday, I took note of a meeting of advocates and lawyers with Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), the chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (OGR), which makes him a very powerful Congressman. The group that met with him included Del Bigtree, the producer of Andrew Wakefield’s antivaccine propagandafest of a “documentary” VAXXED: […]