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Bad science Medicine Politics Popular culture Science

What leads to trust or mistrust of scientists and physicians?

Given all the denial of the science behind vaccines, GMOs, evolution, and climate science, you might think that Americans in general distrust scientists and physicians. It’s actually not true. Trust in scientists and doctors remains high, but there are still areas where mistrust of scientists is a significant problem. What can be done?

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Politics Popular culture Religion

Why is the Church of Scientology helping antivaxers in a last ditch attempt to block passage of SB 276?

California SB 276, a bill to clamp down on bogus medical exemptions to school vaccine mandates, is nearing the finish line and looks likely to be passed into law soon. Why are Scientologists helping antivaxers in a last ditch effort to block its passage?

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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Medicine Politics Popular culture

Is the current generation of children the “sickest generation,” as antivaxers claim?

Presidential candidate and New Age self-help guru Marianne Williamson has been repeating a claim that over half of our children have chronic illness and implying that the expansion of the vaccine schedule since the late 1980s is responsible. But is it true? Are over half of our children sick? Is this “the sickest generation”?

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Bad science Medicine Politics Popular culture

What ex-antivaxer Kelley Watson-Snyder can teach us

Kelley Watson-Snyder was an antivaxer who has now become a pro-vaccine advocate. We can learn a lot from her story and deconversion.

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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Medicine Politics Popular culture

Marianne Williamson is NOT a skeptic

Faye Flam of Bloomberg Technology defended Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson against charges of being antivaccine and antiscience. It does not go well. Flam ignores the worst nonsense and misunderstands science.