Categories
Antivaccine nonsense Autism Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery

Another example of the arrogance of ignorance

The other day, I mentioned what Prometheus termed the “arrogance of ignorance,” in which people with no training in a complex, scientific issue have the hubris to think that they know enough to be able to lecture medical scientists on shortcomings of their research. Here’s another example of just such arrogance by antivaccinationist Barbara Loe […]

Categories
Medicine Surgery

Surgery: Past performance is no guarantee of future results

In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in improving surgical outcomes. One strain of research tends to examine the “volume-outcome” relationship, which in essence asked the question if the volume of cases that a surgeon or hospital does has a relationship outcome. In other words, are mortality rates lower, survival rates better, […]

Categories
Blogging Medicine

A finalist for the 2007 Best Medical Weblog

I’ll admit that I’ve been a bit oblivious to honors and awards in the blogosphere lately, but it’s come to my attention that I’m actually a finalist for Best Medical Weblog. I also note that the competition is fierce. Fellow surgeon Sid Schwab is there for Surgeonsblog, as is one of the pioneers of medical […]

Categories
Anti-Semitism Politics

No wonder white power rangers like Ron Paul so much!

In one on my rare forays into political blogging (albeit with an emphasis on “alternative” non-evidence-based and non-science-based medicine), I discussed Ron Paul’s record of supporting quack-friendly legislation and in not accepting evolution. Because of my interest in Holocaust denial, it also interested me that Hutton Gibson, a notorious Holocaust denier and conspiracy theorist, would […]

Categories
Cancer Complementary and alternative medicine Medicine Quackery Surgery

A horrifying breast cancer “testimonial” for “holistic” treatment

(NOTE ADDED 12/7/2010: Kim Tinkham has died of what was almost certainly metastatic breast cancer.) Cancer is scary. It’s very, very scary, even when it is a cancer that is treatable and potentially curable. It’s such a common disease that, by the time we reach a certain age, the vast majority of us have seen […]