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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine News of the Weird Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Fake vaccinations and a suicide note by Dr. Van Koinis

Chicago pediatrician Dr. Van Koinis committed suicide. This week, it was reported that in his suicide note he expressed regret over falsifying vaccinations. Did he actually fake vaccinating patients? Whatever the truth, Cook County health officials now have a huge mess on their hands.

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Skepticism/critical thinking

An antivaccine “Circle of Mamas” has “questions” about vaccines. Orac has answers.

An antivaccine Circle of Mamas has asked a bunch of disingenuous questions about vaccines that have gone viral. Fortunately, Orac has answers.

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Cancer Clinical trials Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine

Can CAM help alleviate musculoskeletal symptoms in breast cancer patients from aromatase inhibitors like letrozole?

Letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, is commonly used to treat hormone-responsive breast cancer, but produces troubling side effects. Can CAM relieve the side effects associated with its use?

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Medicine Popular culture Science Skepticism/critical thinking

Is medical error really the third most common cause of death in the US?

The claim that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US has always rested on very shaky evidence; yet it has 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 recently published study suggests that it’s almost certainly a lot lower.

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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Medicine Politics Quackery

AAPS sues for its “right” to promote antivaccine misinformation

The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) sues Adam Schiff for the right to promote antivaccine misinformation, accomplishing nothing more than demonstrating that the group is indeed antivaccine.