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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Cancer Politics

Sen. José Peralta definitely did not die because of the flu vaccine

New York State Senator José Peralta died after a brief illness in November, and antivaxers blamed the flu vaccine. Later, it was learned that Sen. Peralta died of sepsis, leading to claims that the flu vaccine predisposed him to sepsis. Now the autopsy report is out, and we know why Sen Peralta was prone to sepsis or a sepsis-like syndrome. Hint: It had nothing to do with the flu vaccine.

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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Medicine Politics Popular culture Television

Sharyl Attkisson is back, and she’s flogging a new-old antivaccine conspiracy theory

As a reporter with a decade-long history of credulously reporting antivaccine conspiracy theories and pseudoscience as news, Sharyl Attkisson is an old “friend” of the blog. This time, she’s reporting a new-old conspiracy theory about the Autism Omnibus proceedings. I say “new-old” because she tries to mightily to produce a new version of the central conspiracy theory of the antivaccine movement.

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Bad science Politics Pseudoscience Quackery Religion Skepticism/critical thinking

Rep.-Elect Mark Green: A new antivaccine crank goes to Congress

Here we go again. Meet Rep-Elect Mark Green. He’s following in the footsteps of Reps. Dan Burton and Bill Posey in bringing the antivaccine crazy to Congress, only this time for the people of Tennessee.

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Politics Pseudoscience Skepticism/critical thinking

Vote as if your children’s health depends on it. Antivaxers are on the ballot.

Antivaxers have become politically active and, unfortunately, quite influential in several states. As you go out to the polls today, remember that, and vote as if our children’s health depends on it, particularly if you live in Texas and Oklahoma.

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Medicine Politics Quackery

The problem with SB 277, the law that eliminated personal belief exemptions (PBEs) in California

in 2015, SB 277 was passed in California, eliminating personal belief exemptions (PBEs) to its school vaccine mandate beginning in 2016. Two years on, health officials express frustration with shortcomings of the law, the two most glaring of which involve their lack of authority to deny scientifically bogus medical exemptions sold by antivaccine doctors and their lack of authority and resources to track medical exemptions.