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Antivaccine nonsense Medicine Popular culture Pseudoscience Quackery Religion

“Crush”-ing the victimhood gambit among antivaxers

An antivaxer by the ‘nym “Crush” at the antivaccine coffee klatch known as the Thinking Moms’ Revolution thinks that she and all antivaxers have been horribly victimized by evil pro-vexers. She’s a case of extreme Dunning-Kruger.

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Medicine Popular culture Science Skepticism/critical thinking Surgery

Do medical errors really kill a quarter of a million people a year in the US? (2019 edition)

The claim that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US has always rested on very shaky evidence; yet it’s become common wisdom that is cited as though everyone accepts it. But if estimates of 250,000 to 400,000 deaths due to medical error are way too high, what is the real number? A study published last month suggests that it’s almost certainly a lot lower and has been modestly decreasing since 1990.

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Friday Woo Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery Skepticism/critical thinking

Seqex: Ion Cyclotron Resonance quackery boogaloo

Meet Seqex. It’s like a Scientology E-meter, only so much more unscientifically complicated, complete with over 2 million waveforms! That must mean it’s better! Actually, Segex is based on decades old pseudoscience.

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Antivaccine nonsense Autism Bad science Medicine Politics Quackery

Antivaccine legislator Sen. Paul Boyer is doing his best to make measles great again in Arizona

Arizona state Senator Paul Boyer introduced a bill that would “make measles great again” under the guise of “informed consent.” It is in reality “misinformed consent.” Isn’t it great to have antivaxers trying to inflict disease on children?

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Cancer Medicine Pseudoscience Quackery

Drs. Alberto Garcia and Alberto Siller’s Clínica 0-19: A mother’s story

A mother writes to Orac about her experience at Dr. Alberto Garcia and Dr. Alberto Siller’s quack cancer clinic in Monterrey.