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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Politics Popular culture

“Lab leak” is now very much like antivax in its harms to public health

Ever since COVID-19 first emerged in 2020, evidence-free claims that it had arisen due to a “lab leak” have proliferated and caused as much harm as antivax. A recent paper argues that this conspiracy theory has been very harmful to science. I argue that it’s more than just lab leak that is harmful.

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Politics

Antivax lawyer Aaron Siri misrepresents vaccine safety testing

Vaccine scientist Stanley Plotkin coauthored a commentary on vaccine postlicensure studies. Antivax lawyer Aaron Siri tries to misrepresent it as an “admission” that vaccines aren’t safe. Predictable.

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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Quackery

Antivax quacks: It’s always (also) about the grifter and grift

When it comes to the behavior of antivax quacks, I like to say: Come for the quackery and ideology, stay for the grift. A Washington Post story this week confirms this characterization.

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Antivaccine nonsense Quackery Religion Skepticism/critical thinking

Quack tycoon Joe Mercola now thinks he’s “the new Jesus” who will save the world

Quack tycoon Joe Mercola has fallen under the spell of a psychic who channels “Bahlon” to give business advice and now thinks he’s the “new Jesus” who will “save the world.” Is the conman now being conned?

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Antivaccine nonsense Bioethics Clinical trials

An antivaxxer is creating his own bogus institutional review board (IRB)

James Lyons-Weiler recently announced that his antivax org, Institute for Pure and Applied Knowledge (IPAK), is creating his own IRB. Its real purpose? Most likely to provide cover for unethical antivax studies.