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Bad science Complementary and alternative medicine Integrative medicine Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Quackademic medicine, COVID-19 edition, part 1: Magic amulets

“Quackademic medicine” is a term coined to describe the increasing infiltration of pseudoscience and quackery into medical academia. Unsurprisingly, we’re starting to see quackademic medicine turn its attention to COVID-19. In this case, traditional Chinese medicine is invoked to claim that magic amulets might prevent COVID-19,

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Bad science Computers and social media Medicine Science Skepticism/critical thinking

The Great Barrington Declaration: COVID-19, “magnified minority,” and eugenics

Apparently signed by thousands of scientists, the Great Barrington Declaration argues that lockdowns in response to the coronavirus pandemic do more harm than good and that society should use “Focused Protection” for the elderly and those at high risk for severe disease and death from COVID-19 while letting the young go about their business normally. A closer look reveals that COVID-19 deniers are taking a page from a very old denialist propaganda playbook.

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Bad science Computers and social media Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

“Masks make you sicker”: The unkillable COVID-19 conspiracy theory

Masks work to slow the spread of COVID-19, but the “masks make you sicker” narrative, like antivax nonsense, has proven to be unkillable and to be a killer.

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Bad science Bioethics Clinical trials Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery

Duke University’s stem cell program for autism: The dark(er) side of quackademic medicine

Despite a lack of evidence Duke University is all-in on stem cells for autism, thanks to a billionaire benefactor and a Panama stem cell clinic. This is the dark(er) side of quackademic medicine.

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Medicine News of the Weird Quackery

Rectal ozone: Injecting ozone up one’s nether regions to treat COVID-19

Yes, quacks really are advocating the use of rectal ozone to treat COVID-19, thus demonstrating that nothing is too ridiculous for them.