"A statement of fact cannot be insolent." The miscellaneous ramblings of a surgeon/scientist on medicine, quackery, science, and pseudoscience (and anything else that interests him).

Category: Medicine

M.D. Anderson enters the blogosphere–and goes woo

Post author By Orac
Post date August 5, 2009
126 Comments on M.D. Anderson enters the blogosphere–and goes woo

Did you know that acupuncture is very much related to astrology? No, it’s not just because both of woo. Rather, it’s likely true that the whole concept of “meridians,” those invisible “channels” through which our life energy (a.k.a. qi) allegedly flow were indirectly based on astrological signs, which had been used to guide points used […]

Cancer Clinical trials Medicine

Cancer research and clinical trials

Post author By Orac
Post date August 4, 2009
39 Comments on Cancer research and clinical trials

During the month of June on this blog, I got annoyed not once, but twice. First, I got annoyed at Sharon Begley for a truly annoying and evidence-free (other than cherry-picked anecdotes) broadside against the NIH for its “culture of caution” that, according to her, is largely responsible for the “lack of progress” against cancer […]

Medicine Science Skepticism/critical thinking

Yes, scientists can be jerks, but that doesn’t invalidate science

Post author By Orac
Post date August 3, 2009
33 Comments on Yes, scientists can be jerks, but that doesn’t invalidate science

Due to annoying stuff at work and good stuff personally, I didn’t have time to grind out my usual bit of Insolence, either Respectful or not-so-Respectful, today. Fortunately, there is a long history on this blog, full of good stuff that I can repost. So, as I did when I went to TAM7, I’m picking […]