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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery

Did Gardasil kill Colton Berrett? The answer is almost certainly no.

Colton Barrett was a 17 year old boy who developed acute transverse myelitis at age 13, which left him partially paralyzed and dependent on a portable ventilator. Tragically, he died less than two weeks ago. His mother blames Gardasil, which he received two weeks before his first symptoms appeared, for his neurologic illness and death. However, Gardasil almost certainly had nothing to do with Colton’s illness.

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience

Dr. Kelly Brogan’s e-book “Vaccines and Brain Health”: A cornucopia of antivaccine misinformation and pseudoscience

Last week, while discussing the antivaccine stylings of “holistic psychiatrist” Dr. Kelly Brogan, I promised to revisit her e-book “Vaccines and Brain Health.” Never let it be said that Orac doesn’t keep his promises.

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Medicine Politics Pseudoscience

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and his World Mercury Project: Antivaccine, NOT “fiercely pro-vaccine”

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. claims that he is “fiercely pro-vaccine.” His words and actions say otherwise, for instance his Indiegogo campaign to raise money to promote antivaccine misinformation.

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Medicine Politics Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

No, vaccines do not cause sudden infant death syndrome, a Vaccine Court decision notwithstanding

There was a rumbling in the antivaccine underground a week ago about a recent ruling by the Vaccine Court compensating parents of a child who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). In a confused and scientifically highly flawed decision, the Special Master Thomas Gowen didn’t rule that vaccines cause SIDS, but did rule that they contributed to SIDS in this one case. Soon, the message will be that vaccines cause SIDS. They don’t. The Vaccine Court screwed up.

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Antivaccine nonsense Complementary and alternative medicine History Holocaust Medicine Politics Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

The violent rhetoric of the antivaccine movement: “Vaccine Holocaust” and potential impending attacks on journalists

Antivaxers are planning on publishing the personal information of employees of the Boston Herald because the paper published an editorial saying that promoting antivaccine misinformation among a vulnerable population should be a “hanging offense.” Meanwhile, overblown allusions to the Holocaust are going into overdrive. Same as it ever was.