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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Politics Popular culture Pseudoscience Religion

Antivaxers inundate the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting

Yesterday, antivaxers inundated the public comment session of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. There were only two pro-science advocates versus a host of antivaccine activists spouting pseudoscience

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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Bioethics Medicine Popular culture Quackery

Peter Gøtzsche and the antivaxers

Recently, it was noted that Peter Gøtzsche, formerly of Cochrane Nordic, was featured on the speaker list for an antivaccine quackfest. Two days later, he announced that he would not be speaking there. So what happened and why did Prof. Gøtzsche agree to speak at an antivax conference in the first place?

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Religion

“Crush”-ing the victimhood gambit among antivaxers

An antivaxer by the ‘nym “Crush” at the antivaccine coffee klatch known as the Thinking Moms’ Revolution thinks that she and all antivaxers have been horribly victimized by evil pro-vexers. She’s a case of extreme Dunning-Kruger.

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Bad science Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Gary G. Kohls, MD mindlessly regurgitates misinformation about Orac

Gary G. Kohls, MD mindlessly regurgitated an antivaccine lie about Orac. Orac responds. It does not go well for Dr. Kohls. Basically, it’s not wise to tug on Superman’s cape.

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Medicine Popular culture Science Skepticism/critical thinking Surgery

Do medical errors really kill a quarter of a million people a year in the US? (2019 edition)

The claim that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US has always rested on very shaky evidence; yet it’s become common wisdom that is cited as though everyone accepts it. But if estimates of 250,000 to 400,000 deaths due to medical error are way too high, what is the real number? A study published last month suggests that it’s almost certainly a lot lower and has been modestly decreasing since 1990.