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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Bad science Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Skepticism/critical thinking

Christopher Shaw uses the results of an abusive FOIA request to intimidate a scientist

Scientist turned antivaccine activist Christopher Shaw tried to intimidate an Alzheimer’s disease expert named Catherine Roe for having withdrawn from an antivaccine crankfest called One Conversation using the results of an abusive FOIA request. Sadly, this is now a common tactic.

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Medicine Politics Popular culture Pseudoscience Skepticism/critical thinking

The WHO walks back its statement that asymptomatic COVID-19 transmission is “very rare”

Yesterday, the World Health Organization walked back its statement that asymptomatic transmission of COVID-19 is “very rare.” This was after COVID-19 deniers had had a field day using that statement to attack social distancing, contact tracing, and mask wearing. It was a science communication disaster.

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Antivaccine nonsense Bad science Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

COVID-19: A magnet for medical conspiracy theories

Conspiracy theories are at the heart of nearly all medical pseudoscience, be it antivaccine beliefs or quackery. COVID-19 has been a magnet for conspiracy theories.

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Medicine

What Plandemic left out about Judy Mikovits’ wild conspiracy mongering

Last week, the “Plandemic” video went viral with conspiracy theories about COVID-19. What it left out were some of Judy Mikovits’ other conspiracy theories! Here’s a hint: They involve glyphosate, vaccines, and plutonium!

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Bad science Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery

Judy Mikovits in Plandemic: An antivax conspiracy theorist becomes a COVID-19 grifter

Judy Mikovits is a disgraced scientist who claimed a retrovirus caused chronic fatigue syndrome, results later soundly refuted. She went antivaccine for a while but has now been reborn as a COVID-19 grifter.